Search results for " medicinal plant"
showing 10 items of 11 documents
Ethnobotany of the Aegadian Islands: safeguarding biocultural refugia in the Mediterranean
2021
Abstract Background The Aegadian Islands are located west of Trapani, Sicily. Once the site of bountiful tuna fisheries and fruit orchards (plums, peaches, apricots), grapevines, prickly pears, and grains, the local economy is now based on tourism, and many traditional agricultural and maritime practices have been abandoned. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the state of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) concerning the use of wild and cultivated plants and fungi for human health, food, maritime, and agricultural purposes on the islands of Levanzo, Favignana, and Marettimo and compare present-day practices with those documented in the past. Methods In-depth semi-structured interviews …
Anti-Acne Activity of Italian Medicinal Plants Used for Skin Infection
2016
Propionibacterium acnes is implicated in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris, which impacts >85% of teenagers. Novel therapies are in high demand and an ethnopharmacological approach to discovering new plant sources of anti-acne therapeutics could contribute to filling this void in effective therapies. The aims of our study were two-fold: (1) To determine if species identified in ethnopharmacological field studies as having traditional uses for skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) exhibit significantly more activity against P. acnes than species with no such reported use; and (2) Chemically characterize active extracts and assess their suitability for future investigation. Extracts of Ita…
Plant species for mucilages as crops for Mediterranean environments.
2008
WILD RESOURCES OF THE PROSPECTIVE MEDICINAL PLANT ARUM MACULATUM L. IN BULGARIA
2015
Background: Arum maculatum L. (Araceae), has been known as a medicinal plant for centuries. In Bulgaria, this species is an officially acknowledged medicinal plant (Medicinal plant act 2000), even though it is not often used. Our ethnopharmacological survey demonstrated that A. maculatum is a promising plant for treatment of hemorrhoids and even preferable than the surgery which is so far considered the definitive treatment (Kochmarov et al 2015). Therefore the problem for the plant resources is crucial. Our survey on the natural distribution of the genus Arum in Bulgaria (Kozuharova et al. 2014) revealed that A. maculatum occurs only in eight floristic regions – data collected by literatur…
Tradizioni etnofarmacobotaniche in alcune comunità rurali dei Monti di Trapani (Sicilia occidentale)
2014
Ethnopharmacobotanical traditions in some rural communities of Trapani Mountains (West-Sicily). – The results refer an ethnopharmacobotanical study carried out in the territories of Valderice, Busto Palizzolo, Custonaci and San Vito Lo Capo, in the Trapani Mountains. There are 155 plants used in etno-medicine. The etnofarmacobotanical use of spontaneous and cultivated taxa represents an ecosystem services provided by biodiversity in the traditional agricultural systems of this area.
Flavouring Extra-Virgin Olive Oil with Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Essential Oils Stabilizes Oleic Acid Composition during Photo-Oxidative Stress
2021
Essential oils (EOs) from medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are well-known as natural antioxidants. Their addition to extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) can contribute to reducing fat oxidation. The main aim of this study was to improve both food shelf-life and aromatic flavour of EVOO, adding different EOs of Sicilian accessions of common sage, oregano, rosemary and thyme. The morphological and production characteristics of 40 accessions of MAPs were preliminarily assessed. EOs from the most promising accessions of MAPs were analysed by gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry. Photo-oxidative studies of the EOs were carried out and the determination of the EVOO fatty acids obtained from 4 I…
Analisys of a natural population of Cucumber mosaic virus infecting medicinal plants
2009
Endophytic Bacteria and Essential Oil from Origanum vulgare ssp. vulgare Share Some VOCs with an Antibacterial Activity
2022
Medicinal aromatic plants’ essential oils (EOs) are mixtures of volatile compounds showing antimicrobial activity, which could be exploited to face the emerging problem of multi-drug resistance. Their chemical composition can depend on the interactions between the plant and its endophytic microbiota, which is known to synthesize volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, it is still not clear whether those volatile metabolites can contribute to the composition of the aroma profile of plants’ EOs. The aims of this study were to characterize medicinal plant O. vulgare ssp. vulgare bacterial endophyte VOCs, evaluating their ability to antagonize the growth of opportunistic human pathogens bel…
A quantitative analysis of wild herbaceous plant species for medicinal uses in four Regional Parks in Sicily (Italy)
2019
This paper illustrates the results of a study carried out in 4 regional Parks in Sicily (Italy) from 2009 to 2010. The study area covers a surface of 2076 km2, the 8% of the territory of Sicily, includes 90 towns and it is characterized by a high degree of plant biodiversity. The main aim of the study was to analyse the extent of the current knowledge on medicinal uses of wild shrub and herbaceous plants in the area, using quantitative indices. The information was obtained using semi-structured interview format performed on a sample of 802 people over the age of 60 who were considered experts in rural traditions. The results highlight that most of the species are used against general health…
Acclimatization, distribution and potential economic use of Argania spinosa (Sapotaceae) in southern Italy
2021
The authors report updated notes on the acclimatization, distribution, areas suitable for cultivation and, potential use of Argania spinosa (Sapotaceae) in southern Italy. Based on observations carried out on the plants cultivated in Bari and the Botanical Garden of Palermo, and on ecological requirements of the species it is possible to consider A. spinosa as a woody species easily adaptable to the coastal climate of southern Italy.