This work increases the ethnobotanical data from Northern Italy and, in particular, the Lombardy region, till now poorly documented, safeguarding the local folk knowledge, and provides information on ...new or scarcely reported properties of medicinal plants, whose traditional use needs to be validated experimentally.
The present study aimed to gather, analyse and evaluate the ethnobotanical information on the species used for medicinal and food purposes by the native people of Val San Giacomo.
The plant use was documented by speaking with more than 100 people, mainly over 60 years old, born and resident in Val San Giacomo. Information was collected using semi-structured interviews and then analysed by indices such as Ethnophytonomic Index (EPI), Ethnobotanicity Index (EI), relative frequency of citation (RFC), use value (UV), relative importance (RI) and factor informant consensus (FIC).
Information on 66 plants belonging to 35 families (Asteraceae, Rosaceae and Lamiaceae, mainly) was gathered. The preference ranking placed Achillea moschata Wulfen at first place, both for the citation number and for RFC and UV. Arnica montana L., Thymus pulegioides L. and Artemisia genipi Stechm. were also in relevant use. Sixty species were wild and six were cultivated. Leaves, flowers, complete aerial parts and fruits were the plant parts most commonly used for remedy preparation (infusion, especially). The interviewees collected local flora for medicinal purposes, specifically. About 51.5% of the plant species were used to treat gastrointestinal tract of humans as digestive, depurative, appetiser, laxative, astringent and carminative remedies. About 56% of the plants were used in cookery, 24.2% in veterinary field, and 3% as cosmetics. The calculated indices demonstrated that in the studied area there is a small retention of plant knowledge. Only 6.2% of the autochthonous plants proved useful in folk tradition. Despite this, the uses of Sempervivum montanum L., Rhododendron ferrugineum L. and Panicum miliaceum L. were never documented by other ethnobotanical investigations conducted in the alpine area.
This survey was an extension of the ethnobotanical investigations performed in the Italian Alps. A study like this, though performed in a small area with a reduced traditional knowledge, could be the basis for subsequent research on the species that are interesting from a phytochemical point of view and on the potential use of their active metabolites.
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Citrus secondary metabolites, such as terpene compounds, are very important for human health due to their bioactivity including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antioxidant effects. In this work, ...for the first time, the volatile chemical composition of peels and juices from four different Citrus species (C. junos, Citrus × aurantium, C. aurantium ‘Bizzarria’ and C. medica ‘Florentina’, commonly known as Yuzu jeune, Oni Yuzu, Bizzarria orange and Florence cedar, respectively) was investigated by Solid-Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) technique and the antiradical activity was also examined. The results showed that limonene and γ-terpinene were the main volatile substances detected both in the juices and in the peels, followed by other minority compounds responsible for the phyto-complex of the unique aromas which characterize each individual analyzed Citrus species. Principal component analysis (PCA), performed on volatile compounds, showed both some correlation as well as a clear separation between the juice and the peel of each species. Among them, Oni Yuzu juice was found to be the richest in total polyphenols and flavonoids while its capacity to scavenge ABTS•+ and DPPH• radicals was similar to that of Yuzu Jeune and Bizzarria orange.
EM (effective microorganisms) is a biofertilizer consisting of a mixed culture of potentially beneficial microorganisms. In this study, we investigated the effects of EM treatment on leaf in vivo ...chlorophyll
fluorescence of photosystem II (PSII), yield, and macronutrient content of bean plants grown on different substrates (nutrient rich substrate vs. nutrient poor sandy soil) in controlled environmental conditions (pot experiment in greenhouse). EM-treated plants maintained optimum leaf photosynthetic efficiency two weeks longer than the control plants, and increased yield independent of substrate. The levels of seed nutritionally-relevant molecules (proteins, lipids, and starch) were only slightly modified, apart from the protein content, which increased in plants grown in sandy soil. Although EM can be considered a promising and environmentally friendly technology for sustainable agriculture, more studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism(s) of action of EM, as well as its efficacy under open field conditions.
The genus
Dorema
(Apiaceae) comprises 12 accepted species, mainly growing in Asia and, particularly, in Iran, where
D. ammoniacum
and
D. aucheri
are the most used species in cuisine and folk ...medicine. The
Dorema
species are traditionally applied in the treatment of catarrh, asthma, chronic bronchitis, as carminative, mild diuretic and anthelmintic agents. In general, 42 non-volatile secondary metabolites were isolated from the 6 studied species, namely
D. aitchisonii, D. ammoniacum
,
D. aucheri
,
D. glabrum
,
D. hyrcanum
, and
D. kopetdaghense
. Among them, phenolic acid, flavonoid, acetophenone, coumarin, and sesquiterpene derivatives were identified as the predominant phytoconstituents. The leaves are characterized by the highest volatile content, and the sesquiterpenes in both hydrocarbon and oxygenated forms were reported as the most abundant compounds. Most of the studied pharmacological activities were assessed in vivo. Nevertheless, in vitro antiradical and antimicrobial potentials were the main investigated activities. Overall, the evaluation of bioactivities confirmed the ethnopharmacological use of the
Dorema
species, particularly their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and hypolipidemic properties. This study comprehensively overviewed, for the first time, the literature relating to the folk medicinal use and to the available phytochemical and pharmacological data. Considering the genus application and the rare clinical trials, the study of the efficacy and safety of the uninvestigated
Dorema
species might be an interesting and promising approach for further researches.
Plant secondary metabolites include an array of bioactive constituents form both medicinal and food plants able to improve human health. The exposure to these phytochemicals, including ...phenylpropanoids, isoprenoids and alkaloids, through correct dietary habits, may promote health benefits, protecting against the chronic degenerative disorders mainly seen in Western industrialized countries, such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we briefly deal with some plant foods and herbs of traditional medicines and diets, focusing on their neuroprotective active components. Because oxidative stress and neuroinflammation resulting from neuroglial activation, at the level of neurons, microglial cells and astrocytes, are key factors in the etiopathogenesis of both neurodegenerative and neurological diseases, emphasis will be placed on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity exerted by specific molecules present in food plants or in remedies prescribed by herbal medicines.
Synergy is a process in which some substances cooperate to reach a combined effect that is greater than the sum of their separate effects. It can be considered a natural "straight" strategy which has ...evolved by nature to obtain more efficacy at low cost. In this regard, synergistic effects may be observed in the interaction between herbal products and conventional drugs or biochemical compounds. It is important to identify and exploit these interactions since any improvement brought by such kind of process can be advantageously used to treat human disorders. Even in a complex disease such as cancer, positive synergistic plant-drug interactions should be investigated to achieve the best outcomes, including providing a greater benefit to patients or avoiding adverse side effects. This review analyzes and summarizes the current knowledge on the synergistic effects of plant-drug interactions with a focus on anticancer strategies.
Medicinal plants have a wide range of secondary metabolites including monoterpene. These volatile compounds are the main components of essential oils, belonging to the isoprenoid group and possessing ...valuable features for plants and humans. This review provides comprehensive information on chemical structures and classification of monoterpenes. It describes their biosynthesis pathways and introduces plant families and species rich in noteworthy monoterpenes. Bio-activities, pharmacological and pesticide effects as well as their mechanism of action are reported. Applications of these compounds in various industries are also included.
The development of novel strategies of plant disease management is crucial in view of the growing demand of sustainability in agri-food chains. The use of agrochemicals is not without risk for the ...consumer and environment in terms of their residues in food, feed, water bodies and harmful effects on nontarget organisms. However, because of the high global annual yield losses attributable to plant diseases and also due to global climate changes that have exacerbated some phytosanitary emergences, chemical input in agriculture is mandatory. In this complex scenario, the use of agrochemicals that boost the plant immune system represents a relatively novel approach in crop protection. These plant protection products are not antimicrobial or fungicidal agents, but include both natural and synthetic elicitors and plant activators that only target the host immune system, with no biocide mechanism of action. In general, these products present a number of strengths: they leave no residue and should not select resistant pathogen strains, they can be used to control virus diseases, and can increase the levels of bioactive phytochemicals in plant foods.
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