Urospermum Picroides Research Articles

How Does Domestic Cooking Affect the Biochemical Properties of Wild Edible Greens of the Asteraceae Family?

Wild edible greens are a key ingredient of the so-called Mediterranean diet and they are commonly used in various local dishes in their raw or processed form. Domestic processing of edible greens may affect their nutritional value and chemical profile. In this work, six wild species (e.g., Cichorium spinosum L. (S1); Centaurea raphanina subsp. mixta (DC.) Runemark (S2); Picris echioides (L.) Holub (S3); Urospermum picroides (L.) Scop. ex. F.W. Schmidt (S4); Sonchus oleraceus L. (S5); and S. asper L. (S6)) were assessed for the effect of domestic processing (boiling) on chemical composition and bioactivities. Concerning the chemical composition, glucose, oxalic acid, α-tocopherol, and α-linolenic acid were the most abundant compounds, especially in P. echiodes leaves. After decoction, mainly sugars, tocopherols, and oxalic acid were decreased. The species and processing affected the phenolic compounds content and antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and anti-inflammatory activities. Specific compounds were not previously detected in the studied species, while hydroethanolic extracts contained a higher total phenolic compound content. Hydroethanolic and aqueous extracts were effective towards a range of bacterial and fungi strains. Therefore, the consumption of leaves has health-promoting properties owing to the bioactive compounds and can be integrated into healthy diets. However, domestic cooking may affect the chemical profile and bioactivities of the edible leaves, especially in the case of free sugars and phenolic compound content where a significant reduction was recorded in leaves after decoction. On the other hand, domestic processing could be beneficial since it reduces the oxalic acid content in edible leaves, which is considered an antinutritional factor.

Effect of foliar fertilization on Urospermum picroides, an indigenous plant of the traditional cretan-mediterranean diet

Urospermum picroides (L.) Scop. ex F. W. Schmidt (Asteraceae) is rich in secondary compounds, with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, medicinal and health-promoting properties, however, like many other wild edible plants of the Mediterranean, it is still underutilised. This study focused on the pilot cultivation of U. picroides, under minimal irrigation and organic, integrated nutrient management (ΙΝΜ) fertilisation (by foliar application) in Crete, Greece, analysing its response in terms of yield characteristics and nutritional content. The foliar fertilisation treatments consisted of a control treatment (CO), a conventional water-soluble fertiliser (CV), a semi-organic nitrogen fertiliser (TR), a liquid semi-organic fertiliser (TF), and v) a mix of the conventional and semi-organic fertiliser (CF). Physiological characteristics (i.e., SPAD and Fv/Fm) were assessed during cultivation, while yield and leaf nutrient parameters were determined, at harvest. Treatments containing bioactive compounds (TF and CF) almost doubled the fresh and dry weight of U. picroides shoot compared to the control (CO) treatment (172% and 160%, respectively) which can be partially ascribed to the elevated physiological characteristics of the TF and CF fertilisation treatments. Even more, nitrogen rich treatments (CV and TR) improved yield characteristics compared to the control, but the effect was not as pronounced as that achieved by TF and CF semi-organic fertilization treatments. Our results indicate that the application of foliar semi-organic fertilization seems to be an effective alternative practice to increase photosynthetic capacity and concomitantly fresh and dry yield of U. picroides without compromising the nutritional profile of the edible product.

Detailed metabolite profiling and in vitro studies of Urospermum picroides as a potential functional food.

Wild edible plants (WEP) are part of the Mediterranean culinary culture and can be used as famine foods in times of severe food shortages. Urospermum picroides is a WEP that grows under harsh conditions and represents an opportunity to expand and diversify the global food supply. However, little is known about its chemical profile. In this study, liquid chromatography coupled to HRESIMS allowed the identification of 77 metabolites in U. picroides extract, among which 12 sesquiterpene-amino acid conjugates are reported here for the first time. Due to the novelty of these conjugates, GNPS molecular networking was used to provide information on their fragmentation pathway. Further, the sesquiterpene enriched U. picroides extract showed a moderate anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-stimulated THP1-macrophages by increasing IL-10 secretion while decreasing pro-inflammatory IL-6 secretion at 50µg/mL. Our study provides evidence for the potential use of U. picroides as an anti-inflammatory functional food and nutraceutical agent.

The Impact of Salinity on Growth, Physio-Biochemical Characteristics, and Quality of Urospermum picroides and Reichardia picroides Plants in Varied Cultivation Regimes

Salinity stress is severely affecting modern horticulture and puts food security under threat for current and future generations. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of saline conditions (three salinity levels: 2.0, 5.0 and 10.0 dS m−1) on the growth, physiological processes and quality of two wild edible species (Urospermum picroides and Reichardia picroides) grown under three different cropping systems (pots indoors (GP) and outdoors (FP); and floating hydroponics (FH)). Our results indicate that high salinity affected growth parameters in all the studied cropping systems in the case of U. picroides, whereas R. picroides was not affected only when grown in pots outdoors. Moreover, total soluble solids content and titratable acidity in both species were not affected by high salinity for any of the cropping systems, except for in the case of FP system. Similarly, carotenoids content decreased under high salinity when both species were grown in the FP system. A varied effect was recorded for total phenolic compounds content in response to salinity levels, although the FP system resulted in considerably higher phenolics accumulation in both species, while proline content increased when plants were subjected to high salinity, regardless of the cropping system. The antioxidant activity also varied among the studied treatments for both assays (TEAC and FRAP), although cultivation outdoors in pots resulted in considerably higher values compared to the other systems. Finally, nitrate content showed decreasing trends with increasing salinity in plants grown in the GP (both species) and FP system (only U. picroides), whereas no significant differences in physiological parameters in comparison to the control treatment were recorded, except for the stomatal conductance (FP and GP system) and transpiration rate (FP) of R. picroides plants. In conclusion, it seems that the tested plant species responded differently to the salinity treatments but they both displayed a lack of severe stress even at high salinity.

Hedypnois cretica L. and Urospermum picroides L. Plant Growth, Nutrient Status and Quality Characteristics under Salinity Stress

The cultivation of tolerant species with low-quality irrigation water is one of the main strategies to address the lack of availability of irrigation water. In this work, the effect of salinity on plant growth, nutritional composition, and quality features of Hedypnois cretica and Urospermum picroides was tested. Fresh yield of leaves and roots of both species were severely decreased under high salinity, while the mineral profile of leaves and roots also showed a decrease in most minerals. The recorded values of K/Na and Ca/Na ratios indicate that H. cretica has a higher susceptibility to salt stress due to a higher decrease in the values of the respective ratios compared to U. picroides. Leaf pigments and total phenolic compounds content were not significantly affected by salinity, while total soluble solids and titratable acidity increased under increasing salinity in most cases. Moreover, free proline content increased with increasing salinity, while the opposite trend was recorded for nitrates’ content. In conclusion, our findings indicate that tailor-made nutrient solutions could allow the use of irrigation water of a low quality for the commercial cultivation of H. cretica and U. picroides, thus allowing their domestication and integration in cropping systems where the cultivation of conventional crops is compromised.

Prevalence of Diterpenes in Essential Oil of Euphorbia mauritanica L.: Detailed Chemical Profile, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic and Phytotoxic Activities.

Plants belonging to Euphorbia L. genus are considered very interesting from a medicinal point of view due to their diverse metabolites and bioactivities. The essential oil (EO) of Euphorbia mauritanica L. is not studied up to date. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the chemical profile of this EO and evaluate its antioxidant, cytotoxic, and allelopathic potentialities. The EO was extracted from the whole plant via hydrodistillation and then, analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The correlation of E. mauritanica with the other Euphorbia plants was established using chemometric analysis. The antioxidant activity was determined based on scavenging of the free radical, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS). The anti-proliferation of the EO on the Hep G2 and MCF-7 cells was evaluated. Finally the allelopathic activity of the EO was assessed against the two noxious weeds, Dactyloctenium aegyptium and Urospermum picroides. Forty-one compounds were identified using GC/MS analysis, with an abundance of terpenoids (91.54 %) that were categorized into mono- (30.75 %), sesqui- (15.23 %), and diterpenes (45.56 %). Interestingly, the results revealed the preponderance of diterpenoid constituents although they are rarely found in the EOs of the plant kingdom. The major compounds were (3E)-cembrene A (18.66 %), verticiol (17.05 %), limonene (7.91 %), eucalyptol (7.26 %), α-pinene (5.61 %), neo-cembrene A (3.52 %), kaur-16-ene (3.24 %), and cembrene (3.09 %). The EO showed moderate antioxidant activity where it attained IC50 values of 83.34 and 64.21 μg mL-1 for DPPH and ABTS compared to 23.01 and 19.23 μg mL-1 for ascorbic acid as standard, respectively. The EO exhibited very weak cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 and Hep G2 cells. The EO showed significant allelopathic activities against the weeds D. aegyptium and U. picroides in a concentration-dependent manner. EO was found more effective against U. picroides than D. aegyptium with IC50 values of 0.79, 0.45, and 0.67 mg mL-1 and 1.17, 0.55, and 1.08 mg mL-1 for germination, root, and shoot growth, respectively. Due to the high content of diterpenes in E. mauritanica, further study is recommended for more characterization of pure forms of the identified diterpenes as well as evaluating their bioactivity either solely or synergistically.

Smooth Golden Fleece and Prickly Golden Fleece as Potential New Vegetables for the Ready-to-Eat Production Chain

Smooth golden fleece (Urospermum dalechampii (L.) F.W. Schmidt) and prickly golden fleece (Urospermum picroides (L.) Scop. ex F.W. Schmid) are two wild edible plants used in traditional cuisine and folk medicine. In this research, the domestication of both species was tested for the first time using a floating system and two plant densities (412 and 824 plants m−2) to evaluate yield and quality. Some quality traits were also compared in cultivated plants and wild ones gathered in grasslands. The results show that both species are suitable for cultivation, although prickly golden fleece showed highest total phenols (132 mg 100 g−1 fresh weight—f.w.) and total antioxidant activity (0.19 mg 100 g−1 f.w.). At low sowing density, smooth golden fleece showed a nitrate content of about 7200 mg kg−1 f.w., 38% higher than plants of the same species grown at high density and plants of prickly golden fleece. These results suggest that high density can be used to optimize yield in two harvests. By permitting modulation of nutrients and a product without soil residues, the floating system used in this study proved suitable for growing U. dalechhampii and U. picroides as new vegetables for the ready-to-eat production chain.

Assessment of Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities and Identification of Phenolic Compounds of Centaurea solstitialis and Urospermum picroides from Turkey

HIGHLIGHTS The phenolic composition, antioxidant activity and cytotoxic potential of the extracts of C. solstitialis and U. picroides were investigated. Caffeic acid was found as the most abundant phenolic compound in the extracts. Both species showed promising antioxidant activity towards different assays. The highest cytotoxic potential was observed in the extract of C. solstitialis.

Antitumor and antimicrobial activities of endophytic fungi obtained from Egyptian Urospermum picroides

Background: Urospermum picroidesis an invasive medicinal plant well established in North cost, Egypt. Endophytic fungi of this medicinal plant in Egypt is poorly known. Aim: The present study aimed to estimate the biological activities of endophytic fungi from Egyptian U.picroides. Materials and Mthods: Two endophytic fungi were isolated from U.picroides and identified as Fusarium oxysporum and Phoma herbarum based on phylogenetic analysis. Results: Ethyl acetate extracts of F. oxysporum and P. herbarum gave high antioxidant activities (26.2 and 51.7%, respectively). Moreover, they showed highly antitumor activities with some significant morphological changes of characteristic apoptosis accompanied by up regulation of both p53 and Bax for F.oxysporum and P.herbarum extracts (1.55, 2.14 for p53 and 1.24, 2.2 for Bax, respectively) with down regulation of Bcl-2 (0.18 and 0.16, respectively). Ethyl acetate extract of F.oxysporum (EAFE) showed highest antimicrobial activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes (70 mm), while ethyl acetate extract of P.herbarum (EAPE) showed highest antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus (37 mm) and Candida albicans (35 mm). Scanning electron microscope micrographs showed major abnormalities for tested microorganisms after treatment with (EAFE and EAPE) resulting in complete alternation in their morphology. GC-MS results showed 30 biological active compounds for both extracts. The most significant proportion in EAFE was Diisooctyl phthalate with relative levels (74.9%), while Benzoic acid, 3, 5-bis (1, 1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy- was the most active compound in EAPE (61.7%). Conclusion: These results proposed that ethyl acetate extracts of endophytic fungi from Egyptian U.picroides showed to be promising novel antioxidant, antitumor agents and antimicrobial with further phytochemical studies.

Bioactive Phenolics and Antioxidant Capacity of Some Wild Edible Greens as Affected by Different Cooking Treatments.

The study aimed to assess the influence of three cooking methods (boiling, steaming, and microwave-cooking) on (i) composition in individual phenolic compounds, (ii) total phenolic content (TPC), and (iii) total antioxidant activity (TAA) of eight Mediterranean wild edible species (Asparagus acutifolius, Asphodeline lutea, Beta vulgaris, Helminthotheca echioides, Sonchus oleraceus, Taraxacum officinale, Urospermum picroides, Urtica dioica). In raw greens, several caffeic acid derivatives (chicoric, caftaric, chlorogenic, neochlorogenic, 1,5-and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acids) and flavonoids (glycosides of apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol) were identified. Cooking treatments did not affect qualitative phenolic composition, while quantitative changes were recorded in some phenolic compounds and in TPC. Generally, boiling decreased TPC and TAA, while chicoric, caftaric, chlorogenic acids and quercetin-3-rutinoside increased in some species after steaming and microwave-cooking, showing positive correlation with TAA. Results confirmed steaming and microwave-cooking as mild procedures able to increase antioxidant capacity of some species, producing beneficial effects on their nutraceutical properties.

MICRO-MORPHOLOGY STUDY OF POLLEN GRAINS AND CYPSELA OF SEVEN SELECTED SPECIES, BELONG TO ASTERACEAE FAMILY IN AL-JADRIYA CAMPUS

Seven plants species that belong to Asteraceae (Compositae) family have been investigated micro-morphology with the help of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations. Plants were collected from University of Baghdad campus during January to May in 2017-2018 and the species are: Calendula persica C. M. May, Carduus pycnocephalus L., Erigeron canadensis L., Lactuca serriola L., Silybum marianum (L.) Garth, Sonchus oleraceus L., Urospermum picroides (L.) Schmidt. The aim of this study was to describing the external morphology of seeds as well as a detailed study of pollen grains morphology. Special emphasis is given to the size, shape, polar and equatorial length, spines length, length and width of ora and colpi, tectum sclupturing, and the ornamentations on pollen surface, Sonchus oleraceus and Lactuca serriola pollen grains have a special exin sculpture, which is lophate and the other species used in this study is non-lophate, and all the pollen grains of the species used in this study are tri-zono- colporate, Calendula persica is only species that it is exin sculpture is echinate with spines length (3.8-4.3 um), and the exin sculpture of the other species is spinulose. Also special importance is given to the size, shape, pappus, beak length, primary and secondary sculpturing, carpopodium, as well as the surface of the seed (Cypsela), Seeds (cypsela) of the species used in this study were significantly different in morphology, The shapes of the 7 species were differed in each species and it showed 7 different shapes: narrowly-oblong, oblong, long-oblong, board-oblong, widely curved-oblong, narrowly-ellipitic, and narrowly-obovated.

Comparative genomic analysis of three co-occurring annual Asteraceae along micro-geographic fragmentation scenarios

This is the first population genomic analysis that examines micro-evolutionary changes in co-occurring plant species, in fragmented habitats, along a precipitation gradient. We applied Genotype-by-Sequencing (GBS) on three different annual Asteraceae on the same sites that share similar life history strategies, but different pollination and dispersal strategies (Catananche lutea, Geropogon hybridus, Urospermum picroides).We tested if the genetic diversity for all species correlates with effective population sizes along the precipitation gradient and whether therefore genetic drift drives evolution at range edges. However, our results support this hypothesis for only one species (C. lutea) but refute it for the other two. Potential genomic signals of adaptation to the high precipitation gradient were found only in one species (U. picroides). We also tested if species with complex pollination and diversified dispersal strategies are less affected by small scale habitat fragmentation, but the opposite is true. Biological differences between the species studied (pollination and dispersal) explain population genetic differences along the precipitation gradient at range edges rather than environmental filters. Pairwise correlation analyses showed no or only weak similarities in the accumulation of mutations in the different species.Our results suggest that the processes driving evolution in different co-occurring species are different, so that most genomic similarities in our investigations may only represent temporary stages in evolution.

Determination of anticancer effects of Urospermum picroides against human cancer cell lines

Plants continue to be a good source for developing effective anticancer agents. In this study, in vitro various biological effects of crude ethanolic extract from flowering parts of Urospermum picroides collected from the Muğla province of Turkey were investigated for the first time. Daudi, A549 and HeLa cancer cell lines and BEAS-2B normal cell line were used to identify the cytotoxic effect of the extract using MTT assay. The effect of the extract on cell cycle progression was detected by flow cytometric analysis. The level of VEGF, IL-1α, IL-6 and TNF-α secretion in the cells treated with the extract were measured using ELISA The extract caused a higher cytotoxic effect on Daudi cells with an IC50 value of 85.64 µg/mL than the other cells tested. The IC50 values in HeLa and A549 cells were determined to be 135.35 and 234.8 µg/ mL, respectively. The selective cytotoxicity was considered between Daudi and BEAS-2B (109.80 µg/mL) cell lines. In addition, the effect of the extract on cell cycle progression changes according to cell line used. Moreover, the extract decreased the level of secreted VEGF in treated A549 cells by 31%. In addition, the extract resulted in a significant decrease in the secretion of IL-1α, IL-6 and TNF-α cytokines in A549 and Daudi cells compared to the untreated cells. These findings suggest that the flowering parts of U. picroides may be a potential source for anticancer agents.

Bioactive compounds content and antimicrobial activities of wild edible Asteraceae species of the Mediterranean flora under commercial cultivation conditions

Nine wild edible species belonging to Astreaceae family, native to the Mediterranean basin were tested for their chemical composition (phenolic compounds, tocopherols, and organic acids) and antimicrobial activities over two growing periods, apart from Scolymus hispanicus and Hedypnois cretica which were tested for only one growing period. Flavonoids were the most abundant phenolic compounds in all the species, except for the case of Taraxacum species where significant amounts of chicoric acid were detected, while phenolic compounds content increased in the 2nd growing period by 4.6–397.4% for the tested species. α- and β-tocopherols were the main tocopherols, apart from Taraxacum sp. where significant amounts of γ-and δ-tocopherols (18.32 and 16.31 μg/100 g fresh weight) were detected, while total tocopherols content either increased (Reicardia picroides, Picris echioides, Urospermum picroides, and Taraxacum officinale) or decreased (Hymenonema graecum, Sonchus oleraceus, Taraxacum sp.) in the 2nd growing period. Oxalic acid was the most abundant organic acid, with the highest content (972 mg/100 g fresh weight) being observed in H. graecum (L.) DC. in the 1st growing period. Moreover, with the exception of H. graecum and S. olearaceus, total organic acids content increased in the 2nd growing period. Significant antimicrobial activities were observed against Bacillus cereus, Salmonella typhimurium and Penicillium ochrochloron for all the studied species. In conclusion, the studied species showed great potential for commercial cultivation, while plant extracts could find use in the food industry as alternative food preservatives.

Chemical constituents, antioxidant and potential allelopathic effect of the essential oil from the aerial parts of Cullen plicata

The intensive use of synthetic chemical pesticides has a serious impact on humans and the environment. The essential oil is a proper class of allelochemicals to be used as bio herbicides due to their biodegradability, high structural diversity and reduced natural resistance to weeds. The essential oil from the aerial parts of Cullen plicata (Delile) C.H. Stirt. was extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. A concentrations of 50, 100, 150 and 200μLL−1 of the essential oil were prepared for studying their allelopathic activities on germination and seedling growth of Bidens pilosa and Urospermum picroides. In addition, the antioxidant activity was investigated. Thirty five compounds were determined, mainly sesquiterpenes (77.14%). The dominant sesquiterpenes are (−)-caryophyllene oxide (33.42%), Z-nerolidol (17.92%), .tau.cadinol (9.06%) and α-cadinol (6.66%). At 200μLL−1, the germination of both B. pilosa and U. picroides was completely inhibited. The IC50 value of the essential oil on germination inhibition of B. pilosa and U. picroides were 49.39 and 17.86μLL−1, respectively. On the other hand, the inhibition seedling growth of both B. pilosa and U. picroides showed significant dose-proportional increases in the inhibition under the treatment of the essential oil. However, B. pilosa was strongly inhibited than U. picroides. The antioxidant activity of the C. plicata essential oil has IC50 value of 1.31μLmL−1 compared to 0.03μLmL−1 for catechol. From this study, we can say that C. plicata essential oil could give a hope toward production of eco-friendly bio herbicides at least against B. pilosa and U. picroides and also as a source of natural antioxidants that could be used as food additives.

Genetic structure and population diversity of eleven edible herbs of Eastern Crete.

BackgroundThe present work aimed to investigate the genetic structure of 11 edible herbs grown in the wild of eastern Crete that are becoming vulnerable due to habitat destruction and unregulated harvesting. Thirty three populations (268 individuals) of Reichardia picroides, Scolymus hispanicus, Scandix pecten-veneris, Leontodon tuberosus, Cichorium spinosum, Sonchus asper ssp. glaucescens, Urospermum picroides, Prasium majus, Hypochoeris radicata, Centaurea raphanina ssp. raphanina and Anagallis arvensis were collected and identified from nine regions with distinct microclimate (Lassithi prefecture), and their genetic composition was studied by means of RAPD markers.ResultsA total of ten primers per population were used to detect genetic diversity and bootstrap analysis was conducted for clustering the samples. High levels of heterogeneity were revealed while the Analysis of Molecular Variance documented that variance was allocated mainly within populations and at a lesser extent among populations. Fst values among regions were moderate to high, suggesting partial population fragmentation. Bayesian structure analysis revealed fine genetic composition and substantial admixture between species present in different regions, although clustering was mainly geographically related.ConclusionsHigh altitude regions, with little residential and agricultural development (Kefala, Agrilos, Ziros and Tziritis), were the areas where high biodiversity was detected. On the other hand, coastal regions had lower biodiversity, probably due to degradation of their habitat.

Wild Edible Species with Phytoremediation Properties

High salinity is an increasing environmental problem that severely affects agriculture by both limiting crop yield and available agricultural land. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report that approximately 20-30% of all agricultural land is becoming saline, whereas about 8% of all salt-affected soils are human-induced. In the Mediterranean basin there are many wild species that are consumed as greens or herbs, whereas a few of them have been introduced as alternative crops (e.g. Cichorium spinosum L.).In the present study, various native species (Hymenonema graecum, Reichardia picroides, Sonchus oleraceus, Taraxacum officinale, Urospermum picroides and Picris echioides) were grown under medium to high salinity levels (1.8-8 dS/m) by adding NaCl to irrigation water, in order to evaluate their tolerance under salinity stress conditions. From the results it is observed that Reichardia picroides, Sonchus oleraceus and Urospermum picroides could be considered as tolerant species since their yield was not affected by high salinity, whereas the Na content in leaf tissues increased with increasing salinity for all the species (except for Urospermum picroides) implicating accumulating mechanisms that aleviate the negative effects of salinity on plant growth. For the rest of the species, salinity affected significantly yield, especially when high levels (8 dS/m) were applied.Therefore, these species could be a useful means to alleviate problems of saline soils by cultivating them for phytoremediation purposes, whereas the final products could be marketed as edible herbs. In this context, they could be cultivated in areas where irrigation water is of low quality due to high content of NaCl (coastal areas or areas where ground water is saline), allowing farmers to gradually improve their soils and render them available for other conventional species.

Wild vegetable mixes sold in the markets of Dalmatia (southern Croatia)

BackgroundDalmatia is an interesting place to study the use of wild greens as it lies at the intersection of influence of Slavs, who do not usually use many species of wild greens, and Mediterranean culinary culture, where the use of multiple wild greens is common. The aim of the study was to document the mixtures of wild green vegetables which are sold in all the vegetable markets of Dalmatia.MethodsAll vendors (68) in all 11 major markets of the Dalmatian coast were interviewed. The piles of wild vegetables they sold were searched and herbarium specimens taken from them.ResultsThe mean number of species in the mix was 5.7. The most commonly sold wild plants are: Sonchus oleraceus L., Allium ampeloprasum L., Foeniculum vulgare Mill., Urospermum picroides F.W.Schmidt, Papaver rhoeas L., Daucus carota L., Taraxacum sp., Picris echioides L., Silene latifolia Poir. and Crepis spp. Also the cultivated beet (Beta vulgaris L.) and a few cultivated Brassicaceae varieties are frequent components. Wild vegetables from the mix are usually boiled for 20–30 minutes and dressed with olive oil and salt. Altogether at least 37 wild taxa and 13 cultivated taxa were recorded.Apart from the mixes, Asparagus acutifolius L. and Tamus communis L. shoots are sold in separate bunches (they are usually eaten with eggs), as well as some Asteraceae species, the latter are eaten raw or briefly boiled.ConclusionsThe rich tradition of eating many wild greens may result both from strong Venetian and Greek influences and the necessity of using all food resources available in the barren, infertile land in the past. Although the number of wild-collected green vegetables is impressive we hypothesize that it may have decreased over the years, and that further in-depth local ethnobotanical studies are needed in Dalmatia to record the disappearing knowledge of edible plants.

Mediterranean wild plants reduce postprandial platelet aggregation in patients with metabolic syndrome

Postprandial platelet hyperactivity and aggregation play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of boiled wild plants consumption on the postprandial platelet aggregation in metabolic syndrome patients. Patients consumed 5 meals in a random order (ie, 4 wild plant meals, namely, Reichardia picroides [RP], Cynara cardunculus, Urospermum picroides [UP], and Chrysanthemum coronarium, and a control meal, which contained no wild plants). Several biochemical indices as well as platelet activating factor (PAF)– and adenosine diphosphate–induced ex vivo platelet aggregation were measured postprandially. Moreover, the ability of plants extract to inhibit rabbit platelet aggregation was tested in vitro. The consumption of RP and UP meals significantly reduced ex vivo adenosine diphosphate–induced postprandial platelet aggregation compared with the control meal. The consumption of UP meals significantly reduced the ex vivo PAF-induced platelet aggregation postprandially. Both UP and RP extracts significantly inhibited PAF-induced rabbit platelet aggregation in vitro. Wild plants consumption reduced postprandial platelet hyperaggregability of metabolic syndrome patients, which may account for their healthy effects.

Ecology and Behavior of <I>Pezothrips kellyanus</I> (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on Citrus

The most common thrips species found in Cyprus citrus orchards between 2003 and 2008 were Pezothrips kellyanus (Bagnall) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), and Thrips tabaci (Lindeman) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Only Pezothrips kellyanus, Kelly's citrus thrips (KCT) causes feeding damage on citrus fruits in Cyprus. KCT adults prefer to concentrate mostly in the northern and eastern sides of both lemon and grapefruit canopies. The attractiveness of white, sky blue, marine blue, and yellow color to KCT was evaluated. White was found to be the most attractive color to adults of KCT, F. occidentalis, and T. tabaci. A range of incidental and breeding host plants grown within and outside citrus orchards in Cyprus were identified. KCT adults were found on flowers of all citrus varieties, and various other flowering plants including Malva nicaeensis, Malva silvestris, Sinapis alba, Oxalis pes-caprae, Calendula arvensis, Urospermum picroides, Jasminum officinale, Gardenia jasminoides, Jasminum sambac, Prunus dulcis, Mangifera indica, Persea americana, and Eriobotrya japonica. KCT larvae were found only on lemon, grapefruit, Jasmine spp., and Gardenia flowers.