Ethnobotanical study of the sages used in traditional Valencian medicine and as essential oil: characterization of an endemic Salvia and its contribution to local development

Seven wild and cultivated Salvia species and two Phlomis species, used traditionally in Valencian medicine to treat a variety of external and internal ailments, were studied. New ethnobotanical data are provided, obtained from semistructured interviews with 34 people in the Valencian area. A seasonal characterization of the essential oil of a wild sage, Salvia blancoana Webb & Heldr. subsp. mariolensis Figuerola, by GC-FID and GC-MS was carried out as a means to ensure quality control of endemic traditional species such as this one, which has been commercialized by local industries. A comparison with the essential oil of Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl subsp.lavandulifolia allowed inclusion of the wild sage within the commercial 'Spanish sage' oil.

Set espècies de Salvia i dues de Phlomis, emprades en la medicina tradicional valenciana en preparats d’ús intern i extern per a tractar diferents malalties, han sigut estudiades. S’aporten noves dades etnobotàniques obtingudes mitjançant la realització d’entrevistes semiestructurades a trenta-quatre informants. Es presenta la caracterització estacional de l’oli essencial d’una sàlvia silvestre Salvia blancoana Webb & Heldr. subsp. mariolensis Figuerola, per GC-FID i GC-MS, com una eina per a assegurar un control de qualitat a les espècies endèmiques d’ús tradicional com aquesta, que eventualment són comercialitzades per indústries locals. La comparació del seu oli essencial amb el de la Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl subsp. lavandulifolia permet la seua comercialització sota el nom de sàlvia espanyola.

This contribution was funded by a grant obtained in 2010 from the Institute for Catalan Studies for the study ‘Chemical characterization of the main sages used as a spice or for medicinal purposes in the Valencia region.’ The authors are grateful to the Institute for Catalan Studies for financial support through the Borsa d’estudi Països Catalans. Emeline Hahn acknowledges financial support from an ERASMUS Internship (FsTRASBO48).