First ethnopharmacobotanical surveyabout sardinian endemic species,

Italy

ANDREA MAXIA(*), LUCIA MAXIA(*)

(*) Department of Botanical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Viale Sant’Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123Cagliari, Italy.Presentato il 25/06/2004.

Riassunto. In questo contributo gli autori presentano i risultati di una prima indagineetnofarmacobotanica che si è sviluppata negli ultimi vent’anni, focalizzando l’attenzio-ne sulle piante endemiche utilizzate nella medicina popolare sarda. Da questo studioemerge che il 4% della flora endemica sarda è impiegata in campo terapeuticoprincipalmente per patologie dell’epidermide e del sistema respiratorio.

Key words: Endemic species, ethnopharmacobotany, Sardinia, Italy.

INTRODUCTION

Thanks to its environmental peculiarities, Sardinia is a territory with one of thegreatest floristic diversity in the Mediterranean area. The registered taxa are over 3000.Twelve percent of these are endemic, many of which are exclusive. Geographic isolationhas determined a marked and strong genetic selection, and the development of a uniquequota of vegetable species. This has led to an ethnological selection that has stimulateda number of research studies on the ethnobotanical traditions of the island. It has beenobserved that more than 300 vegetable species are used to cure both modest pathologies,such as diseases of the skin and of the upper respiratory system, and more importantpathologic manifestations, such as anaemia, malaria, and depression.

METHODOLOGY

The investigation was carried out with the guided interview survey method usingcards pre-formulated according to the most recent indications of ethnopharmacological

Rendiconti Seminario Facoltà Scienze Università Cagliari • Vol. 74, Fasc. 1-2 (2004)

46 ANDREA MAXIA, LUCIA MAXIA

investigation [1].This methodological approach uses the purely qualitative data of classical

ethnobotanical-systematic investigation on the indication of the vegetable resources usedand the quantitative numerical consensus data.

The research was carried out from 1982 to 2004 and involved a sample of persons ofa mean age of 60 years. As regards the taxonomic position of the different speciesindicated, we followed the systematic framing based on visual recognition by theinformer of fresh or herbarium specimens proposed by Pignatti [2] and by endemic cards[3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14]. The records relating to the interviews carried outare deposited at the Department of Botanical Sciences of the University of Cagliari(Sardinia, Italy).

Plants have been listed in alphabetical order by family, indicating for each species,species code number, scientific name, drug, preparation, therapeutic uses and mainailments treated.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In this contribution the authors present the results of an ethnopharmacobotanicalsurvey that developed over the past two decades, while they point out the differentendemic plants used in Sardinian folk medicine. Fourteen species (4% of the entireendemic quota) have been identified (Table 1). Plants used belong to 11 families with aprevalence of Labiatae (3 species) and Scrophulariaceae (2 species). The most commonlyused drugs are the leaves (12 records), followed by whole plant, roots and flowers. Themost prevalent preparation modalities are infusion (14 records) and decoction (11records). Table 2 lists all the therapeutic uses of the specific plants by anatomic apparatus.Plants are mainly used for the disorders of the epidermis (71.4%) and of the respiratorysystem (57.1%). From this table it can be deduced that the digestive system is the mostaffected with 12 different pathologies ascribed to it and 6 vegetable species used in theirtreatment; while 10 pathologies are ascribed to the respiratory system with 7 vegetablespecies used in its treatment; and 9 pathologies ascribed to the tegumental system with10 species used in its treatment. As regards the individual uses, as many as 5 plants areused as vulnerary, diuretic and anti-rheumatic; 3 as anthelminthic, lenitive, to trait asthmaand burns. In some cases detailed references on the use of Scrophularia trifoliata L. forBasedow’s disease and Vinca sardoa (Stearn) Pign. against tuberculosis emerge.

In conclusion it can be stated that in Sardinia there is a folk pharmacopoeia thatincludes a large number of endemic species, and that the number of pathologies that arestill treated with natural active ingredients is also large.

The Island shows an exclusive patrimony either for the floristic wealth or forethnobotanic traditions. Genetic selection owed to geographical isolation has determinedthe development of an unique endemic contingent, sometimes exclusive, selecting inSardinian folk medicine a remarkable endemic pharmacopoeia.

FIRST ETHNOPHARMACOBOTANICAL SURVEY ABOUT SARDINIAN ENDEMIC SPECIES ... 47F

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48 ANDREA MAXIA, LUCIA MAXIA

Main therapeutic use/ ailments treated Species code n°

Hypotensive 1

Haemostatic 2-14

Haemorrhoids 12Cardio circulatory system

Basedow’s disease and related heart diseases 13

Astringent 1

Colagogue 8

Intestinal antispasmodic 8-9

Hepato-protector 8

Emetic 13

Anthelminthic 4-9-13

Anti-emetic 1

Tonic 9

Gastralgia 9-14

Dyspepsia 9

Eupeptic 1-9

Digestive system

Laxative 13

Burns 2-6-12

Urticaria (refreshing) 9

Lenitive 9-12-13

Chilblain 12

Corn-plaster 5

Badness 14

Antiseptic 8-9

Emollient 13

Epidermis

Vulnerary 2-3-7-13-14

Nervous system Sedative 2-4

Cough sedative 4-9

Asthma 5-6-9

Expectorant 9

Sore throat 9

Balsamic 6

Bronchitis 9

Fluidifyng 10

Cold 8-9

Antispasmodic 9

Respiratory system

Pectoral 7

Anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic 1Urogenital system

Diuretic 2-8-9-13-14

Articular anti-inflammatory 1

Anti-rheumatic 2-6-9-13-14

Sciatica 6Osteo-articular system

Dislocation 6

Galactofuge 1

Emmenagogue 3-14

Hypoglycaemic 1

Anti-anaemic 9

Insecticide (pediculs) 4

Parasiticide 11

Anti-pyretic 4-9

Edema 13

Toothache 9

Other

Anti-tubercular 1

Table 2. Main therapeutic use/aliments treated by endemic species joined for each anatomicapparatus.

FIRST ETHNOPHARMACOBOTANICAL SURVEY ABOUT SARDINIAN ENDEMIC SPECIES ... 49

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