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
am
ily
SC
Sp
ecie
sU
PP
rep
ara
tio
ns
Th
era
peu
tic
use
s a
nd
ma
in a
ilm
ents
tre
ate
dR
ef.
Infu
sio
nA
nti
-em
etic
, eu
pep
tic,
an
ti-t
ub
ercu
lar,
an
ti-i
nfl
amm
ato
ry a
nd
an
ti-h
emo
rrh
agic
of
the
uri
nar
y s
yst
em,
gal
acto
fug
e
[15
, 1
6]
Co
mp
ress
Art
icu
lar
anti
-in
flam
mat
ory
[17
]
Infu
so-M
acer
atio
nE
up
epti
c e
anti
tub
ercu
lar
[18
]
Ap
ocy
nac
eae
1V
inca
sa
rdo
a (
Ste
rn)
Pig
n.
L
Dec
oct
ion
Gal
acto
fug
e, h
yp
og
lyca
emic
, as
trin
gen
t, h
yp
ote
nsi
ve
[19
]
Cat
apla
smV
uln
erar
y,
anti
-rh
eum
atic
, b
urn
s[2
0]
Dir
ect
app
lica
tio
nH
aem
ost
atic
[21
]
L
Dec
oct
ion
Diu
reti
c, n
erv
ou
s se
dat
ive
[22
]
FC
atap
lasm
An
ti-r
heu
mat
ic[2
2]
Ara
ceae
2A
rum
pic
tum
L.
BC
atap
lasm
Vu
lner
ary
[22
]
Ari
sto
loch
iace
ae3
Ari
sto
loch
ia t
hyr
ren
a N
ard
i &
Arr
igo
ni
WP
Infu
sio
nE
mm
enag
og
ue,
vu
lner
ary
[20
]
S &
LB
urn
edIn
sect
icid
e (p
edic
ulu
s)[2
3]
FH
& L
Infu
sio
nA
nth
elm
inti
c[1
5,
24
]
Co
mp
osi
tae
4S
an
toli
na
in
sula
ris
(Gen
n.e
x F
iori
) A
rrig
on
i
LD
eco
ctio
nA
nti
py
reti
c, c
ou
gh
sed
ativ
e, n
erv
ou
s se
dat
ive
[25
]
LX
Dir
ect
app
lica
tio
nC
orn
-pla
ster
[20
]E
up
ho
rbia
ceae
5E
up
ho
rbia
cu
pa
nii
Gu
ss.
ex B
erto
l.
FP
Dec
oct
ion
An
ti-a
sth
mat
ic[2
0]
Mac
erat
ion
in
oli
ve
oil
Bu
rns
[15
]F
W
Mac
erat
ion
in
o
il a
nd
win
eA
nti
-rh
eum
atic
, sc
iati
ca,
dis
loca
tio
n[1
5]
Gu
ttif
erae
6H
yper
icu
m h
irci
nu
m L
.
WP
Infu
sio
nB
alsa
mic
, an
ti-a
sth
mat
ic[1
5]
7G
lech
om
a s
ard
oa B
ég.
FW
& S
Infu
sio
n i
n a
cqu
a o
lat
teP
ecto
ral,
vu
lner
ary
[15
]
WP
Infu
sio
nA
nti
sep
tic,
in
test
inal
an
tisp
asm
od
ic[2
3,
26
]8
Sta
chys
glu
tin
osa
L.
LD
eco
ctio
nC
ho
lag
og
ue,
diu
reti
c, h
epat
o-p
rote
cto
r, c
old
[25
, 2
6]
Infu
sio
nC
ou
gh
sed
ativ
e[1
7]
L &
FW
Infu
sio
n o
r d
eco
ctio
nC
ou
gh
sed
ativ
e, e
xp
ecto
ran
t, i
nte
stin
al a
nti
spas
mo
dic
[19
]
Infu
sio
nE
up
epti
c, c
old
, an
thel
min
thic
, g
astr
alg
ia,
anti
spas
mo
dic
of
resp
irat
ory
sy
stem
, d
ysp
epti
c[1
5,
22
]
Dec
oct
ion
An
tip
yre
tic
[22
, 2
3]
Cat
apla
smA
nti
-rh
eum
atic
[22
]
WP
Mac
erat
ion
An
tip
yre
tic,
ex
pec
tora
nt
[22
]
BR
Infu
sio
nC
ou
gh
sed
ativ
e, i
nte
stin
al a
nti
spas
mo
dic
[23
]
Co
mp
ress
Len
itiv
e[1
7]
L
Dec
oct
ion
So
re t
hro
at,
cold
, b
ron
chit
is,
ton
ic,
anti
-an
aem
ic,
anti
spas
mo
dic
of
resp
irat
ory
sy
stem
,d
iure
tic,
an
ti-a
sth
mat
ic[2
5]
RT
o c
hew
To
oth
ach
e[2
3]
Dec
oct
ion
An
thel
min
thic
, to
nic
, d
isin
fect
ant
[23
]R
&L
Vap
ou
r o
f it
s in
fusi
on
to
get
her
wit
h m
alv
a, r
ose
mar
y a
nd
sag
e
Dec
on
ges
tan
t o
f u
pp
er r
esp
irat
ory
tra
ct[2
2,
23
]
Lab
iata
e
9T
hym
us
her
ba
-ba
ron
a L
ois
el.
FP
Po
wd
erU
rtic
aria
(re
fres
hin
g)
[19
]
Po
lyg
alac
eae
10
Po
lyg
ala
sa
rdo
a C
ho
dat
RD
eco
ctio
nF
luid
ify
ng
[15
]
Ran
un
cula
ceae
11
Del
ph
iniu
m p
ictu
m W
illd
.L
Oin
tmen
tP
aras
itic
ide
[20
]
12
Cym
ba
lari
a m
uel
leri
(M
ori
s) C
hev
al.
AP
Cat
apla
smH
aem
orr
ho
ids,
ch
ilb
lain
, b
urn
s, l
enit
ive
[15
]
Dec
oct
ion
Diu
reti
c[1
6]
L
Cat
apla
sm w
ith
oli
ve
oil
Vu
lner
ary
, an
ti-r
heu
mat
ic[2
2]
Cre
amV
uln
erar
y[1
6]
Co
mp
ress
Ed
ema
[17
]
Infu
sio
nE
met
ic,
lax
ativ
e, B
ased
ow
’ s
dis
ease
an
d r
elat
ed h
eart
dis
ease
, le
nit
ive
[26
]
RH
Cat
apla
smV
uln
erar
y,
anti
-rh
eum
atic
[22
]
Po
wd
er w
ith
ho
ney
An
thel
min
thic
[20
]
Sch
rop
hu
lari
acea
e
13
Scr
op
hu
lari
a t
rifo
lia
ta L
.
R
Dir
ect
app
lica
tio
nE
mo
llie
nt
[20
]
Infu
sio
nB
ald
nes
s, a
nti
rheu
mat
ic, em
men
ago
gu
e, g
astr
alg
ia[1
6,
24
]L
Sy
rup
Diu
reti
c, v
uln
erar
y[2
4]
Urt
icac
eae
14
Urt
ica
atr
ovi
ren
s R
equ
ien
WP
Infu
sio
nD
iure
tic
[20
]
SC
, s
pec
ies
cod
e n
°; U
P,
use
d p
art
s; L
, le
av
es;
F,
fru
its;
B,
bu
lbs;
WP
, w
ho
le p
lan
t; S
, st
em;
R,
roo
ts;
FH
, fl
ow
er h
ead
; L
X,
late
x;
RH
, rh
izo
me;
AP
, a
eria
l p
art
s; F
P,
flo
wer
ing
pla
nt;
BR
, b
ran
ches
, F
W,
flo
wer
s; R
ef.,
ref
eren
ces.
Tab
le 1
. Med
icin
al e
ndem
ic p
lant
s us
ed in
Sar
dini
a is
land
.
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
REFERENCES
0[1] D.P. WALLER, Methods in Ethnopharmacology. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 38, 189-198(1993).
0[2] S. PIGNATTI, Flora d’Italia. Edagricole Edizioni, Bologna (1982).0[3] P.V. ARRIGONI, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 18, 223-295
(1979).0[4] P.V. ARRIGONI, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 21, 333-372
(1982).0[5] P.V. ARRIGONI, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 22, 259-316
(1983).0[6] P.V. ARRIGONI, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 28, 311-316
(1991).0[7] I. CAMARDA, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 17, 227-241
(1978).0[8] I. CAMARDA, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 19, 255-267
(1980).0[9] B. CORRIAS, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 20, 275-286 (1981).[10] B. CORRIAS, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 21, 411-425 (1982).[11] E. NARDI, P.V. ARRIGONI, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 22,
347-356 (1983).[12] F. VALSECCHI, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 16, 295-313
(1987).[13] F. VASECCHI, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 19, 323-342
(1980).[14] F. VALSECCHI, Le piante endemiche della Sardegna. Boll. Soc. Sar. Sci. Na., 21, 427-441
(1982).[15] M. BALLERO, R. FLORIS, F. POLI, Le piante utilizzate nella medicina popolare nel territorio di
Laconi (Sardegna centrale). Boll. Soc. Sarda Sci Nat., 31, 207-229 (1997).[16] M.C. LOI, L. MAXIA, A. MAXIA, Ethnobotanical comparison between the villages of Escolca
and Lotzorai (Sardinia, Italy). Journal of spices and medicinal plants, in press (2004).[17] M. BALLERO, R. FLORIS, G. SACCHETTI, F. POLI, Ricerche etnobotaniche nel comune di
Ussassai (Sardegna centro-orientale). Atti Soc. Tosc. Sci. nat., Mem., Serie B., 105, 83-87(1998).
[18] M. BALLERO, F. POLI, Plants used in folk medicine of Monteleone (northern Sardinia).Fitoterapia, 69 (1), 52-64 (1998).
[19] M. BALLERO, G. SACCHETTI, F. POLI, Plants in folk medicine in the territory of Perdasdefogu(Central Sardinia, Italy). Allionia, 35, 157-164 (1997).
[20] M. BALLERO, I. FRESU, Le piante di uso officinale nella Barbagia di Seui (Sardegna centrale).Fitoterapia, 64 (2), 141-150 (1993).
[21] M. BALLERO, A. BRUNI, G. SACCHETTI, F. POLI, Le piante utilizzate nella medicina popolarenel comune di Tempio Pausania (Sardegna settentrionale). Acta Phytotherapeutica, 2, 23-29 (1997).
[22] A. BRUNI, F. POLI, M. BALLERO, Quantitative ethnopharmacological study of the CampidanoValley and Urzulei district, Sardinia, Italy. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 57, 97-124(1997).
50 ANDREA MAXIA, LUCIA MAXIA
[23] M. BALLERO, A. BRUNI, G. SACCHETTI, L. MOSSA, F. POLI, Indagine etnofarmacobotanica delterritorio di Arzana (Sardegna orientale). Ann. Bot., 52 (11), 489-500 (1994).
[24] M. BALLERO, I. FRESU, Piante officinali impiegate in fitoterapia nel terrritorio del Marganai(Sardegna sud occidentale). Fitoterapia, 62 (6), 524-531 (1991).
[25] M.C. LOI, L. FRAILIS, A. MAXIA, Le piante utilizzate nella medicina popolare nel territorio diGesturi (Sardegna centro meridionale). Atti Soc. Tosc. Sci. Nat., Mem., Serie B., 109, 167-176 (2002).
[26] M.C. LOI, F. POLI, G. SACCHETTI, M.B. SELENU, M. BALLERO, Ethnopharmacology of Ogliastra(Villagrande Strisaili, Sardinia, Italy). Fitoterapia, 75 (3-4), 277-295 (2004).
Top Related