Central European medicinal bryophytes in the 16th-century work by Caspar Schwenckfeld, and their ethnopharmacological origin

Drobnik, Jacek; Stebel, Adam

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2015.09.033

Cited by 11 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…The first medicinal bryophytes were noted in the first century and subsequently a relatively large number of species in the phylum Bryophyta have been recognized in medicinal usage since the sixteenth century (Drobnik and Stebel 2014 , 2015 ). In 1600, Caspar Schwenckfeld listed six botanical names for bryophytes, which specified at least four species used as remedies in folk medicine (Drobnik and Stebel 2015 ). Cooper ( 2010 ) concluded that Catalogues of flora from specific European regions were published to provide local resources for the distribution and use of medicinal plants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brachythecium rutabulum, A Neglected Medicinal Moss

Drobnik

Stebel

2017

Hum Ecol

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brachythecium rutabulum, A Neglected Medicinal Moss

Drobnik

Stebel

2017

Hum Ecol

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“…In 16th century Europe, A. trichomanes was frequently known as Polytrichum . This herb was used to treat urinary calculi, to cure diseases of the spleen, to “dissolve” goitre, to help those who suffered from jaundice ( morbus regius or “royal disease”), and to ease the labour process (Drobnik & Stebel, ). Dodoens (), in his Trium Priorum de Stirpium Historia Commentariorum Imagines ad Vivum expressae , mentioned names such as officinis polytrichŏ and filicula capillaris to define A. trichomanes .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Polytrichum. This herb was used to treat urinary calculi, to cure diseases of the spleen, to "dissolve" goitre, to help those who suffered from jaundice (morbus regius or "royal disease"), and to ease the labour process (Drobnik & Stebel, 2015). Dodoens (1553) Rebelo, 2009;Idolo, Motti, & Mazzoleni, 2010;Rigat, Valles, Iglésias, & Garnatje, 2013;Abbet et al, 2014; Table 3).…”

Section: The English 14th Century Surgeon John Of Arderne In His Libermentioning

confidence: 99%

Ferns as healing plants in medieval Mallorca, Spain? Evidence from human dental calculus

Fiorin

Sáez

Malgosa

2018

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Dental calculus, or calcified plaque, is a potential source of archaeological information relating to the lives of past societies. The recovery and identification of organic microremains entrapped within dental calculus provide new data regarding diet, health, and lifestyle. This paper presents, for the first time, microscopic evidence of the sporangium annulus of a fern within the dental calculus of an adult male from the medieval necropolis of Can Reiners (Balearic Islands, Spain). The sporangium evidence was compared with modern sporangia collected in northern Mallorca and the Iberian Peninsula. The results revealed that the features of the Can Reiners sporangium sample were compatible with the species Asplenium trichomanes. Through a historical and modern botanical literature review, it is known that this species has been widely regarded as a cure for kidney stones and alopecia. Moreover, this species was used as an expectorant, diuretic, and emmenagogue (herb that provokes menstruation or abortion). Considering that sporangia are attached to leaves and when they are mature only spores are released in the air, the presence of the annulus within dental calculus provides direct evidence of the consumption of ferns by the population living in the Balearic Islands during the Middle Ages. Although the use of these plants as constituents of diet is not attested, we may suggest that they could be employed as medicinal plants.

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“…The latter hypothesis is supported by the fact that several moss and liverwort genera are included whose traditional uses are well documented. These include, for example, the 'top three genera' (Harris, 2008) that are the most commonly reported to have (Drobnik & Stebel, 2015). In particular, the peat mosses (Sphagnum) were used for a variety of purposes due to their absorbent and antimicrobial properties (Glime, 2007;Harris, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Polytrichum was already mentioned by Brunfels (1530) (cf. Drobnik & Stebel, 2015) and displayed in the 'Cruijdeboeck' and the 'New Kreüterbuch'. Examples of other mosses were Bryum or Funaria in the latter (cf.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bryophytes and lichens in 16th-century herbaria

Stech

Andel

Aptroot³

et al. 2018

Journal of Bryology

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The diversity of bryophyte and lichen collections in 9 of the oldest preserved herbaria (dating from ca 1542 to 1577) was compared, including the first reports of bryophytes and lichens from the 'En Tibi' herbarium (possibly 1542-1544) and the herbarium of Leonhard Rauwolf (1560-1563). Bryophytes and lichens formed only a minority in each herbarium compared to the numbers of vascular plant specimens; numbers ranged from representatives of 21 genera in the herbarium of Ulisse Aldrovandi to the single genus Conocephalum in the Rauwolf herbarium. The focus was on large, handsome species of bryophytes and macrolichens, apart from small amounts of additional species collected as 'by-catch' in mixed collections. All herbaria together included 34 genera of bryophytes (36 species and 10 specimens identified to genus level) and 13 genera of lichens (24 species and 4 specimens identified to genus level). The diversity of mosses was higher than that of liverworts, and pleurocarpous mosses were more diverse than acrocarpous mosses. The collectors probably aimed at selecting material that was either characteristic of the vegetation in the respective areas of collecting or used for certain purposes (or both). The former hypothesis is supported by the small overlap in taxonomic diversity between the herbaria, and the latter by the fact that several moss, liverwort, and lichen genera are included whose traditional uses are well documented.

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Central European medicinal bryophytes in the 16th-century work by Caspar Schwenckfeld, and their ethnopharmacological origin

Cited by 11 publications

References 11 publications

Brachythecium rutabulum, A Neglected Medicinal Moss

Brachythecium rutabulum, A Neglected Medicinal Moss

Ferns as healing plants in medieval Mallorca, Spain? Evidence from human dental calculus

Bryophytes and lichens in 16th-century herbaria

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