Scientific Evidence of Ethnobotanical and Mediterranean Knowledge of Food- and Well-Being Plants

The scientific evidence of ethnobotany related to health-food plants use, is an urgent request referring to the botanical-based food supplements. The necessity to verify its scientific validity springs from the fact that plants produce thousands of active metabolites, not always quantifiable one by one. From this complex picture, it is clear that we need to define some criteria to be used in the studies of biologically active plants. One criterion, valid and effective, implies the statistical elaboration of data obtained from an ethnobotany survey, derived from traditional use as a starting point in experiments for the proof of biological activity. About three-quarters of the biologically active compounds presently in use worldwide, have been discovered through follow-up research to verify the authenticity of the data based on folk and ethnobotanical use. Over hundreds of years, man acquired a great knowledge on the use of plants, knowledge which must be safeguarded and considered scientifically valid.