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Research Project
Ethnobotany of the Northeastern Region of Portugal: local knowledge, plants and uses
Funder
Authors
Publications
Folk medicine of Trás-os-Montes (Portugal). Traditional uses and bioactive compounds of six common medicinal species
Publication . Carvalho, Ana Maria; Barros, Lillian; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Frazão-Moreira, Amélia
Ethnobotanical surveys conducted in north-eastern Portugal along several years (2000-2009) reported plant knowledge and use of almost 150 wild species used in folk medicine. This poster documents traditional knowledge and reports the first approach to the antioxidant potential evaluation of six
of these species with particular cultural significance, accessed by biochemical assays used as models for the lipid peroxidation damage in biomembranes. Bioactive compounds
such as phenolics, flavonoids, vitamin C and vitamin E were also determined.
Plantas, usos e saberes: diversidade, conservação e aproveitamento do património natural e cultural em Trás-os-Montes
Publication . Carvalho, Ana Maria; Frazão-Moreira, Amélia; Ramos, Margarida Telo
Vários trabalhos de investigação etnobotânica (Carvalho et al., 2001 a 2012), que estuda as interações entre o universo vegetal e o Homem, destacam a riqueza de saberes e usos tradicionais sobre plantas em Trás-os-Montes. A biodiversidade e a riqueza paisagística do território Transmontano sustentam-se essencialmente num património natural de enorme valor, mas também num importante património cultural reflexo da ocupação humana do espaço desde tempos imemoriais e da adaptação dos homens às particulares condições orográficas e edafoclimáticas, revelador da sua integração no meio envolvente.
Os inventários realizados ao longo de 12 anos, com o imprescindível apoio de muitos habitantes (informantes) das aldeias Transmontanas, põem de manifesto que os conhecimentos empíricos sobre plantas e suas utilizações são ferramentas basilares para o uso sustentado, a gestão e conservação da etnoflora e para a criação de novas oportunidades de revitalização das zonas rurais.
Medicinal plants: past and present use in several communities from the North-eastern Portugal
Publication . Carvalho, Ana Maria; Martins, Maria Elisabete; Frazão-Moreira, Amélia
Medicinal plants, past and present related uses emerged
from broader studies conducted during several years
inside 36 rural communities in Trás-os-Montes. This
region, as other areas in the interior of Portugal, has
seen socio-economic transformations since the 1960s
that have altered landscape management and plant use.
The surveys aimed to report traditional plant knowledge
and uses (TK). In addition focused on the system of
local knowledge on plant resources and prevalent
traditional plant use and practices.
Ethnographic methodology was used and consented
structured enthobotanical interviews were carried out.
Lamiaceae often used in Portuguese folk medicine as a source of powerful antioxidants: vitamins and phenolics
Publication . Barros, Lillian; Heleno, Sandrina A.; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.
Three Lamiaceae often used in Portuguese folk medicine: Ground ivy (Glechoma hederaceae L.), oregano
(Origanum vulgare subsp. virens (Hoffmanns. & Link) Ietswaart) and mastic thyme (Thymus mastichina L.),
revealed to be good sources of powerful antioxidants such as vitamins (ascorbic acid and tocopherols)
and phenolics. The HPLC methodology developed for tocopherols analysis proved to be, after validation
assays, sensitive and accurate. Ground ivy showed the highest levels of vitamins: ascorbic acid
(168 2 mg/g dry weight) and tocopherols (3692 57 mg/g dry weight). The phenolics extraction was
optimized using mastic tyme, and different conditions (water and ethanol:water 50% v/v, 30 min at 25 C
and boiling temperature; ethanol and methanol, 24 h at 25 C). The best methodology (25 C, 50 ml of
methanol, 24 h) was further applied to the other Lamiaceae. Oregano proved to have the highest radical
scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity. Particularly, the very low EC50 value (0.01 mg/ml)
obtained for TBARS inhibition in brain homogenates is very promising, considering that brain is highly
sensitive to oxidative damage. Significantly negative linear correlations were observed between
phenolics, including flavonoids, and antioxidant activity EC50 values of the three Lamiaceae.
Plantas medicinais como fonte de moléculas bioactivas: estudo comparativo de três Labiadas e uma Umbelífera de uso corrente em Trás-os-Montes
Publication . Barros, Lillian; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.
A partir de inventários etnobotânicos realizados na região do Nordeste Transmontano seleccionaram-se 4 espécies (Glechoma
hederacaae L, Origanum vulgare L, Thymus mastichina L. e Foenicullum vulgare Mill ) frequentemente mencionadas e ainda utilizadas na medicina e gastronomia tradicionais . Com base na informação registada sobre o uso e consumo local foram colhidas
amostras das 4 plantas segundo os critérios fornecidos pelos próprios informantes.
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Contributors
Funders
Funding agency
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Funding programme
POCI
Funding Award Number
POCI/ANT/59395/2004