Search

Laurus nobilis L. (Lauraceae), commonly known as laurel, is an evergreen and edible tree that possess biological properties positively correlated with human health. It is a very popular plant known since ancient times in traditional medicine and considered a symbol of peace and sign of victory in military and sport competitions. Laurel is used as flavoring agent in kitchen for meat, fish, broths, and vegetables. The plant shows a rich content of metabolites including proteins, free sugars, organic acids, PUFA and tocopherols and exhibit a biological potential with a wide range of bioactivity including antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. This review is aimed to contribute to the knowledge of the plant by providing a critical overview of the botanic characteristics, the traditional uses, the plant chemistry and the biological activities

Ailanthus altissima is an aggressive invasive tree worldwide, but the ecological factors that lead to the spread of this species in Mediterranean ecosystems are still unclear. Here we aim to identify such factors, focusing on the interaction of human activity with climatic conditions. We determined the occurrence and abundance of Ailanthus in 240 sites and studied their relationship with 20 variables representing climatic, geographic, and topographic factors, as well as land use, in the region of Campania (southern Italy). Overall, we found that temperature and rainfall in Campania are suitable for Ailanthus, with the only major constraint being the temperature at an altitude exceeding 900 m a.s.l.. We found that Ailanthus is unable to spread where the mean annual temperature is lower than 11.1 °C. By contrast, precipitation variables showed poor correlation with Ailanthus distribution, suggesting that rainfall in the selected study sites is suitable to sustain the growth of this tree. About land use variables, roads were the primary landscape feature along which this species spread and invaded new areas. Roads probably combine high propagule pressure and favorable growing conditions in terms of available resources i.e., light, water, and mineral nutrients, that allow Ailanthus to establish and spread along roadside edges in different ecosystems. In conclusion, we found that climate and human-associated variables are correlated with the current occurrence of Ailanthus, with the temperature being more influential at high elevation sites and road distance playing a prominent role in low elevation areas.

Medicinal plants have a significant role in women's healthcare in many rural populations in Italy. Herbal remedies are mainly used to treat women’s conditions such as menstrual disorders, infertility, discomforts and dysfunctions of pregnancy, labor, uro-genital diseases and menopause. In the recent decades, ethnobotanical surveys have received increased attention among populations in Italy traditionally highly conservative regarding knowledge of folk medicine. This review highlights the use of plants in women’s health care. From a search of articles published between 1963 and 2017 we found a total of 73 containing reports of medicinal plants specifically used for treating women’s diseases, listing 197 taxa belonging to 61 families. Adiantum capillus-veneris is the most commonly reported species, followed by Malva sylvestris, Petroselinum crispum and Urtica dioica. We identified eighteen ailment and cosmetic categories. Plants used for menstrual cycle and breastfeeding are widely used.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) consists of systems and practices used to prevent or treat illness, and/or promote health and wellbeing, generally with herbal remedies. In recent decades, ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological surveys have received increased attention among populations in central and southern Italy traditionally highly conservative regarding knowledge of folk medicine. This review highlights the use of wild and cultivated plants in paediatric health care. From a search of articles published between 1978 and 2017 we found a total of 34 containing reports of medicinal plants specifically used for treating children’s diseases, listing 83 taxa belonging to 37 families in 116 recorded cases of medicinal plant use. Tuscany has the highest number of plant use reports and the highest number of species used in a single region, followed by Campania and Sicily. Allium sativum is the most widely reported species, cited in eight regions. We identified eight ailment categories. Plants used as anthelmintics and for gastro-intestinal and skin diseases are widely used.

The Phlegraean Fields Regional Park in southern Italy has an especially long history of human exploitation. For our ethnobotanical studies we interviewed 39 people native to the area and recorded 962 use-reports. For each species, we provide scientific and vernacular names, plant parts used, and preparation and administration processes. In all, 69 species belonging to 35 families were classified. The species most frequently mentioned were Citrus limon, Chamomilla recutita, Malva sylvestris, Parietaria judaica, Ficus carica, Foeniculum vulgare and Laurus nobilis. The commonest plant use recorded is medicinal, followed by culinary and domestic; for 26% of the species inventoried, more than one use was recorded. The present study confirms the persistence of traditional plant use in regions of central and southern Italy.