An ethnobotanical study of traditional antinflammatory plants used in the folk medicine of Ogliastra (central eastern Sardinia, Italy)

In this work the authors propose the results of an ethnobotanical investigation developed in Ogliastra, a subregion of Sardinia, whose territory, between the sea and mountains, is characterized by a variety of natural environments. In this territory there is a strictly traditionalist structure and an evident cultural isolation. These conditions have consolidated the relationship between humans and the environment, people and plants. Previous ethnobotanical studies (Ballero et al., 1994, 1997a, b, 1998, 2001; Bruni et al., 1997; Loi et al., 2002, 2004; Palmese et al., 2001; Sanna et al., 2006) showed in Sardinia a rich contingent of plant species for medicine uses: 397 plants (about 16% of the total) are recognized as medicinal herbs (Gastaldo, 1987) and 20 are included in the F.U.I. The investigation presented in this work was carried out by the method of the survey led by an interview, aimed at filling in a pre-formulated form, semi-structured, according to present indications of ethnobotanical investigation (Waller, 1993; Cotton 2002). The 317 interviews have highlighted a contingent of 36 plant species belonging to 35 genera and 27 families, used in folk medicine for the treatment of inflammatory processes. With regard to taking, the investigation showed a greater use of the decoction (23.4% of reports), followed by the directly application on the skin of fresh parts of the plant (23.2%), the infusion (19.5%) and the cataplasm (12.9%). There are no signs of more complex handling of the drugs. The main parts used are the leaves (28.3%), whole plant (21.7%), fruits (6.9%), flowers (6.9%) and root (6.8% ), moreover latex (4.8%) and resin (2.1%) are also used