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Wild Edible Plants: Ethnomedicinal Use, Botany, Diversity, Biochemistry, Human Health Effect

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2022) | Viewed by 12219

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Prof. Dr. Sezai Ercisli

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Guest Editor

Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Horticulture, Ataturk University, Erzurum 25240, Turkey
Interests: wild edible fruits; morphology; biochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Cecilia Cagliero

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Guest Editor

Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, 10125 Torino, Italy
Interests: natural compounds; phytochemical analysis; sample preparation; gas chromatography; HPLC; ionic liquids; deep eutectic solvents; chiral analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wild edible plants are highly valued for their unique flavors, textures, and colors. The world’s native wild edible plant resources have not been completely explored and still remain underutilized in several geographical regions.

In recent years, wild edible plants have been attracted by scientists and shown to provide significant health benefits because of their high specialized metabolites content, vitamins, minerals, fiber, folic acid, etc. In addition to fresh consumption, wild edible plants are widely used in beverages, ice cream, yogurt, jams, jellies and many other food products. A number of wild edible plants are used by rural and tribal populations and significantly contribute to their livelihood. The use of non-cultivated foods, of which wild edible plants form a part, as a diet supplement, or as a coping mechanism in times of food shortage, provides an important safety net for the rural poor, especially in underdeveloped countries. There is now a greater awareness that products from the wild may support household subsistence and that income may be created from their sale, either in raw or processed forms. This awareness has prompted research into the diversity of the species that are used and their relation to the socio-economic status of those who use them. Wild edible plants are also important constituents of biodiversity. The biological functions of wild edible fruits, such as antioxidant, antiviral, immune system protectant, and hypolipidemic activities, are attributed to specialized metabolites. The main focus of this Special Issue is to provide insights on the ethnomedical use of wild edible plants, importance of germplasm in crop enhancement, increase in resistance to biotic or abiotic stresses, increase in quality, and synthesis of desirable or health beneficial compounds, taste and flavor, earliness, etc. Another target is to introduce new crops for the diversification of cultivated plants and markets. Global climate change is setting new requirements for crops and presents challenging goals for breeders.

We would be happy to receive proposals for scientific contributions, in the form of a title and abstract.

Prof. Dr. Sezai Ercisli
Prof. Cecilia Cagliero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

wild edible plants
ethnomedicinal
diversity
human health

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2522 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytochemical Profile and Selective Cytotoxic Activity of a Solanum bulbocastanum Dun. Methanolic Extract on Breast Cancer Cells

by Mihnea Paraschiv, Magda Csiki, Zorita Diaconeasa, Sonia Socaci, Ovidiu Balacescu, Elena Rakosy-Tican and Daniel Cruceriu

Plants 2022, 11(23), 3262; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11233262 - 27 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1424

Abstract

Solanum bulbocastanum is a wild potato species, intensively used in potato breeding programs due to its resistance to environmental factors. Thus, its biochemical profile and putative human health-related traits might be transferred into potato cultivars aimed for consumption. This study aims to assess the phytochemical profile and the selective cytotoxicity of an S. bulbocastanum extract against breast cancer cells. Dry leaves were subjected to ultrasonication-assisted extraction in methanol [70%]. The phenolic and glycoalkaloid profiles were determined by HPLC-PDA/-ESI+-MS. The volatile profile was investigated by nontargeted ITEX/GC-MS. The extract was tested against three breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, MDA-MB-231, HS578T) and a healthy cell line (HUVEC) by the MTT assay, to assess its selective cytotoxicity. The phenolic profile of the extract revealed high levels of phenolic acids (5959.615 µg/mL extract), and the presence of flavanols (818.919 µg/mL extract). The diversity of the volatile compounds was rather low (nine compounds), whereas no glycoalkaloids were identified, only two alkaloid precursors (813.524 µg/mL extract). The extract proved to be cytotoxic towards all breast cancer cell lines (IC₅₀ values between 139.1 and 356,1 µg/mL), with selectivity coefficients between 1.96 and 4.96 when compared with its toxicity on HUVECs. Based on these results we conclude that the exerted cytotoxic activity of the extract is due to its high polyphenolic content, whereas the lack of Solanaceae-specific glycoalkaloids might be responsible for its high selectivity against breast cancer cells in comparison with other extract obtained from wild Solanum species. However, further research is needed in order to assess the cytotoxicity of the individual compounds found in the extract, as well as the anti-tumor potential of the S. bulbocastanum tubers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wild Edible Plants: Ethnomedicinal Use, Botany, Diversity, Biochemistry, Human Health Effect)

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26 pages, 2716 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Local Wisdom and Diversity of Medicinal Plants in Cha Miang Forest in Mae Kampong Village, Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Their Potential for Use as Osteoprotective Products

by Treethip Sukkho, Chartchai Khanongnuch, Saisamorn Lumyong, Jetsada Ruangsuriya, Thanawat Pattananandecha, Sutasinee Apichai, Fumihiko Ogata, Naohito Kawasaki and Chalermpong Saenjum

Plants 2022, 11(11), 1492; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11111492 - 1 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2969

Abstract

“People-Forest-Miang” communities are villages located in the cultivated area of Camellia sinensis var. assamica, or Cha Miang, in northern Thailand. Cha Miang forests are a form of agriculture relying on forest-rich bioresources. This study focuses on a survey of the diversity of medicinal plants used by “People-Forest-Miang” communities in Mae Kampong Village, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The results demonstrated that 73 species of medicinal plants were used to prevent and treat various ailments. The highest number of species (30.14%) was used for musculoskeletal system disorders, followed by digestive system disorders (21.92%) and unspecified medicinal disorders (15.07%). The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is the most widely recognized biochemical marker for osteoblast activity. The ALP activity of ethanol and deionized water extracts of the nine selected medicinal plants used for musculoskeletal system disorders were examined in the MG63 cell line. The results showed that the numerous water extracts, including MKP1, MKP2, MKP5, MKP6, MKP7, MKP8, and MKP9, and the ethanolic extracts—namely, MKP2, MKP3, MKP7, and MKP9—significantly increased ALP activity in the MG-63 cell line. The findings indicate that some medicinal plants may be further studied for active chemicals and developed as natural active pharmaceutical ingredients for osteoprotective products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wild Edible Plants: Ethnomedicinal Use, Botany, Diversity, Biochemistry, Human Health Effect)

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12 pages, 11520 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Studies on the Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Total Polyphenol Content of Cynara humilis from Moulay Yacoub Area (Morocco)

by Mostafa El Khomsi, Mohammed Kara, Anouar Hmamou, Amine Assouguem, Omkulthom Al Kamaly, Asmaa Saleh, Sezai Ercisli, Hafize Fidan and Driss Hmouni

Plants 2022, 11(9), 1200; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11091200 - 29 Apr 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2387

Abstract

In Morocco, Cynara humilis L. is used in traditional medicine. The objective of this research was to research the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of hydroethanolic extracts from the C. humilis plant’s leaves and roots. The content of polyphenols and flavonoids was evaluated using Folin–Ciocalteu’s and aluminum chloride assays. Two techniques were used to evaluate antioxidant properties: antioxidant capacity in total (TAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhdrazyl (DPPH). In antimicrobial assays, five pathogenic microbial strains were studied including two Escherichia coli, one coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and one Candida albicans, by two techniques: agar disk diffusion and microdilution. Leaves had a greater content of flavonoids 27.07 mg QE/g of extract and the polyphenols 38.84 mg GAE/g of extract than root 24.39 mg QE/g of extract and 29.39 mg GAE/g of extract, respectively. The TAC test value of the 0.77 mg AAE/g extract in the leaf extract was found to be significantly greater than that of the 0.60 mg EAA/g extract in the root extract. The DPPH antioxidant assay IC₅₀ values of the root and leaf extract were 0.23 and 0.93 µg/mL, respectively. C. humilis extracts showed an antimicrobial effect against all tested strains, the inhibitory zone (DIZ) have values in the range between 12 and 15 mm. Moreover, the root extract showed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against coagulase-negative Staphylococcus with an IC₅₀ value of 6.25 mg/mL. The higher content of flavonoids and polyphenols in the hydroethanolic extracts of C. humilis leaves and roots demonstrates that they have a significant antimicrobial and antioxidant effect, as found in this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wild Edible Plants: Ethnomedicinal Use, Botany, Diversity, Biochemistry, Human Health Effect)

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12 pages, 1998 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Insecticidal Effect of Wild-Grown Mentha pulegium and Rosmarinus officinalis Essential Oils and Their Main Monoterpenes against Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae)

by Amal Ramzi, Abdelhakim El Ouali Lalami, Yassine Ez zoubi, Amine Assouguem, Rafa Almeer, Agnieszka Najda, Riaz Ullah, Sezai Ercisli and Abdellah Farah

Plants 2022, 11(9), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11091193 - 28 Apr 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2039

Abstract

The present study investigates the insecticidal effect of plant extract such as Mentha pulegium and Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils and some of their major compounds; these plants are well known for their many biological activities. The fumigant toxicity was evaluated, using glass jars, against female adults of Culex pipiens that constitute a mosquito vector of important diseases such as the West Nile virus. The adulticidal test showed that both essential oils and monoterpenes presented an insecticidal effect better than the chemical insecticide (Deltamethrin). The highest mortality percentages for the two essential oils have occurred at 312.5 µL/L air (between 56.14 ± 1.7% and 97.71 ± 3.03% after 24 h and 48 h of treatment). Moreover, all tested monoterpenes (carvone, R(+)-pulegone, 1,8-cineole, camphor and α-pinene) have produced high mortalities that varied depending on the time of the treatment and the concentrations used. Lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) obtained for the essential oils and the main compounds have also varied according to the exposure time. M. pulegium and R. officinalis essential oil exhibited the lowest LC₅₀ values after 24 h (72.94 and 222.82 µL/L air, respectively) and after 48 h (25.43 and 55.79 µL/L air, respectively) while the pure molecules revealed the lowest LC₅₀ values after 48 h (between 84.96 and 578.84 µL/L air). This finding proves that the two essential oils and their main compounds have an insecticidal potential, which could help to develop natural toxic fumigants that may be used as an eco-friendly alternative in integrated and sustainable vector management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wild Edible Plants: Ethnomedicinal Use, Botany, Diversity, Biochemistry, Human Health Effect)

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11 pages, 531 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Some Wild Grown Plant Extracts and Essential Oils on Pectobacterium betavasculorum: The Causative Agent of Bacterial Soft Rot and Vascular Wilt of Sugar Beet

by Mina Rastgou, Younes Rezaee Danesh, Sezai Ercisli, R. Z. Sayyed, Hesham Ali El Enshasy, Daniel Joe Dailin, Saleh Alfarraj and Mohammad Javed Ansari

Plants 2022, 11(9), 1155; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11091155 - 25 Apr 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2301

Abstract

The bacterial soft rot and vascular wilt of sugar beet are the major diseases of sugar crops globally induced by Pectobacterium betavasculorum and P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc). The control of this bacterial disease is a severe problem, and only a few copper-based chemical bactericides are available for this disease. Because of the limitations of chemicals to control plant bacterial pathogens, the essential oils and extracts have been considered one of the best alternative strategies for their control. In this study, twenty-seven essential oils and twenty-nine plant extracts were extracted and evaluated for their antibacterial activities against Pectobacterium betavasculorum isolate C3, using the agar diffusion method at 0.01%, 0.1%, and 100% (v/v). Pure Pimpinella anisum L. oil exhibited the most anti-bacterial activity among three different concentrations of essential oils and extracts, followed by Thymus vulgaris L. oil and Rosa multiflora Thunb. extract. The efficacy of effective essential oils and extracts on Ic₁ cultivar of sugar beet seeds germination and seedling growth in vivo also were tested. The seed germination of the Ic1 cultivar was inhibited at all the concentrations of essential oils used. Only extracts of Rosa multiflora Thunb., Brassica oleracea L., Lactuca serriola L., Salvia rosmarinus Spenn., Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. and L.M.Perry, Eucalyptus globulus Labill., and essential oils of Ocmium basilicum L., Pimpinella anisum L., and Mentha× piperita L.L. in 0.1% concentration had no inhibition on seed germination and could improve seedling growth. This is the first report of the antibacterial activity of essential oils and extracts on Pectobacterium betavasculorum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wild Edible Plants: Ethnomedicinal Use, Botany, Diversity, Biochemistry, Human Health Effect)

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