Volume 163, 2 April 2015, Pages 113–134
Research Paper
Tradition of use on medicinal species in Valfurva (Sondrio, Italy)
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Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance
In
the past Alpine populations were isolated from comforts of industrial
and technological development present in large cities and, therefore,
they were obliged to find in nature a source of sustenance and care.
Traditional use of plant is a wealth of local knowledge that is likely
to be lost. This work, carried out during 2012, aims to collect, analyze
and process information on the species used for medicinal, veterinary,
cosmetic, domestic, ritual and religious purposes by the inhabitants of
Valfurva, in the Province of Sondrio (Italy). Furthermore it is a means
for the preservation of local traditions regarding such uses and
increases the ethnobotanical data from Northern Italy, till now poorly
documented.
Methods
Our survey
was conducted by semi-structered interviews. We interviewed 92 people,
aged from 23 to 97 y.o., born or resident in Valfurva. All information
collected and concerning their use of plants, were analyzed using
ethnobotanical indices such as Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC),
Relative Importance (RI) and Factor Informant Consensus (FIC).
Results
Our
study stated that people living in Valfurva use 126 species belonging
to 48 families. Findings revealed that the most cited species is Achillea moschata
Wulfen, with values of RFC and RI equal to 1.00 and 1.12 respectively.
Furthermore, 95 species were collected in the wild and 31 were
cultivated. The most commonly used part plants were leaves, flowers,
fruits, roots and complete aerial parts. The most frequent preparation
methods were infusion, decoction and poultice. Among the recorded
species, 91 of them are used for medicinal purposes, 72 for cooking, 19
for veterinary purposes, 10 for animal feed, 12 for cosmetic practices, 7
for religious or ritual purposes and 45 for domestic and various uses.
The validity of the species use emerged in our survey is confirmed by
scientific literature and research conducted on the same topics.
Conclusions
This
study increases ethnobotanical data coming from Italian Alps, whose
regions have been so far hardly investigated. Our study confirms the
interest in species already mentioned in previous surveys and placings.
It also provides evidences which could be usefully exploited by new
investigations aimed at knowing the active metabolites found responsible
for plants use in traditional medicine.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Ethnobotany;
- Medicinal plants;
- North Italy;
- Alpine area;
- Indigenous traditional knowledge
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