Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa) and Acne: evidence and sources

From the beginning of recorded history through the present day, dermatologic disorders have been treated with ethnomedicine remedies. We present the ethnodermatologic practices in Transylvania, Romania. We conducted ethnomedicine surveys in 35 villages in Transylvania (2007-2019). The 650 people interviewed were questioned about the treatment of dermatologic disorders by drugs derived from plant, animal, human, or other origins. Collected data were compared to earlier records of the regions and other European countries, completed with relevant pharmacologic studies of some plants. A total of 180 drugs were documented for 45 skin problems, including 112 plants, 1 fungus, 19 animals, 5 humans, and 43 other materials used in 11 preparation forms. Among these, 144 drugs were mentioned in humans, 10 in veterinary medicines, and 26 included in both therapies with overlapping human/animal (eg, Petroselinum crispum) and specific uses (eg, Daphne mezereum, Scrophularia nodosa). Compared to data from other countries, the local use of 32 plants and various animals and minerals was described only in the study area. The present study demonstrates that ethnomedicine practices are a valuable source of knowledge for skin diseases and highlight the relevance of fieldwork in the selected regions of Transylvania.

Background An ethnobotanical and medical study was carried out in the Navarre Pyrenees, an area known both for its high biological diversity and its cultural significance. As well as the compilation of an ethnopharmacological catalogue, a quantitative ethnobotanical comparison has been carried out in relation to the outcomes from other studies about the Pyrenees. A review of all drugs used in the area has also been carried out, through a study of the monographs published by the institutions and organizations responsible for the safety and efficacy of medicinal plants (WHO, ESCOP, and the E Commission of the German Department of Health) in order to ascertain the extent to which the Navarre Pyrenees ethnopharmacology has been officially evaluated. Methods Fieldwork was carried out over two years, from November 2004 to December 2006. During that time we interviewed 88 local people in 40 villages. Information was collected using semi-structured ethnobotanical interviews and the data was analyzed using quantitative indexes: Ethnobotonicity Index, Shannon-Wiener's Diversity, Equitability and The Informant Consensus Factor. The official review has been performed using the official monographs published by the WHO, ESCOP and the E Commission of the German Department of Health. Results The ethnobotanical and medical catalogue of the Navarre Pyrenees Area comprises 92 species, of which 39 have been mentioned by at least three interviewees. The quantitative ethnobotany results show lower values than those found in other studies about the Pyrenees; and 57.6% of the Pyrenees medical ethnobotany described does not figure in documents published by the above mentioned institutions. Conclusion The results show a reduction in the ethnobotanical and medical knowledge in the area of study, when compared to other studies carried out in the Pyrenees. Nevertheless, the use of several species that may be regarded as possible sources for pharmacological studies is reported here such as the bark of Sambucus nigra, the roots of Fragaria vesca, or the leaves of Scrophularia nodosa. These species are not currently approved by the WHO, ESCOP and the E Commission of the German Department of Health, institutions that, apart from encouraging the greater use of plants for medicinal purposes, may help in the design of development plans for these rural areas by validating their traditional medicine.