Search results for "Ethnobotany"
showing 10 items of 47 documents
The wild taxa utilized as vegetables in Sicily (Italy): a traditional component of the Mediterranean diet
2018
Background: Wild vegetables in the Mediterranean Basin are still often consumed as a part of the diet and, in particular, there is a great tradition regarding their use in Sicily.In this study, an ethnobotanical field investigation was carried out to (a) identify the wild native taxa traditionally gathered and consumed as vegetables in Sicily, comparing the collected ethnobotanical data with those of other countries that have nominated the Mediterranean diet for inclusion in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and (b) highlight new culinary uses of these plants.Methods: Interviews were carried out in 187 towns and villages in Sicily between 2005 an…
Ethnobotanical study in the Madonie Regional Park (Central Sicily, Italy)—Medicinal use of wild shrub and herbaceous plant species
2013
Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance This paper illustrates the results of an ethnobotanical study carried out in the Madonie Regional Park (Central Sicily, Italy). It specifies the medicinal uses of plants in the study area and contains the results of a quantitative analysis carried out for the first time in an area noted for its high degree of biodiversity. It also introduces 28 species not previously accounted for in the area of study for their medicinal uses, highlighting Silene flos-cuculi L. Greuter & Burdet, little known as medicinal in the Mediterranean area. Aim of the study To understand to what extent current knowledge on medicinal-use plants is still an element of the culture…
Ethnobotanical investigation on wild medicinal plants in the Monti Sicani Regional Park (Sicily, Italy)
2014
Ethnopharmacological relevance The area of the "Monte Sicani Regional Park" (Central Western Sicily, southern Italy) has been quantitatively and extensively investigated in an ethnobotanical study for the first time. A total of 108 wild species are used for medicinal purposes, while, according to our study, the uses of 9 species have not previously been reported in ethnobotanical studies in Italy (e.g.; the use of Kickxia elatine (L.) Dumort. for the treatment of hyperhydrosis of the feet, the use of Lavatera agrigentina Tineo for cough and bronchitis). Aim of the study: The aim of this paper is to analyze, through quantitative indicators, the extent of the current knowledge on medicinal us…
Ethnobotanical survey and cytotoxicity testing of plants of South-western Nigeria used to treat cancer, with isolation of cytotoxic constituents from…
2010
Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance There is only scant literature on the anticancer components of medicinal plants from Nigeria, yet traditional healers in the area under study claim to have been managing the disease in their patients with some success using the species studied. Aim of study To document plants commonly used to treat cancer in South-western Nigeria and to test the scientific basis of the claims using in vitro cytotoxicity tests. Methods Structured questionnaires were used to explore the ethnobotanical practices amongst the traditional healers. Methanol extracts of the most common species cited were screened for cytotoxicity using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay in both…
Popular uses of wild plant species for medicinal purposes in the Nebrodi Regional Park (North-Eastern Sicily, Italy)
2014
Ethnopharmacological relevance: The area of the Nebrodi Regional Park (North-Eastern Sicily, Italy) has Q3 been quantitatively investigated in an ethnobotanical study for the first time. A total of 90 wild species are used for medicinal purposes and the uses of 5 species have not previously been reported in ethnobotanical studies in Italy (e.g., the use of Arisarum vulgare O. Targ. Tozz. for the treatment of rheumatic pains, the use of Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke for the treatment of liver diseases). Aim of the study: The aim of this paper was to understand to what extent current knowledge on the medicinal use of plants is still an element of the culture within the rural populations of …
Iron Age botanical remains from nuraghe S'Urachi, Sardinia
2020
Excavation at nuraghe S'Urachi has yielded a wide range of archaeobotanical materials preserved through charring and waterlogging. This unusual evidence allows us to study the agricultural practices and diet of this community in the first millennium BC and to understand better the economic and cultural interactions between Sardinia and the wider Phoenician and Mediterranean world.
Fruits arriving to the west. Introduction of cultivated fruits in the Iberian Peninsula
2021
Agricultural activities, including practices, crops and techniques have evolved throughout history undergoing tremendous changes. From the early Neolithic farmers in the Mediterranean focused on cereal agriculture and only later, during the 4th/3rd millennium cal. BC in the Eastern basin, other species such as fruit trees were introduced into the agrarian system transforming the model that had been in use for millennia. Fruit tree management required innovation and investment and more importantly multi-year foresight as the new crops entailed a new pace of work with delayed returns and, thus, a greater entanglement with the land. Processes of social complexity and urbanization accompanied t…
The role of ethnobotanics in scientific research. State of ethnobotanical knowledge in Sicily.
2000
This contribution deals with the traditional use of plants of the Sicilian flora. Special attention is given to the species used in popular medicine. Moreover, the importance of ethnobotanics in scientific research and its role in toxicology are shown.
Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, chemical ecology and invasion biology of Acanthus mollis L.
2022
Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Acanthus mollis L. (Bear's Breeches) is a wide-spread medicinal and ornamental plant and is particularly suited to exemplarily illustrate the diverse aspects of invasion biology by neophytes. Since ancient times, it has been a popular Mediterranean ornamental plant in horticulture and served as model for the decoration of column capitals in architecture. Aim of the study In the present review, we aimed to give an overview about ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, chemical ecology, and invasion biology of A. mollis. Thus, the importance of plantation cultivation in the presence of ecologically problematic species and environmental protection were emphas…
Plants mentioned in the Islamic Scriptures (Holy Qur'ân and Ahadith): Traditional uses and medicinal importance in contemporary times.
2019
Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Over the past thousand years, Islamic physicians have collected cultural, philosophical, sociological and historical backgrounds for understanding diseases and medications. The Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH) said: “There is no disease that Allah has created, except that Allah also has created its cure.” Therefore, Islamic scholars are encouraged to explore and use both traditional and modern forms of medicine. Aim of the study (1) To identify some of the medicinal plants mentioned in the Holy Qur'ân and Ahadith textbooks of the period 700–1500 AD; (2) to compare them with presently used traditional medicines; (3) to evaluate their value ba…