Ethnobotany of the Aegadian Islands: safeguarding biocultural refugia in the Mediterranean

Ethnobotanical contributions to global fishing communities: a review

BACKGROUND

Ethnobotanical knowledge about the role of plants in fisheries provides valuable ecological information vital for sustainable management of local resources; however, it is diluted and understudied globally. This literature review aims to map the knowledge of plant use within traditional fishing communities.

METHODS

Through the PRISMA method, we identified and selected 34 articles reporting the use of plants in fisheries, and including 344 taxa of plants and algae. Uses of plants and algae were grouped into different categories.

RESULTS

In the novel categorization of fishery-related uses we proposed, the most mentioned were for fishing and building/repair of fishing artifacts and habitat-related uses, while the records of plants related to fiber uses, providing aid in fishing management and species causing problems, were among the least mentioned. Semi-structured interview is most commonly used with local resource users, especially fishery experts, in exploring perceptions on plant use within traditional fishing communities. Diversity was high in all the recorded families, but most were reported locally.

CONCLUSION

Ethnobotanical studies with fishers are not common in the documented literature but they provide a large number of use reports. On the basis this review, in most of the world, the information is of a casual and sporadic nature. Fishers can provide information on aquatic plants and algae that create problems and aid in fishing management, which are crucial in understanding the ecosystem of a region experiencing environmental challenges. This knowledge is greatly understudied globally and undergoing a rapid decline, as highlighted in several of the reviewed articles. Thus, further systematic research on fishery-related uses of plants by fisherfolk is needed considering its potential contribution to the sustainable management of fishery resources.

Ethnobotanical Documentation of the Uses of Wild and Cultivated Plants in the Ansanto Valley (Avellino Province, Southern Italy)

With approximately 2800 species, the Campania region has the richest vascular flora in southern Italy and the highest number of medicinal species reported in the Italian folk traditions. The study area is inserted in a wide rural landscape, still retaining a high degree of naturalness and is studied for the first time from an ethnobotanical point of view. By analyzing local traditional uses of wild plants in the Ansanto Valley area, the present study aims to contribute to the implementation of ethnobotanical knowledge concerning southern Italy. To gather ethnobotanical knowledge related to the Ansanto Valley, 69 semi-structured interviews were carried out through a snowball sampling approach, starting from locals with experience in traditional plant uses (key informants). A number of 117 plant species (96 genera and 46 families) were documented for traditional use from a total of 928 reports, of which 544 were about medicinal plants. New use reports on the utilization of plants for medicinal (5) and veterinary applications (8) in the Campania region and the whole Italian territory were outlined from our investigations. Sedum cepaea is reported as a medicinal plant for the first time in Italy and in the whole Mediterranean basin.

Ferula communis Root Extract: In Vitro Evaluation of the Potential Additive Effect with Chemotherapy Tamoxifen in Breast Cancer (MCF-7) Cells Part II

Ferula L., belonging to the Apiaceae family, is represented by about 170 species predominantly present in areas with a mild-warm-arid climate, including the Mediterranean region, North Africa and Central Asia. Numerous beneficial activities have been reported for this plant in traditional medicine, including antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, anti-dysentery, stomachache with diarrhea and cramps remedies. FER-E was obtained from the plant F. communis, and precisely from the root, collected in Sardinia, Italy. A total of 25 g of root was mixed with 125 g of acetone (ratio 1:5, room temperature). The solution was filtered, and the liquid fraction was subjected to high pressure liquid chromatographic separation (HPLC). In particular, 10 mg of dry root extract powder, from F. communis, was dissolved in 10.0 mL of methanol, filtered with a 0.2 µm PTFE filter and subjected to HPLC analysis. The net dry powder yield obtained was 2.2 g. In addition, to reduce the toxicity of FER-E, the component ferulenol was removed. High concentrations of FER-E have demonstrated a toxic effect against breast cancer, with a mechanism independent of the oxidative potential, which is absent in this extract. In fact, some in vitro tests were used and showed little or no oxidizing activity by the extract. In addition, we appreciated less damage on the respective healthy cell lines (breast), assuming that this extract could be used for its potential role against uncontrolled cancer growth. The results of this research have also shown that F. communis extract could be used together with tamoxifen, increasing its effectiveness, and reducing side effects. However, further confirmatory experiments should be carried out.

An Ethnobotanical Investigation into the Traditional Uses of Mediterranean Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: The Case of Troodos Mountains in Cyprus

The Troodos mountains in Cyprus are a hotspot of plant diversity and cultural heritage. However, the traditional uses of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), a significant aspect of local culture, have not been thoroughly studied. The aim of this research was to document and analyze the traditional uses of MAPs in Troodos. Data on MAPs and their traditional uses were collected through interviews. A database was constructed with categorized information on the uses of 160 taxa belonging to 63 families. The quantitative analysis included the calculation and comparison of six indices of ethnobotanical importance. The cultural value index was selected to reveal the most culturally significant MAPs taxa, while the informant consensus index was utilized to quantify the consensus in information obtained related to uses of MAPs. Furthermore, the 30 most popular MAPs taxa, exceptional and fading uses, and the plant parts used for different purposes are described and reported. The results reveal a deep connection between the people of Troodos and the plants of the area. Overall, the study provides the first ethnobotanical assessment for the Troodos mountains in Cyprus, contributing to a better understanding of the diverse uses of MAPs in mountain regions of the Mediterranean.

Botanical inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 viral entry: a phylogenetic perspective

Throughout the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the use of botanical dietary supplements in the United States has increased, yet their safety and efficacy against COVID-19 remains underexplored. The Quave Natural Product Library is a phylogenetically diverse collection of botanical and fungal natural product extracts including popular supplement ingredients. Evaluation of 1867 extracts and 18 compounds for virus spike protein binding to host cell ACE2 receptors in a SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped virus system identified 310 extracts derived from 188 species across 76 families (3 fungi, 73 plants) that exhibited ≥ 50% viral entry inhibition activity at 20 µg/mL. Extracts exhibiting mammalian cytotoxicity > 15% and those containing cardiotoxic cardiac glycosides were eliminated. Three extracts were selected for further testing against four pseudotyped variants and infectious SARS-CoV-2 and were then further chemically characterized, revealing the potent (EC50 < 5 µg/mL) antiviral activity of Solidago altissima L. (Asteraceae) flowers and Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn (Dennstaedtiaceae) rhizomes.

Walking around the Autonomous Province of Trento (Italy): An Ethnobotanical Investigation

The Trentino-South Tyrol region is a special statute region of northeastern Italy. This territory is of particular interest for its morphology, flourishing vegetation, and history, having been a meeting area among different civilizations. Hence, Trentino is characterized by an ethnic plurality and a rich ethnobotanical knowledge, even if the available information is fragmentary, widely dispersed, and often guarded in oral popular culture. To fill this gap, in the present work 200 subjects were interviewed using an ethnobotanical survey. The resulting 817 citations referred to 64 native species, used either for human or animal health or for domestic purposes. As a second step, for each plant exploited for medicinal purposes, local importance was evaluated by calculating their relative frequency of citation. Moreover, the main traditional preparations were discussed. Among them, the most cited and exploited ones are Achillea millefolium, Arnica montana, Hypericum perforatum, Malva sylvestris, Pinus mugo, and Satureja montana, for which a deeper analysis has been performed. Lastly, the ethnobotanical knowledge of the plants growing in this territory will add a piece to the mosaic of traditional medicine in Italy and may lay the foundation for a nature-aided drug discovery process.

Ethnomycological study of wild edible and medicinal mushrooms in district Jammu, J&K (UT), India

BACKGROUND

Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has a rich tradition of usage of wild edible mushrooms (WEMs) for culinary and medicinal purposes. But very few studies, restricted to some regions of the Union Territory, have been conducted to enlist the WEM. District Jammu has never been explored for WEM. Moreover, the quantification of the traditional knowledge of WEM has not been carried out as yet in J&K. Therefore, the present study was conducted in the Jammu district with the aims of enlisting the WEM and its usage, finding the most used WEM, and enumerating the consensus of usage for a species and associated knowledge.

METHODS

A total of 192 informants between the age of 25 and 87 years were interviewed. The collected information was organized and arranged based on use reports for quantitative analysis. The cultural importance index (CI) and factor informant consensus (F_ic) were calculated to estimate the cultural importance and to test homogeneity of information and knowledge sharing about WEM, respectively. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate the significance of differences in the usage of WEM among different informant categories.

RESULTS

Results of the present study show that the locals were having knowledge of fourteen fleshy fungi that are mainly utilized for culinary purposes. They also stated various medicinal values of some of these fungi. Agaricaceae and Lyophyllaceae were the most used families, and Termitomyces (5 species) was the most represented genus. Based on CI values, Termitomyces sp. (CI 0.57) was the most important and diversely used species. Termitomyces heimii, Termitomyces clypeatus, and Termitomyces striatus var. annulatus were the other culturally important and frequently consumed species by the locals. More than 78.6% of these WEM were new records as culinary and medicinal for J&K (UT). The values of factor informant consensus (F_ic) varied between 0.98 (culinary) and 0.76 (skin diseases). Females, elders, and informants who have not attended schools were having significantly (P < 0.05) higher information regarding WEM.

CONCLUSION

The inhabitants of district Jammu had good knowledge of WEM, but no documentation, lying of most of the information with elders and uneducated people, and destruction of forests and other natural habitats of WEM pose a serious threat of losing this valuable information in near future. An ardent need is to educate locals regarding regionally available WEM. Further studies are recommended for developing protocols of cultivation of these WEM so that their future availability is ascertained along with creating income resources for the local population.

Establishment of an Efficient Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)-Mediated Transformation System in Pleurotus eryngii var. ferulae Using Comprehensive Optimization and Multiple Endogenous Promoters

Pleurotus eryngii var. ferulae, a fungus of the genus Pleurotus, efficiently degrades lignin, especially during co-cultivation with other fungi. However, low transformation efficiency and heterologous gene expression restrict systematic studies of the molecular mechanisms and metabolic control of natural products in this mushroom. In this study, the homologous resistance marker carboxin (cbx) was used to establish a polyethylene glycol-mediated transformation (PMT) system in P. eryngii var. ferulae. Optimization of the transformation process greatly improved the number of positive transformants. In particular, we optimized: (i) protoplast preparation and regeneration; (ii) screening methods; and (iii) transformation-promoting factors. The optimized transformation efficiency reached 72.7 CFU/μg, which is higher than the average level of Pleurotus sp. (10–40 CFU/μg). Moreover, three endogenous promoters (Ppfgpd1, Ppfgpd2, and Ppfsar1) were screened and evaluated for different transcription initiation characteristics. A controllable overexpression system was established using these three promoters that satisfied various heterologous gene expression requirements, such as strong or weak, varied, or stable expression levels. This study lays the foundation for recombinant protein expression in P. eryngii var. ferulae and provides a method to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms and secondary metabolic pathway modifications.

Ethnomedicinal and Ethnobotanical Survey in the Aosta Valley Side of the Gran Paradiso National Park (Western Alps, Italy)

Most of traditional knowledge about plants and their uses is fast disappearing because of socio-economic and land use changes. This trend is also occurring in bio-cultural refugia, such as mountain areas. New data on Traditional Ethnobotanical Knowledge (TEK) of Italian alpine regions were collected relating to three valleys (Cogne, Valsavarenche, Rhêmes) of the Gran Paradiso National Park. Extensive dialogues and semi-structured interviews with 68 native informants (30 men, 38 women; mean age 70) were carried out between 2017 and 2019. A total of 3918 reports were collected, concerning 217 taxa (including 10 mushrooms, 1 lichen) mainly used for medicinal (42%) and food (33%) purposes. Minor uses were related to liquor making (7%), domestic (7%), veterinary (5%), forage (4%), cosmetic (1%) and other (2%). Medicinal plants were used to treat 14 ailment categories, of which the most important were respiratory (22%), digestive (19%), skin (13%), musculoskeletal (10%) and genitourinary (10%) diseases. Data were also evaluated by quantitative ethnobotanical indexes. The results show a rich and alive traditional knowledge concerning plants uses in the Gran Paradiso National Park. Plants resources may provide new opportunities from the scientific point of view, for the valorization of local products for health community and for sustainable land management.

Herbal plants traded at the Kaili medicinal market, Guizhou, China

BACKGROUND

Marketplaces reflect not only the commerce of an area, but also its culture. In Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture with Kaili as its capital, Guizhou Province, China, traditional medicine is thriving in both rural and urban areas. The local people rely extensively on plants for traditional medicines, and these are commonly sold in local specialized markets. The Kaili medicinal market is the biggest in the prefecture. However, ethnobotanical study on herbal plants traded in the traditional market in Kaili has not been performed. The aims of this study are: (1) to document medicinal plants traded in the Kaili traditional market and the associated traditional knowledge; and (2) to analyze the level of agreement among vendors in the purported uses of medicinal plants by using informant consensus (FIC) and the fidelity level (FL).

METHODS

Market surveys were conducted in 2014-2019 to collect information about medicinal plants and associated traditional knowledge. Information including vernacular names, preparation methods, and plant uses was obtained by interviewing 116 vendors of herbal plants. Specimens of fresh and dried herbs, collected as vouchers, were identified by the authors and other botanists at the Minzu University of China, and deposited in the herbarium at Minzu University of China. The level of agreement among information provided by different vendors was assessed using the FIC, and the percentage of vendors claiming the use of a certain medicinal plant for the same indication was assessed with the FL.

RESULTS

The Miao people comprise 53.4% of all informants in this study of medicinal plants. In total, 237 medicinal plant species traded in the Kaili traditional market were recorded. They belong to 219 genera and 107 families. These plants have been categorized into their purported treatments for 20 medical conditions. The inflammation category showed the highest FIC value of 0.95, showing the best agreement among market vendors claiming its usefulness to treat this condition. The FL index helped to identify 15 culturally important medicinal plant species based on the reported uses by 20 or more vendors in the market. Three medicinal plant species, Eleutherococcus gracilistylus, Sargentodoxa cuneata, and Stephania cepharantha, had an FL > 90%, being used to treat sprains/traumas, rheumatism, and heat/toxins.

CONCLUSIONS

The medicinal plants sold in the Kaili market are highly diverse and have unique medicinal characteristics. The Miao people often use traditional herbal plants for disease prevention and thereby prioritize the use of medicinal plants in everyday life. The future of this medicinal marketplace, however, is uncertain since few young people (< 30 years old) are vendors or customers. Therefore, it is urgent to conserve traditional ethnomedicinal culture in local communities and pass on the associated traditional knowledge to future generations in this prefecture. And the next step should include further studies on FL > 90% plants' chemistry, pharmacology, biological activity, and toxicity for potentially developing functional foods or pharmaceutical products.