Wild about health
vegetables eaten in southern Europe might have health-promoting
properties, opening the way for a new breed of nutraceutical.
A Europe-wide project is underway to assess whether local wild vegetables eaten in southern Europe might have health-promoting properties, outlined scientists last week at the British Pharmaceutical conference.
Speaking in Harrogate the co-ordinator of the project Dr Andrea Pieroni from the School of Pharmacy in London told listeners that seven European research groups, funded by the European Commission, are currently looking at 'wild and weedy food plants that are traditionally consumed in isolated villages in southern Europe'.
The aim of the project is to gain further insight into the local uses of the plants and to search for new nutraceuticals that could be produced commercially.
Research will principally focus on plants traditionally eaten in rural communities of southern Italy, Greece and southern Spain.
Although the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet in terms of the high consumption of fruit and vegetables are well established, little is known about the properties of the local wild vegetables.
According to the scientists involved in the new project, to date over 100 species used as food have been identified in Gallicianò and Castelmezzano in southern Italy. Many of these plants are considered to be healthy by the local users, sometimes because of their bitterness, said Dr. Pieroni.
The research will combine ethnobotanical study with modern molecular biology and pharmacology and involves the identification of the food plants, documentation of the gathering and cooking processes, and then investigation of pharmacological activities.
"The results to date from our in vitro antioxidant tests are very encouraging. Our research partners are now starting in vivo studies with some of the plant extracts," commented Dr. Pieroni referring to a collection of plants already investigated by the scientists and that revealed 'significant activity in anti-oxidant assays'.
