Botanic Garden as a Factory of Molecules: Myrtus communis L. subsp. communis as a Case Study
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2022
Citazione:
Botanic Garden as a Factory of Molecules: Myrtus communis L. subsp. communis as a Case Study / C. Giuliani, M. Bottoni, F. Milani, S. Todero, P. Berera, F. Maggi, L. Santagostini, G. Fico. - In: PLANTS. - ISSN 2223-7747. - 11:6(2022 Mar 11), pp. 754.1-754.22. [10.3390/plants11060754]
Abstract:
A novel perception of botanic gardens as complex “factories of molecules” (Lombardy Region Project–Lr. 25/2016, year 2021), that mediate plant–environment interactions, and are the basis of their utility for humans, is presented. The core-topic is the medicinal plant heritage of the Ghirardi Botanic Garden (Toscolano Maderno, Brescia, Italy) of the University of Milan. In this work, we studied Myrtus communis L. subsp. communis (Myrtaceae) at multiple scale levels: macro-and micromorphological, with special emphasis on the secretory structures responsible for the production of secondary metabolites; phytochemical, with the analysis of the essential oil (EO) composition from leaves (fresh, dried, stored at −20◦C and at −80◦C) and fruits over two consecutive years (2018 and 2019); bio-ecological, with a focus, based on literature data, on the ecology and biological activity of the main EO components. The occurrence of secretory cavities producing terpenes, along with flavonoids, was proven. A high level of chemical variability across the obtained EO profiles emerged, especially that concerning quantitative data. However, regardless of the different conservation procedures, the examined plant part, or the phenological stage, we detected the presence of three ubiquitous compounds: α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, and linalool. The overall results will serve to enrich the Ghirardi Botanic Garden with novel labeling showing accurate and updated scientific information in an Open science perspective.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
1,8-cineole and linalool chemotype; Botanic gardens; Essential oils; GC-MS; Light microscopy; Myrtle; Open science; Secretory cavities; α-pinene
Elenco autori:
C. Giuliani, M. Bottoni, F. Milani, S. Todero, P. Berera, F. Maggi, L. Santagostini, G. Fico
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