Discovering the ethnobotanical traditions of the island of Procida (Campania, southern Italy)

Ethnobotanical Review and Dataset Compiling on Wild and Cultivated Plants Traditionally Used as Medicinal Remedies in Italy

“…Gastric ailments (total of 62 species), such as gastritis and nausea, were treated mostly by drinking a decoction or infusion of specific plant organs, for instance, a decoction of Hordeum vulgare L. fruits [ 45 ] or Cynara cardunculus L. leaves [ 81 ] and an infusion of Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck fruits or Ocimum basilicum L. aerial parts [ 23 ]. However, the consumption of raw or cooked seeds of Vicia faba L. [ 44 ], fruits of Capsicum annuum L. [ 43 ], or leaves of Oxalis acetosella L. [ 59 ] was also used against heartburn.…”

“…Regarding intestinal disorders (219 species), the most common symptoms treated with plants were the simplest ones, such as diarrhea, belly pains, and constipation, which are easy to solve with immediate administration of the treatment. The leaf decoction or raw fruits of Arbutus unedo L. [ 43 , 44 ] and raw fruits of Sorbus domestica L. [ 28 , 52 ] were the most cited remedies to solve diarrhea. Moreover, several plants were used against constipation and for their carminative properties such as Mercurialis annua L., Prunus sp.pl., Daucus carota L., Petroselinum crispum (Mill.)…”

“…Many species (144) were used as emollients in the case of dermatitis, rash, and other skin irritations. Tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. were used in various ways, for example, raw slices were used on skin burns [ 39 , 44 ], boiled potato slices were used on the affected area [ 37 ], fresh pulp was externally applied to minor burns and reddened skin [ 89 ], and cataplasm made with raw tuber was applied as a paste [ 72 ]. Decoctions with Malva sylvestris L., both with the roots [ 74 ] and the flowering aerial parts [ 30 ], were used to relieve dermatitis, in addition to the peeled stems of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill [ 39 , 76 ] and the whole flowering plant of Viola odorata L. [ 40 ].…”

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.): A Review of Ethnomedicinal Use, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Uses

“…In Turkey, the infusion is used against colic spasm, cold, and as a sedative [4]. In Italian traditional medicine, M. chamomilla has been widely used against sprain, broken bones, irritability, and muscular or gastrointestinal pain [3]. In addition, it has been used as a sedative [78,79] and as a yellow dye, and for bleaching hair [79].…”

“…Nowadays, it is widely distributed all around the world [2]. M. chamomilla has been used traditionally in several countries to cure a number of diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders [3], common cold [4], liver disorders [5], neuropsychiatric and respiratory problems [6]. Also, this plant is widely used against pain and infections [7] and to cure skin, eye, and mouth diseases [8] (Figure 1).…”