Wild Edible Plants: A Challenge for Future Diet and Health

Wild edible plants (WEPs) can be defined as native species that grow and reproduce naturally in their natural habitat without being cultivated [...]

Traditional herbal remedies used for managing anxiety and insomnia in italy: An ethnopharmacological overview

Anxiety and insomnia are among the most common mental health disorders and are a major cause of disability around the world. Traditional herbal medicines are receiving significant attention in global health debates. Several Italian regions maintain rural traditions and are among the most extensively studied areas of Europe regarding medicinal plant uses. The present overview aims to highlight the use of wild and cultivated plants, specifically as sedatives and for insomnia treatment in Italy, and to collect, analyze, and summarize the available literature about their pharmacological activity as well as clinical and pre-clinical studies concerning the most cited plants. In total, 106 wild taxa are used in Italy for sedative purposes. The plant species belong to 76 genera and 32 families, of which the most cited are Asteraceae (24.2%) and Lamiaceae (21.1%). Leaves (29%) and flowers (27%) are the plant parts mostly used as infusion (70%) and decoction (25%). Out of 106 taxa documented, only the most cited are analyzed in this overview (A. arvensis L., C. nepeta L., C. monogyna Jacq., H. lupulus L., L. nobilis L., L. angustifolia Mill., M. sylvestris L., M. chamomilla L., M. officinalis L., O. basilicum L., P. rhoeas L., P. somniferum L., R. officinalis L., T. platyphyllus Scop., and V. officinalis L.). Among the fifteen species selected, only seven have been studied for their pharmacological activity as hypnotic-sedatives. Future pre-clinical and clinical studies are needed to better clarify the mechanism of action of bioactive compounds and confirm the potential of these alternative therapies

Deteriogenic flora of the Phlegraean Fields Archaeological Park: ecological analysis and management guidelines

Biodeterioration, the alteration caused by living organisms, on historical buildings and stone monuments is a well-known problem affecting two-thirds of the world’s cultural heritage. The study of the flora growing on wall surface is of particular importance for the assessment of the risk of biodeterioration of stone artifacts by vascular plants, and for maintenance planning. In this study, we investigate how rock type, exposure and inclination of the wall affect the biodeteriogenic flora at 13 sites of the Archaeological Park of the Phlegraean Fields located in the province of Naples, in southern Italy. For each site, we analysed randomly selected square areas with 2 × 2 m size, representing the different vegetation types in terms of vascular plant species cover. The total num - ber of plant species recorded was 129, belonging to 43 families. Erigeron sumatrensis, Sonchus tenerrimus and Parietaria judaica are the most commonly reported species, while Capparis orientalis is the species with the highest average coverage. Substrate type, exposure and surface inclination affect the floristic composition, with the average plant cover significantly higher on vertical surfaces and at western and southern expo - sure. All the main biodeteriogenic vascular plant species grow on more or less porous lythotype like yellow tufa, conglomerate and bricks. Finally, woody plants eradications methods are proposed by the tree cutting and local application of herbicides, to avoid stump and root sprouting and to minimize the dispersion of chemicals in the sur- rounding environment

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE EXOTIC VASCULAR FLORA OF CAMPANIA (SOUTHERN ITALY)

New data concerning the distribution of 41 non-native species for Campania are presented. Acer saccharinum subsp. saccharinum and Jacaranda mimosifolia are reported for the first time in the Italian peninsula and in continental Italy, respectively. Euphorbia pulcherrima is excluded from Italian exotic flora. Using data from field surveys in Campania the naturalization status of Cenchrus longispinus was also updated. Finally, new sites are given for 37 other alien species previously reported for Campania

Manihot esculenta (Euphorbiaceae), nova tujerodna vrsta v Italiji

In the present work the presence of Manihot esculenta Crantz is reported for the first time for Italy and Europe, a neophyte native to South America: ecology and invasive status are presented.V članku poročamo o prvem pojavljanju vrste Manihot esculenta Crantz, neofita iz Južne Amerike, v Italiji in Evropi in predstavljamo njegovo ekologijo in invazivni status

Manihot Esculenta (Euphorbiaceae), A New Alien Species In Italy

Abstract In the present work the presence of Manihot esculenta Crantz is reported for the first time for Italy and Europe, a neophyte native to South America: ecology and invasive status are presented