Ecological and Biological Properties of Satureja cuneifolia Ten. and Thymus spinulosus Ten.: Two Wild Officinal Species of Conservation Concern in Apulia (Italy). A Preliminary Survey

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of ecology (plant community, topography and pedology), as well as of climate, on the composition of essential oils (EOs) from two officinal wild plant species (Lamiales) from Apulia, namely Satureja cuneifolia Ten. and Thymus spinulosus Ten. Few scientific data on their chemical composition are available, due to the fact that the first has a limited distribution range and the second is endemic of southern Italy. Results for both species, never officially used in traditional medicine and/or as spices, showed that the ecological context (from a phytosociological and ecological point of view) may influence their EO composition, and hence, yield chemotypes different from those reported in the literature. S. cuneifolia and Th. spinulosus can be considered good sources of phytochemicals as natural agents in organic agriculture due to the presence of thymol and α-pinene. Overall, the obtained trend for EOs suggests a potential use of both species as food, pharmacy, cosmetics and perfumery. Hence, their cultivation and use represent a positive step to reduce the use of synthetic chemicals and to meet the increasing demand for natural and healthier products.

The Renaissance of Wild Food Plants: Insights from Tuscany (Italy)

“…vesca, and S. nigra (23) (Supplementary Material S2). The number of taxa used as seasoning in our study (79) was much higher than that listed by Motti [48] for Tuscany itself (24) and for other regions such as Campania (23), Abruzzo, and Lombardy (22 each). Most of these plants belong to Lamiaceae, Amaryllidaceae, and Apiaceae.…”

“…The majority of these plants grow in disturbed sites such as farmlands, inhabited areas, and borders of paths and roads. They are adapted to withstand stressful conditions typical of marginal lands where grazing is widespread and arable agriculture consists of low-input traditional cultivation methods [23,24].…”

Effects of Essential Oils and Selected Compounds from Lamiaceae Family as Adjutants on the Treatment of Subjects with Periodontitis and Cardiovascular Risk

“…Moreover, in mouse mammary epithelial cells, LPS-induced inflammatory response was decreased after thymol treatment (40 µg/mL) by the downregulation of MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathways [119]. Recently, Perrino et al [127] have reported a high bioactivity also found in endemic wild species as spinulosus Ten., indicating its potential use in organic agriculture, since thymol may also serve as natural agent against phytopathogenic microorganisms.…”

AvNAC030, a NAC Domain Transcription Factor, Enhances Salt Stress Tolerance in Kiwifruit

“…The soil replacement method, trenching and salt drainage, chemical reagent improvement, water and fertilizer regulation, and other measures are common soil improvement methods, but these methods are time-consuming, laborious, and easily lead to soil hardening. Cultivating salt-tolerant crops, as well as the selection of salt-tolerant rootstocks of fruit trees, without excluding the chance to enhance the suitable native wild species, are the most economical, effective, safe, and environmentally friendly methods [8,9]. As one of the four most successful artificially domesticated and cultivated trees in the 20th century, kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis Planch) has a unique flavor and is rich in vitamin C, which is the antiviral vitamin par excellence and used as a cure for COVID-19.…”