1,721,205 research outputs found
Tradition of use on medicinal species in Valfurva (Sondrio, Italy)
No full textETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
In the past Alpine populations were isolated from comforts of industrial and technological development present in large cities and, therefore, they were obliged to find in nature a source of sustenance and care. Traditional use of plant is a wealth of local knowledge that is likely to be lost. This work, carried out during 2012, aims to collect, analyze and process information on the species used for medicinal, veterinary, cosmetic, domestic, ritual and religious purposes by the inhabitants of Valfurva, in the Province of Sondrio (Italy). Furthermore it is a means for the preservation of local traditions regarding such uses and increases the ethnobotanical data from Northern Italy, till now poorly documented.
METHODS:
Our survey was conducted by semi-structered interviews. We interviewed 92 people, aged from 23 to 97 y.o., born or resident in Valfurva. All information collected and concerning their use of plants, were analyzed using ethnobotanical indices such as Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Relative Importance (RI) and Factor Informant Consensus (FIC).
RESULTS:
Our study stated that people living in Valfurva use 126 species belonging to 48 families. Findings revealed that the most cited species is Achillea moschata Wulfen, with values of RFC and RI equal to 1.00 and 1.12 respectively. Furthermore, 95 species were collected in the wild and 31 were cultivated. The most commonly used part plants were leaves, flowers, fruits, roots and complete aerial parts. The most frequent preparation methods were infusion, decoction and poultice. Among the recorded species, 91 of them are used for medicinal purposes, 72 for cooking, 19 for veterinary purposes, 10 for animal feed, 12 for cosmetic practices, 7 for religious or ritual purposes and 45 for domestic and various uses. The validity of the species use emerged in our survey is confirmed by scientific literature and research conducted on the same topics.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study increases ethnobotanical data coming from Italian Alps, whose regions have been so far hardly investigated. Our study confirms the interest in species already mentioned in previous surveys and placings. It also provides evidences which could be usefully exploited by new investigations aimed at knowing the active metabolites found responsible for plants use in traditional medicine
Traditional uses of medicinal plants in Valvestino (Italy)
No full textThis paper reports the results of a survey concerning folk uses of medicinal plants in Valvestino (Brescia,
Italy). The features of this area, recognized by European Union as “Site of Community interest”, allowed
the preservation of the ethnobotanical traditions.We have documented the use of 58 species belonging to
30 families by interviewing 54 villagers of a mean age of 72 years. The dominant families are Asteraceae
(10 species), Pinaceae and Rosaceae (5 species, respectively); the most common preparations are infusion
and decoction. Three plants have been mentioned for treatment of animals, some species are employed
in cookery. The study, carried out for the first time in this valley, gathered information about traditional
remedies, before they are completely lost. All the interesting species have been transplanted to the G. E.
Ghirardi Botanical Garden for the ex situ conservation
Electron microscopy in the study of the ecological diversity of selected medicinal species preserved at the Ghirardi Botanic Garden (Toscolano Maderno, Brescia)
No full textPrimula latifolia Lapeyr. and Primula vulgaris Hudson flavonoids
No full textThree flavonoids were isolated from the leaf MeOH extracts of Primula latifolia Lapeyr. and Primula vulgaris Hudson collected from Italian Alps: rutin (1) and kaempferol 3-neohesperidoside (2) from P. latifolia, and kaempferol 3-β-O-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2) gentiobioside (3) from P. vulgaris. The structures were assigned on the basis of their 1H and 13C NMR data, including those derived from 2D NMR, as well as on HPLC-MS results. This article is the first to report on P. vulgaris tissue flavonoids after Harborne's study in 1968 and the first work ever on these compounds from P. latifolia
Investigation on the flavonoid composition of Aconitum angustifolium Bernh. flowers and leaves
No full textA new flavonol glycoside, kaempferol 7-O-(6-E-p-coumaroyl)-β-d- glucopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside 3-O-β-d- galactopyranoside (1), together with other five known compounds (2-6), were identified from the flowers and leaves of Aconitum angustifolium Bernh. Their chemical structures were elucidated by extensive NMR spectral studies, as well as by ESI-MS analysis
Ultrastructural evaluation of the glandular indumentum in selected Lamiaceae species
No full textThis work is part of a two-year research project (IRIS identification - project 2014-PDF-0363) focused on the plant heritage preserved at the Ghirardi Botanic Garden of Toscolano Maderno (Bs), which have a long tradition in the study and conservation of medicinal species.
We presented the results of an extensive ultrastructural investigation on the glandular indumentum of both the vegetative and reproductive organs in selected target-species belonging to the Lamiaceae family: Ballota acetabulosa Benth., Ballota rupestris Vis., Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Lavandula dentata L., Salvia greggii Grey, Salvia uliginosa Benth., Salvia verticillata Benth., Scutellaria sieberi Benth., Scutellaria altissima L. and Scutellaria caucasica A.Ham.
The investigation showed the occurrence of different types of glandular trichomes:
(i) peltate trichome, present on leaves and inflorescences of all of the species. It is constituted by a basal epidermal cell, a neck-cell and by a multicellular glandular head surrounded by a large subcuticular space in which the secretion is stored. The histochemical tests proved the production of terpenoidic, polysaccharidic and flavonoidic compounds. The presence of both lipophilic and hydrophilic components appears as osmiophilic droplets immersed in an abundant granular matrix. The secreted material is released after cuticle rupture.
(ii) short capitate hair widespread on both the vegetative and the reproductive organs of all the examined species. It is constituted by a basal epidermal cell, a neck-stalk cell and by a glandular head of 2-4 cells surrounded by a thin subcuticular space. The secreted material exhibits a strong positive response only to the hydrophilic dyes. The most striking ultrastructural feature is the presence of abundant Golgi bodies, sites of the synthesis and storage of polysaccharides.
(iii) long capitate trichomes observed only on Salvia species. It is composed by 1-2 epidermal cells, 2 stalk cells, 1 neck cell and by a globose head of 1-2 secretory cells surrounded by a storing chamber. The secretion is exclusively constituted by terpenes. The cytoplasm of the secreting cells is rich in plastids containing starch granules and a well-developed smooth endoplasmic reticulum, cellular compartments typical of a terpenoidic secretion.
(iv) long capitate trichomes observed only on the inflorescences of Scutellaria species. It is composed by 2 epidermal cells, 2-4 stalk cells, 1 neck cell and by 8 up to 18-20 secretory cells. Each secretory cells presents a small subcuticular space at the apex. The secretion is characterized by a complex composition, positive to lipophilic and hydrophilic dyes. Therefore, the secretory products are constituted of polysaccharides, terpenes and polyphenols. On the apex of each secreting cell a small portion of the cuticle layer raises, originating a small chamber in which electrondense fibrillar or granular material is stored. Occasionally some prearranged openings for the release of the secretion were observed, but most part of the secreting material seems to be extruded through the outer periclinal wall.
These highly-specialized secretory structures are characterized by a wide morphological and chemical polymorphism and by different mode of release of the secretory products. This extensive range of variability is probably crucial in determining different ecological rules
Aroma profile and morphological analysis of Salvia broussonetii Benth
No full textSalvia broussonetii Benth. (Lamiaceae) is a rare shrubby perennial species endemic to Canary Islands; in particular, it grows in Tenerife and Lanzarote preferentially on the basaltic rocks of ocean cliffs (Clebsch and Barner 2003).
Previous phytochemical investigations on S. broussonetii referred to the isolation of triterpene compounds from the plant aerial parts (Gonzalez et al. 1971, 1972a, b), besides the triterpene (Fraga et al. 1991) and diterpene (Fraga et al., 2005) profiles from hairy root cultures. The volatile profiles of the species, as well as the study of the glandular indumentum have been neglected so far.
The main objective of the present investigation is, therefore, the characterization of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) spontaneously emitted by the leaves and the flowers, and the evaluation of the essential oil (EO) profile obtained from the aerial parts. In addition, we correlated these productivity to the secreting structures
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