Mediterranean Wild Edible Plants: Weeds or “New Functional Crops”?

Abstract

The Mediterranean basin is a biodiversity hotspot of wild edible species, and their therapeutic and culinary uses have long been documented. Owing to the growing demand for wild edible species, there are increasing concerns about the safety, standardization, quality, and availability of products derived from these species collected in the wild. An efficient cultivation method for the species having promising nutraceutical values is highly desirable. In this backdrop, a hydroponic system could be considered as a reproducible and efficient agronomic practice to maximize yield, and also to selectively stimulate the biosynthesis of targeted metabolites. The aim of this report is to review the phytochemical and toxic compounds of some potentially interesting Mediterranean wild edible species. Herein, after a deep analysis of the literature, information on the main bioactive compounds, and some possibly toxic molecules, from fifteen wild edible species have been compiled. The traditional recipes prepared with these species are also listed. In addition, preliminary data about the performance of some selected species are also reported. In particular, germination tests performed on six selected species revealed that there are differences among the species, but not with crop species. “Domestication” of wild species seems a promising approach for exploiting these “new functional foods”.

Ethnomedicine and ethnobotany of Maerua subcordata (Gilg) DeWolf

“…In this regard, wild edible plants are given special emphasis owing to their high content of nutritional and bioactive ingredients compared to domesticated counterparts. Thus, domestication of wild species seems to be a promising approach for exploiting them as new functional foods [11]. The present report is in line with such scientific notion which attempts to describe the potential food and medicinal applications of wild edible plants based on their traditional/ethnic uses.…”

Malva species: Insights on its chemical composition towards pharmacological applications

“…It has even been proposed for biomonitoring contaminants in the environment. Although of benefit when it comes to the stabilization of degraded areas, the high pollutant accumulation decreases the plant raw material quality and may pose a risk for human health (Ceccanti, Landi, Benvenuti, Pardossi, & Guidi, ; Terzi, Acemi, Ergül, & Özen, ; Unver, Ugulu, Durkan, Baslar, & Dogan, ). Therefore, to avoid possible raw material contamination, it would be recommended to produce Malva plants within organic or another sustainable agricultural system.…”

Chemical composition and bioactive properties of Cichorium spinosum L. in relation to nitrate/ammonium nitrogen ratio

“…Phenolic compounds and omega‐3 fatty acids are of particular interest and an increase in their content in the final product is crucial for the achievement of high‐added value products . Especially for phenolic compounds, it has been well‐established via in vitro and in vivo studies that they possess several functional properties including antitumoral acitivities by inhibition of tumorigenesis and chemoprevention . Other important compounds with bioactive properties are tocopherols, which are present in plant tissues in various isoforms, and their content may be also regulated through the nutrient solution composition .…”

“…12,17 Especially for phenolic compounds, it has been well-established via in vitro and in vivo studies that they possess several functional properties including antitumoral acitivities by inhibition of tumorigenesis and chemoprevention. [18][19][20] Other important compounds with bioactive properties are tocopherols, which are present in plant tissues in various isoforms, and their content may be also regulated through the nutrient solution composition. 6,21 However, despite the beneficial effects of the various bioactive compounds detected in wild edible plants, several toxicity symptoms have been reported; therefore, cytotoxicity studies against normal and cancer cells have to be carried out prior to suggesting the consumption of such species.…”