Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Biological, and Nutritional Properties of Genus <i>Crepis</i>—A Review
The genus <i>Crepis</i> L., included within the Asteraceae family, has a very wide distribution, expanding throughout the northern hemisphere, including Europe, northern Africa, and temperate Asia. This genus has a fundamental value from biodynamic and ecological perspectives, with the d...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/4/519 |
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| author | Natale Badalamenti Francesco Sottile Maurizio Bruno |
| author_facet | Natale Badalamenti Francesco Sottile Maurizio Bruno |
| author_sort | Natale Badalamenti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The genus <i>Crepis</i> L., included within the Asteraceae family, has a very wide distribution, expanding throughout the northern hemisphere, including Europe, northern Africa, and temperate Asia. This genus has a fundamental value from biodynamic and ecological perspectives, with the different species often being chosen for soil conservation, for environmental sustainability, and for their attraction towards pollinating species. Furthermore, various species of <i>Crepis</i> have been used in the popular medicine of several countries as medicinal herbs and food since ancient times. In most cases, the species is consumed either in the form of a decoction, or as a salad, and is used for its cardiovascular properties, as a digestive, for problems related to sight, for the treatment of diabetes, and for joint diseases. This literature review, the first one of the <i>Crepis</i> genus, includes publications with the word ‘<i>Crepis</i>’, and considers the single metabolites identified, characterised, and tested to evaluate their biological potential. The various isolated compounds, including in most cases sesquiterpenes and flavonoids, were obtained by extracting the roots and aerial parts of the different species. The secondary metabolites, extracted using traditional (solvent extraction, column chromatography, preparative thin layer chromatography, preparative HPLC, vacuum liquid chromatography), and modern systems such as ultrasounds, microwaves, etc., and characterised by mono- and bi- dimensional NMR experiments and by HPLC-MS, have a varied application spectrum at a biological level, with antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, antiviral, antiulcer, phytotoxic, and nutritional properties having been reported. Unfortunately, in vitro tests have not always been accompanied by in vivo tests, and this is the major critical aspect that emerges from the study of the scientific aspects related to this genus. Therefore, extensive investigations are necessary to evaluate the real capacity of the different species used in food, and above all to discover what the different plants that have never been analysed could offer at a scientific level. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:12:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-55981e2d405940519c1578ff3f0c9545 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:12:56Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-55981e2d405940519c1578ff3f0c95452023-11-23T21:42:43ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-02-0111451910.3390/plants11040519Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Biological, and Nutritional Properties of Genus <i>Crepis</i>—A ReviewNatale Badalamenti0Francesco Sottile1Maurizio Bruno2Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 17, I-90128 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Architecture, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Parco d’Orleans II, I-90128 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 17, I-90128 Palermo, ItalyThe genus <i>Crepis</i> L., included within the Asteraceae family, has a very wide distribution, expanding throughout the northern hemisphere, including Europe, northern Africa, and temperate Asia. This genus has a fundamental value from biodynamic and ecological perspectives, with the different species often being chosen for soil conservation, for environmental sustainability, and for their attraction towards pollinating species. Furthermore, various species of <i>Crepis</i> have been used in the popular medicine of several countries as medicinal herbs and food since ancient times. In most cases, the species is consumed either in the form of a decoction, or as a salad, and is used for its cardiovascular properties, as a digestive, for problems related to sight, for the treatment of diabetes, and for joint diseases. This literature review, the first one of the <i>Crepis</i> genus, includes publications with the word ‘<i>Crepis</i>’, and considers the single metabolites identified, characterised, and tested to evaluate their biological potential. The various isolated compounds, including in most cases sesquiterpenes and flavonoids, were obtained by extracting the roots and aerial parts of the different species. The secondary metabolites, extracted using traditional (solvent extraction, column chromatography, preparative thin layer chromatography, preparative HPLC, vacuum liquid chromatography), and modern systems such as ultrasounds, microwaves, etc., and characterised by mono- and bi- dimensional NMR experiments and by HPLC-MS, have a varied application spectrum at a biological level, with antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, antiviral, antiulcer, phytotoxic, and nutritional properties having been reported. Unfortunately, in vitro tests have not always been accompanied by in vivo tests, and this is the major critical aspect that emerges from the study of the scientific aspects related to this genus. Therefore, extensive investigations are necessary to evaluate the real capacity of the different species used in food, and above all to discover what the different plants that have never been analysed could offer at a scientific level.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/4/519<i>Crepis</i> ssp.Asteraceaesecondary metabolitessesquiterpenesGuiaianesethnopharmacology |
| spellingShingle | Natale Badalamenti Francesco Sottile Maurizio Bruno Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Biological, and Nutritional Properties of Genus <i>Crepis</i>—A Review Plants <i>Crepis</i> ssp. Asteraceae secondary metabolites sesquiterpenes Guiaianes ethnopharmacology |
| title | Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Biological, and Nutritional Properties of Genus <i>Crepis</i>—A Review |
| title_full | Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Biological, and Nutritional Properties of Genus <i>Crepis</i>—A Review |
| title_fullStr | Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Biological, and Nutritional Properties of Genus <i>Crepis</i>—A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Biological, and Nutritional Properties of Genus <i>Crepis</i>—A Review |
| title_short | Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Biological, and Nutritional Properties of Genus <i>Crepis</i>—A Review |
| title_sort | ethnobotany phytochemistry biological and nutritional properties of genus i crepis i a review |
| topic | <i>Crepis</i> ssp. Asteraceae secondary metabolites sesquiterpenes Guiaianes ethnopharmacology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/4/519 |
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