Medicinal plants and food medicines in the folk traditions of the upper Lucca Province, Italy

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.