Gabriele Ambu - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Gabriele Ambu

Research paper thumbnail of Review of: "Sacred Plants and Their Miraculous or Healing Properties

Research paper thumbnail of Review of: "On the pros and cons of utilizing crude herbal preparations as opposed to purified active ingredients, with emphasis on the COVID pandemic

Research paper thumbnail of Review of: "The Ancient Indian Knowledge System and the Medical Sciences

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies of medicinal plants used in rural areas of Kavrepalanchok District (Central Nepal)

The current economic and social conditions in many rural areas of the world are threatening the p... more The current economic and social conditions in many rural areas of the world are threatening the precious heritage of ethnobotanical knowledge and traditional farming practices.This can cause loss of precious cultural heritage and reduction in plant biodiversity, as ancient crops tend to disappear. The main aim of this thesis is to document traditional uses of plants by different ethnic groups (Tibeto-Burman and Indo-Aryan) living in certain rural areas of the Kavrepalanchok District in Central Nepal. In the study area, due to distance from urban centres and difficulty in accessing the government healthcare system, people still rely heavily on the use of local plants for various purposes, above all for primary healthcare. Through interviews with 32 informants, most of whom were key informants, we explored uses of 116 plant species, of which 101 were plants with medicinal value employed in the treatment of human and veterinary diseases. Some unusual uses of medicinal plants and origin...

Research paper thumbnail of Characterization of Ingredients Incorporated in the Traditional Mixed-Salad of the Capuchin Monks

Plants

Recipes on the composition of the “salad of the monks” (Capuchin monks) have been reported in Ita... more Recipes on the composition of the “salad of the monks” (Capuchin monks) have been reported in Italy since the 17th century. Different wild edible plants were highly regarded as an important ingredient of this mixed salad. Among these, some species played a key role for both their taste and nutritional properties: Plantago coronopus L. (PC), Rumex acetosa L., Cichorium intybus L., and Artemisia dracunculus L. In the present study, the micromorphological and phytochemical features as well as the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of extracts of these fresh and blanched leaves, were investigated. The extracts obtained by blanched leaves, according to the traditionally used cooking method, showed the highest content of bioactive compounds (total phenols 1202.31–10,751.88 mg GAE/100 g DW; flavonoids 2921.38–61,141.83 mg QE/100 g DW; flavanols 17.47–685.52 mg CE/100 g DW; proanthocyanidins 2.83–16.33 mg CyE/100 g DW; total chlorophyll 0.84–1.09 mg/g FW; carbohydrates 0.14–1.92 g...

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnobotanical invest igation on the traditional uses of wild plants in the Kavre district, Kathmandu valley (Eastern Nepal)

Research paper thumbnail of Traditional Uses of Medicinal Plants by Ethnic People in the Kavrepalanchok District, Central Nepal

Plants

In rural areas of Nepal, where it is difficult to get access to Government health care facilities... more In rural areas of Nepal, where it is difficult to get access to Government health care facilities, people depend on medicinal plants and local healers for health problems. This study concerns an ethnobotanical survey of the Kavrepalanchok District, reporting some unusual uses of medicinal plants and original recipes. A total of 32 informants were interviewed, 24 of them being key informants. Ethnobotanical uses concerned 116 taxa, of which 101 were medicinal plants, with the most representative species belonging to Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Zingiberaceae. Ethnobotanical indexes were used to evaluate the ethnopharmacological importance of each plant species and the degree of agreement among the informants’ knowledge. Informant consensus factor (Fic) showed that the fever category had the greatest agreement. Highest fidelity level (FL) values were found for Calotropis gigantea used for dermatological diseases, Drymaria cordata for fever, Mangifera indica and Wrightia arbore...

Research paper thumbnail of Multidisciplinary Screening of Three Species belonging to Caprifoliaceae Family Traditionally Used as Antidepressants

Biology and Life Sciences Forum

The essential oils (EOs) of the Eurasiatic Valeriana officinalis (Vo), the Himalayan Valeriana ja... more The essential oils (EOs) of the Eurasiatic Valeriana officinalis (Vo), the Himalayan Valeriana jatamansi (Vj) and Nardostachys jatamansi (Nj), are traditionally used to treat neurological disorders. A multidisciplinary approach based on micromorphology, DNA barcoding, EOs characterization as well as evaluation of the biological effects on the nervous system was carried out. Nj showed the highest inhibitory activity on acetylcholinesterase (IC50 67.15 μg/mL), followed by Vo (IC50 127.30 μg/mL) and Vj (IC50 246.84 μg/mL). Microelectrode arrays analyses on rat cortical neurons revealed stronger inhibition by Nj (IC50 18.8 and 11.1 μg/mL) and Vo (16.5 and 22.5 μg/mL), compared with Vj (68.5 and 89.3 μg/mL). These results could be related to the different EOs composition and in particular to the different content of oxygenated compounds such as aldehydes and ketones, which represents a discriminating factor in determining the order of potency. In conclusion, this multidisciplinary approa...

Research paper thumbnail of Comparative and Functional Screening of Three Species Traditionally used as Antidepressants: Valeriana officinalis L., Valeriana jatamansi Jones ex Roxb. and Nardostachys jatamansi (D.Don) DC

Plants

The essential oils (EOs) of three Caprifoliaceae species, the Eurasiatic Valeriana officinalis (V... more The essential oils (EOs) of three Caprifoliaceae species, the Eurasiatic Valeriana officinalis (Vo), the Himalayan Valeriana jatamansi (Vj) and Nardostachys jatamansi (Nj), are traditionally used to treat neurological disorders. Roots/rhizomes micromorphology, DNA barcoding and EOs phytochemical characterization were carried out, while biological effects on the nervous system were assessed by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity and microelectrode arrays (MEA). Nj showed the highest inhibitory activity on AChE (IC50 67.15 μg/mL) followed by Vo (IC50 127.30 μg/mL) and Vj (IC50 246.84 μg/mL). MEA analyses on rat cortical neurons, carried out by recording mean firing rate (MFR) and mean bursting rate (MBR), revealed stronger inhibition by Nj (IC50 18.8 and 11.1 μg/mL) and Vo (16.5 and 22.5 μg/mL), compared with Vj (68.5 and 89.3 μg/mL). These results could be related to different EO compositions, since sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes significantly contribute to the observed ...

Research paper thumbnail of Review of: "Sacred Plants and Their Miraculous or Healing Properties

Research paper thumbnail of Review of: "On the pros and cons of utilizing crude herbal preparations as opposed to purified active ingredients, with emphasis on the COVID pandemic

Research paper thumbnail of Review of: "The Ancient Indian Knowledge System and the Medical Sciences

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies of medicinal plants used in rural areas of Kavrepalanchok District (Central Nepal)

The current economic and social conditions in many rural areas of the world are threatening the p... more The current economic and social conditions in many rural areas of the world are threatening the precious heritage of ethnobotanical knowledge and traditional farming practices.This can cause loss of precious cultural heritage and reduction in plant biodiversity, as ancient crops tend to disappear. The main aim of this thesis is to document traditional uses of plants by different ethnic groups (Tibeto-Burman and Indo-Aryan) living in certain rural areas of the Kavrepalanchok District in Central Nepal. In the study area, due to distance from urban centres and difficulty in accessing the government healthcare system, people still rely heavily on the use of local plants for various purposes, above all for primary healthcare. Through interviews with 32 informants, most of whom were key informants, we explored uses of 116 plant species, of which 101 were plants with medicinal value employed in the treatment of human and veterinary diseases. Some unusual uses of medicinal plants and origin...

Research paper thumbnail of Characterization of Ingredients Incorporated in the Traditional Mixed-Salad of the Capuchin Monks

Plants

Recipes on the composition of the “salad of the monks” (Capuchin monks) have been reported in Ita... more Recipes on the composition of the “salad of the monks” (Capuchin monks) have been reported in Italy since the 17th century. Different wild edible plants were highly regarded as an important ingredient of this mixed salad. Among these, some species played a key role for both their taste and nutritional properties: Plantago coronopus L. (PC), Rumex acetosa L., Cichorium intybus L., and Artemisia dracunculus L. In the present study, the micromorphological and phytochemical features as well as the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of extracts of these fresh and blanched leaves, were investigated. The extracts obtained by blanched leaves, according to the traditionally used cooking method, showed the highest content of bioactive compounds (total phenols 1202.31–10,751.88 mg GAE/100 g DW; flavonoids 2921.38–61,141.83 mg QE/100 g DW; flavanols 17.47–685.52 mg CE/100 g DW; proanthocyanidins 2.83–16.33 mg CyE/100 g DW; total chlorophyll 0.84–1.09 mg/g FW; carbohydrates 0.14–1.92 g...

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnobotanical invest igation on the traditional uses of wild plants in the Kavre district, Kathmandu valley (Eastern Nepal)

Research paper thumbnail of Traditional Uses of Medicinal Plants by Ethnic People in the Kavrepalanchok District, Central Nepal

Plants

In rural areas of Nepal, where it is difficult to get access to Government health care facilities... more In rural areas of Nepal, where it is difficult to get access to Government health care facilities, people depend on medicinal plants and local healers for health problems. This study concerns an ethnobotanical survey of the Kavrepalanchok District, reporting some unusual uses of medicinal plants and original recipes. A total of 32 informants were interviewed, 24 of them being key informants. Ethnobotanical uses concerned 116 taxa, of which 101 were medicinal plants, with the most representative species belonging to Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Zingiberaceae. Ethnobotanical indexes were used to evaluate the ethnopharmacological importance of each plant species and the degree of agreement among the informants’ knowledge. Informant consensus factor (Fic) showed that the fever category had the greatest agreement. Highest fidelity level (FL) values were found for Calotropis gigantea used for dermatological diseases, Drymaria cordata for fever, Mangifera indica and Wrightia arbore...

Research paper thumbnail of Multidisciplinary Screening of Three Species belonging to Caprifoliaceae Family Traditionally Used as Antidepressants

Biology and Life Sciences Forum

The essential oils (EOs) of the Eurasiatic Valeriana officinalis (Vo), the Himalayan Valeriana ja... more The essential oils (EOs) of the Eurasiatic Valeriana officinalis (Vo), the Himalayan Valeriana jatamansi (Vj) and Nardostachys jatamansi (Nj), are traditionally used to treat neurological disorders. A multidisciplinary approach based on micromorphology, DNA barcoding, EOs characterization as well as evaluation of the biological effects on the nervous system was carried out. Nj showed the highest inhibitory activity on acetylcholinesterase (IC50 67.15 μg/mL), followed by Vo (IC50 127.30 μg/mL) and Vj (IC50 246.84 μg/mL). Microelectrode arrays analyses on rat cortical neurons revealed stronger inhibition by Nj (IC50 18.8 and 11.1 μg/mL) and Vo (16.5 and 22.5 μg/mL), compared with Vj (68.5 and 89.3 μg/mL). These results could be related to the different EOs composition and in particular to the different content of oxygenated compounds such as aldehydes and ketones, which represents a discriminating factor in determining the order of potency. In conclusion, this multidisciplinary approa...

Research paper thumbnail of Comparative and Functional Screening of Three Species Traditionally used as Antidepressants: Valeriana officinalis L., Valeriana jatamansi Jones ex Roxb. and Nardostachys jatamansi (D.Don) DC

Plants

The essential oils (EOs) of three Caprifoliaceae species, the Eurasiatic Valeriana officinalis (V... more The essential oils (EOs) of three Caprifoliaceae species, the Eurasiatic Valeriana officinalis (Vo), the Himalayan Valeriana jatamansi (Vj) and Nardostachys jatamansi (Nj), are traditionally used to treat neurological disorders. Roots/rhizomes micromorphology, DNA barcoding and EOs phytochemical characterization were carried out, while biological effects on the nervous system were assessed by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity and microelectrode arrays (MEA). Nj showed the highest inhibitory activity on AChE (IC50 67.15 μg/mL) followed by Vo (IC50 127.30 μg/mL) and Vj (IC50 246.84 μg/mL). MEA analyses on rat cortical neurons, carried out by recording mean firing rate (MFR) and mean bursting rate (MBR), revealed stronger inhibition by Nj (IC50 18.8 and 11.1 μg/mL) and Vo (16.5 and 22.5 μg/mL), compared with Vj (68.5 and 89.3 μg/mL). These results could be related to different EO compositions, since sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes significantly contribute to the observed ...