THE ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY OF MADEIRA AND PORTO-SANTO ISLANDS, A REVIEW

The ethnopharmacology of Madeira and Porto Santo Islands is extremely interesting because of the cultural and biogeographic features of this region, which make it a centre of medicinal plant diversity (richness of endemic flora, geographical isolation in the Atlantic sea, crosscu ltural influences, and past abundance of local healers). The medicinal flora of Madeira is composed of 259 species. Some noteworthy medicina l taxa, endemic or locally relevant, are: Acanthus mollis, Aeonium gla ndulosum, Aeonium glutinosum, Bidens pilosa, Borago officinalis, Chama emelum nobile var. discoideum, Culcita macrocarpa, Echium nervosum, Eu phorbia platiphylla, Helichrysum melaleucum, Helichrysum obconicum, Hy pericum glandulosum, Hypericum humifussum, Kleinia repens, Laurus azor ica, Monizia edulis, Ocotea foetens, Psoralea bituminosa, Rubus bollei , Rumex maderensis, Sambucus lanceolata, Scilla maderensis, Sedum bris semoretii, Sedum farinosum, Sedum nudum, Sibthorpia peregrina, Teucriu m betonicum, Thymus caespititius, Trifolium squamosum and Vaccinium pa difolium. Among the medicinal cryptogams, one can underline the parasi tic fungus Laurobasidium lauri, which grows on the stems of Laurus azo rica and is used as an antirheumatic, haemostatic, emmenagogue, insect icide and analeptic.