Medicinal-Cosmetic Potential of the Local Endemic Plants of Crete (Greece), Northern Morocco and Tunisia: Priorities for Conservation and Sustainable Exploitation of Neglected and Underutilized Phytogenetic Resources

Abstract

Medicinal-aromatic plants (MAPs) are important sources for the development of new valuable products of interest to human and animal health, and are also used as ornamentals for the horticulture industry. However, the increased global demand and the uncontrolled exploitation of these plants constitute a threat to their sustainability. To date, few scientific investigations have focused on MAPs valorization and their domestication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate for the first time the medicinal-cosmetic potential of 399 local endemic Mediterranean plants confined to Crete (223 taxa), the Mediterranean coast-Rif of Morocco (94), and Tunisia (82). The new methodological scheme was developed by experts through three multidisciplinary co-creative workshops and was adjusted by end-users to point-scoring of nine attributes evaluating the potential of the targeted neglected and underutilized plants (NUPs) in the medicinal-cosmetic sector. The results were demonstrated as percentage of the maximum possible score. These assessments were further linked and discussed with respect to feasibility and readiness timescale evaluations for sustainable exploitation of the focal NUPs. A great diversity of local endemic NUPs (30 taxa, 11 families) were associated with interesting medicinal-cosmetic properties (>35% up to 94.44%). Among them, 8 taxa showed the highest medicinal-cosmetic potential (>55% of maximum possible score), half of which are threatened with extinction. Although ex-situ conservation efforts and applied research work are needed to safeguard and unlock the full potential of the local endemic NUPs evaluated herein, the proposed multifaceted evaluation scheme revealed that some local endemic NUPs of the studied regions can be sustainably exploited in short- or medium-term, following successful examples of Cretan NUPs e.g., Origanum dictramnus. The sustainable exploitation of high scored taxa of the studied regions can be fastened through targeted species-specific research bridging extant research gaps and facilitating conservation and stakeholder attraction.

Pilot Cultivation of the Vulnerable Cretan Endemic Verbascum arcturus L. (Scrophulariaceae): Effect of Fertilization on Growth and Quality Features

“…From a commercial point of view, V. arcturus is assessed as a potential medicinal plant [47] due to the fact that members of the genus Verbascum, such as V. thapsus L., V. densiflorum Bertol., and V. phlomoides L. have long been used for tea preparations and syrups made with the inflorescences (and/or sometimes leaves), and are currently considered as traditional herbal medicinal products with approved use by the European Medicines Agency; they are considered able to relieve the symptoms of a sore throat associated with a dry cough and cold [48]. However, it is not known whether the inflorescences of V. arcturus are locally collected in Crete for medicinal purposes.…”

Pilot Cultivation of the Local Endemic Cretan Marjoram Origanum microphyllum (Benth.) Vogel (Lamiaceae): Effect of Fertilizers on Growth and Herbal Quality Features

“…In this direction, the possibility of using organic fertilizer in place of conventional ones was pursued owing to both the lower environmental impact, and the possibility of future certification as 'organic' or 'environmentally friendly' product, either of which is valuable and well-appreciated in the value chains of herbal material markets [49][50][51]. Cretan marjoram is currently valued locally by people in western Crete for its strong sweet scent, calming and anti-spasmodic properties and therefore it is occasionally traded at local markets in dried form derived from wild-harvested mountainous populations [12]. O. microphyllum has a strong potential in the medicinal-cosmetic sector due to the fact that relevant phytochemical studies showed that its essential oil contains high levels of bioactive molecules such as terpinen-4-ol, sabinene, and linalool, exhibiting antioxidant and antiproliferative activities against human cancer cell lines [52].…”

“…Apart from developing new varieties of existing crops with superior characteristics in the face of climate change impacts, there is also a modern tendency in developing new crops to support livelihoods with a clear focus on the sustainable exploitation of neglected and underutilized species [8][9][10][11][12]. In agricultural crops, the nutrient requirements are conventionally satisfied by applying inorganic fertilizers.…”

“…Vogel (Lamiaceae), aiming to optimize both yield and key herbal quality traits (color, antioxidant compound content). O. microphyllum is a local endemic plant of western and eastern Crete (Greece) [26]; this Cretan marjoram is well appreciated by local people, especially in the western part of the island where it is often directly harvested from the wild and traded at local markets in dried form particularly for its calming and anti-spasmodic properties and pleasant spicy scent [12]. Our study herein represents the first attempt to cultivate this Critically Endangered Cretan endemic plant [27] in its original native range (Crete), serving both conservation purposes and sustainable exploitation of this neglected and underutilized species.…”

“…Our study herein represents the first attempt to cultivate this Critically Endangered Cretan endemic plant [27] in its original native range (Crete), serving both conservation purposes and sustainable exploitation of this neglected and underutilized species. The latter is envisaged due to the multiple interest of the Cretan marjoram in three economic sectors, i.e., the ornamental [10], the agro-alimentary [11], and the medicinal-cosmetic sector [12].…”