Search Results (7)

This ethnobotanical study examines the traditional knowledge and usage patterns of wild plants in the western Alps, specifically within the Ubaye and Bellino Valleys, through a comparative analysis of data collected from 1983 (published in 1990) to 2024. Our study aims to assess the change in plant usage, species diversity, and the changing roles of plants in local traditions in the western Alpine mountain ecosystems. While the 1983 survey documented medicinal uses centered around pastoralist practices, the 2024 data highlight a notable increase in the use of synanthropic plants, now utilized both medicinally and as food. Several species such as Allium sativum, Artemisia absinthium, and Urtica dioica have shown resilience and continuity in local cultural practices, maintaining medicinal, culinary, and ritual significance across the four decades. The 1983 survey documented the greatest variety of species (101), a number that decreased in subsequent studies. The 2009 survey identified 36 species not previously recorded in 1983, and the 2024 field study noted an additional 20 species. The study highlights the economic potential of several wild species in these alpine areas, such as Achillea, Artemisia, Verbascum, Veronica, Viola, Polygonum, Bunium, and Sorbus spp., which could be utilized for creating new herbal teas, artisanal beers, liqueurs, ice creams, sweets, and seasoned food products. Expanding the uses of these plants could not only preserve ethnobotanical knowledge but also stimulate local economies and support sustainable development in alpine communities. The documented temporal shifts in plant usage reflect broader cultural, ecological, and socio-economic changes, underscoring the importance of preserving biodiversity and traditional knowledge amidst ongoing environmental and societal shifts. This study underlines the need to conserve ethnobotanical heritage while adapting to the evolving landscape of the region. Future research could focus on exploring the role of these species in broader sustainability initiatives, including conservation strategies, ecosystem services, and community-based tourism while continuing to document the cultural dynamics influencing plant usage. Full article

This study analyzed the use of plants and fungi, some wild and some cultivated, in three municipalities of Lika-Senj County (Perušić, Gospić and Lovinac). The range of the study area was about 60 km. Forty in-depth semi-structured interviews were performed. The use of 111 plant taxa from 50 plant families and five taxa of mushrooms and fungi belonging to five families was recorded (on average 27 taxa per interview). The results showed quite large differences between the three studied areas in terms of ethnobotanical and ecological knowledge. In the Perušić area, (101 taxa mentioned), some people still use wild plants on a daily basis for various purposes. The most commonly noted plants are Prunus spinosa, Taraxacum spp., Rosa canina, Urtica dioica, Juglans regia and Fragaria vesca. In the Lovinac region, people used fewer species of plants (76 species mentioned). The most common species used there are: Rosa canina, Achillea millefolium, Cornus mas, Crataegus monogyna, Sambucus nigra and Prunus domestica. In the town of Gospić, the collection and use of plants was not so widespread, with only 61 species mentioned, the most common being: Achillea millefolium, Cornus mas, Sambucus nigra, Viola sp., Prunus domestica and Rosa canina. The medicinal use of herbal tea Rubus caesius and Cydonia oblonga against diarrhea was well known in the study area and is used medicinally, mainly in the rural parts of the Gospić area. The consumption of the Sorbus species (S. aria, S. domestica and S. torminalis) is an interesting local tradition in Perušić and Lovinac. Species that are difficult to find in nature today and are no longer used include: Veratrum sp., Rhamnus alpinum ssp. fallax, Gentiana lutea and Ribes uva-crispa. The use of Chenopodium album has also died out. We can assume that the differences in ethnobotanical knowledge between the three studied areas are partly due to minor differences in climate and topography, while other causes lie in the higher degree of rurality and stronger ties to nature in the Lovinac and Perušić areas. The most important finding of the study is the use of the parasitic fungus Taphrina pruni (Fuckel) Tul. as a snack. The use of Helleborus dumetorum for ethnoveterinary practices is also worth noting. The traditional use of plants in the study area shows many signs of abandonment, and therefore efforts must be made to maintain the knowledge recorded in our study. Full article

Fungal infections of cultivated food crops result in extensive losses of crops at the global level, while resistance to antifungal agents continues to grow. Supercritical fluid extraction using CO₂ (SFE-CO₂) has gained attention as an environmentally well-accepted extraction method, as CO₂ is a non-toxic, inert and available solvent, and the extracts obtained are, chemically, of greater or different complexities compared to those of conventional extracts. The SFE-CO₂ extracts of Achillea millefolium, Calendula officinalis, Chamomilla recutita, Helichrysum arenarium, Humulus lupulus, Taraxacum officinale, Juniperus communis, Hypericum perforatum, Nepeta cataria, Crataegus sp. and Sambucus nigra were studied in terms of their compositions and antifungal activities against the wheat- and buckwheat-borne fungi Alternaria alternata, Epicoccum nigrum, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium poae. The C. recutita and H. arenarium extracts were the most efficacious, and these inhibited the growth of most of the fungi by 80% to 100%. Among the fungal species, B. cinerea was the most susceptible to the treatments with the SFE-CO₂ extracts, while Fusarium spp. were the least. This study shows that some of these SFE-CO₂ extracts have promising potential for use as antifungal agents for selected crop-borne fungi. Full article

Evaluation of phytochemical composition of underutilized Achillea species provides the primary selection of germplasms with the desired quality of raw material for their further applications. The aim of the study was to evaluate the comprehensive distribution patterns of phenolic compounds in seven wild Achillea spp. and their plant parts, and to assess their antioxidant activity. Plant material was collected from different sites in Turkey. A complex of hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols and flavones was identified and quantified in methanolic extracts using HPLC-PDA method. Antioxidant activity was assessed by radical scavenging assay. The results showed that qualitative and qualitative profiles of caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids were species-specific, explaining the characteristic patterns of their variation in the corresponding species and plant parts. The highest total amount of caffeoylquinic acids was detected in A. setacea. A. arabica exposed the highest accumulation of mono-caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids with the greatest levels of quercetin and luteolin derivatives and the flavonol santin. Santin was detected in all plant parts of A. cappadocica, A. setacea, A. santolinoides subsp. wilhelmsii, and A. arabica. A notable antiradical capacity was confirmed in A. arabica, A. setacea and A. cappadocica plant extracts. The leaves of all studied species were found to have priority over inflorescences and stems in terms of radical scavenging activity. The new data complemented the information that may be relevant for the continuation of chemophenetic studies in the heterogeneous genus Achillea. Full article

Knowledge within the field of phytochemistry research has accelerated at a tremendous speed. The excess of literature reports featuring plants of high ethnopharmacological importance, in combination with our interest in the Asteraceae family and traditional medicine, led us to acknowledge the value of the Achillea L. genus. In a broad context, the various Achillea species are used around the globe for the prevention and treatment of different diseases, including gastrointestinal problems, haemorrhages, pneumonia, rheumatic pains, diuresis, inflammation, infections, and wounds, as well as menstrual and gynaecologic abnormalities. The present review aims to provide and summarize the recent literature (2011–2021) on the phytochemistry of the Achillea genus. In parallel, this study attempts to bridge the reports on the traditional uses with modern pharmacological data. Research articles that focused on secondary metabolites, traditional uses and pharmacological activities were collected from various scientific databases such as Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Reaxys and Google Scholar. This study revealed the presence of 141 phytochemicals, while 24 traditionally used Achillea spp. were discussed in comparison to current data with an experimental basis. Full article

Regulatory restrictions on herbicide use for managing turfgrass weeds has prompted the search for alternative control strategies. Fescue (Festuca) species were identified for their potential to interfere with growth of annual and perennial weeds. In a study conducted in 2018 and 2019, six fescue cultivars were tested from five different species for interference with the growth of three common turfgrass weeds: white clover (Trifolium repens L., WC), daisy (Bellis perennis L.) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.). Fine (Festuca L. spp.) and tall fescues (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort.) were sown and grown in a field trial for 14 days before overseeding with different weeds. vigor and visual quality of grasses, weed cover, and vegetation cover was recorded regularly for 84 days. Differences in mean temperatures and precipitation between the two years of the study resulted in differences in growth of grasses and weeds, as well as in the extent of weed interference of fescue cultivars. Cultivars Musica (F. rubra L. ssp. commutata Gaudin) and Barpearl (F. rubra L. ssp. littoralis) were least affected by weed growth during both years, but there was overlap with other cultivars for the measured parameters. Melyane (tall fescue) was deemed unsuitable for natural weed suppression because growth and vigor declined after first mowing, ultimately leading to unacceptable visual quality. Turfgrass visual scores were moderately negatively correlated to weed cover in both years. Future research should focus on F. rubra L. ssp. rubra Gaudin and F. rubra L. ssp. littoralis subspecies and identify the mechanisms used to interfere with weed growth. Full article

Honey bees are essential to sustaining ecosystems, contributing to the stability of biodiversity through pollination. Today, it is known that the failure of pollination leads irremediably to the loss of plant cultures and, as a consequence, inducing food security issues. Bees can be affected by various factors, one of these being Nosema spp. which are protozoans specifically affecting adult honey bees and a threat to bee populations around the world. The composition of the phytotherapeutic product (Protofil^®) for treating nosemosis was analyzed from a biochemical point of view. The most concentrated soluble parts in the phytotherapeutic association were the flavonoids, most frequently rutin, but quercetin was also detected. Additionally, the main volatile compounds identified were eucalyptol (1.8-cineol) and chavicol-methyl-ether. To evaluate the samples’ similarity–dissimilarity, the PCA multivariate statistical analysis, of the gas-chromatographic data (centered relative percentages of the volatile compounds), was applied. Statistical analysis revealed a significant similarity of Protofil^® with the Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) samples and more limited with Thymus vulgaris (Thyme) and Ocimum basilicum (Basil), and, respectively, a meaningful dissimilarity with Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion). The results have shown a high and beneficial active compounds concentration in the analyzed herbs. High similarity with investigated product recommending the Protofil^®, as the treatment compatible with producing organic honey. Full article