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.

Inventario de plantas con interés etnobotánico de Carrizales (Elche), SE de la Península Ibérica

Se ha realizado un inventario de flora útil en la Partida de Carrizales en el término municipal de Elche (Alicante). A partir de entrevistas de tipo semiestructurado se han encontrado un total de 246 especies, de las cuales aparece una pequeña descripción botánica, ecológica y aplicación etnobotánica. Así, se pretende hacer una aproximación al conocimiento etnobotánico existente en una zona de regadío colonizada a partir del s. XVIII e intensamente antropizada. En nuestro trabajo hemos prestado atención no sólo a los cultivos que actualmente encontramos, sino también los que han estado presentes en el pasado, ya que conociendo sus características se pueden tratar de recuperar y crear productos con sello propio y dinamizar la economía local.

An ethnopharmacological and historical analysis of “Dictamnus”, a European traditional herbal medicine

Ethnopharmacological relevance and background: “Dictamnus” was a popular name for a group of medicinal herbaceous plant species of the Rutaceae and Lamiaceae, which since the 4th century have been used for gynaecological problems and other illnesses BCE and still appear in numerous ethnobotanical records. Aims: This research has as four overarching aims: Determining the historical evolution of medical preparations labelled “Dictamnus” and the different factors affecting this long-standing herbal tradition. Deciphering and differentiating those medicinal uses of “Dictamnus” which strictly correspond to Dictamnus (Rutaceae), from those of Origanum dictamnus and other Lamiaceae species. Quantitatively assessing the dependence from herbal books, and pharmaceutical tradition, of modern Dictamnus ethnobotanical records. Determining whether differences between Western and Eastern Europe exist with regards to the Dictamnus albus uses in ethnopharmacology and ethnomedicine. Methods: An exhaustive review of herbals, classical pharmacopoeias, ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological literature was conducted. Systematic analysis of uses reported which were standardized according to International Classification of Diseases – 10 and multivariate analysis using factorial, hierarchical and neighbour joining methods was undertaken. Results and discussion: The popular concept “Dictamnus” includes Origanum dictamnus L., Ballota pseudodictamnus (L.) Benth. and B. acetabulosa (L.) Benth. (Lamiaceae), as well as Dictamnus albus L. and D. hispanicus Webb ex Willk. (Rutaceae), with 86 different types of uses. Between 1000 and 1700 CE numerous complex preparations with “Dictamnus” were used in the treatment of 35 different pathologies. On biogeographical grounds the widespread D. albus is a far more likely prototypical “Dictamnus” than the Cretan endemic Origanum dictamnus. However both form integral parts of the “Dictamnus” complex. Evidence exists for a sufficiently long and coherent tradition for D. albus and D. hispanicus, use to treat 47 different categories of diseases. Conclusions: This approach is a model for understanding the cultural history of plants and their role as resources for health care. “Dictamnus” shows how transmission of traditional knowledge about materia medica, over 26 centuries, represents remarkable levels of development and innovation. All this lead us to call attention to D. albus and D. hispanicus which are highly promising as potential herbal drug leads. The next steps of research should be to systematically analyse phytochemical, pharmacological and clinical evidence and to develop safety, pharmacology and toxicology profiles of the traditional preparations.