An ethnopharmacobotanical survey of the medicinal plants and food medicines
of the northern part of Lucca Province, north-west Tuscany, central Italy,
was carried out. The geographical isolation of this area has permitted the
survival of a rich folk phytotherapy involving medicinal herbs and also ve
getable resources used by locals as food medicine. Among these are the unco
mmon use of Ballota nigra leaves as a trophic protective; the use of Lilium
candidum bulbs as an antiviral to treat shingles (Herpes tester); Parmelia
sp. as a cholagogue; Crocus napolitanus flowers as antiseptic; Prunus laur
ocerasus drapes as a hypotensive; and the consumption of chestnut flour pol
enta cooked with new wine as bechic. Many wild gathered greens are eaten ra
w in salads, or in boiled mixtures, as 'blood cleansing' and 'intestine cle
ansing' agents. Of particular interest is the persistence of the archaic us
e of Bryonia dioica root against sciatica,and the use of ritual plant thera
peuticals as good omens, or against the 'evil eye.' Over 120 species repres
ent the heritage of the local folk pharmacopoeia in upper Garfagnana. Anthr
opological and ethnopharmacological considerations of the collected data ar
e also discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserve
d.