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370

J. Tardo et al.

13.3.20 Myrtus communis L. (Myrtaceae)


Common NamesMyrtle, murta (pt), mirto (pt, es, it), myrte (fr), mra (bs), myrssini, (el), mersin (tr), rayhan (ar).

Description Shrub, up to 5m, erect, much-branched, having glandular-hairy twigs


when young. The leaves are coriaceous with aromatic oil glands, ovate-lanceolate,
acute, and usually opposite. The scented white flowers are solitary in the leaf axils,
with 5 sepals and petals, and numerous stamens. The fruits are round berries, usually blue-black when ripe, in autumn.
Ecology and Distribution It grows in Mediterranean woodlands and shrublands,
in south of Europe, north of Africa, and west Asia, up to 1000m.
Food Uses This aromatic plant has been widely used in the Mediterranean, at least
in Portugal (Mendona de Carvalho 2006), Spain (Blanco and Cuadrado 2000;
Carri 2013; Cobo and Tijera 2011; Moll 2005; Pellicer 2001; Triano etal. 1998;
Velasco etal. 1998), France (Couplan 1989b), Italy (Guarrera 2006; Hadjichambis
etal. 2008; Lentini and Venza 2007), Bosnia-Herzegovina (Redi 2006), Greece
(Hadjichambis etal. 2008), Cyprus (Hadjichambis etal. 2008), Turkey (Dogan etal.
2004; Ertu 2014), Palestine (Ali-Shtayeh etal. 2008), and Morocco (Hadjichambis
etal. 2008; Nassif and Tanji 2013). Almost all the references mentioned the raw
consumption of the ripe fruits, being sometimes even sold in local markets (Ertu
2004). They are also used to prepare jam and marmalade (Hadjichambis etal. 2008;
Lentini and Venza 2007).
Myrtle has also been traditionally used for elaborating digestive wines or liqueurs (Carri 2013; Couplan 1989b; Font Quer 1962; Guarrera 2006; Hadjichambis etal. 2008; Mendona de Carvalho 2006). The liqueur is elaborated by macerating the berries (and sometimes also the leaves) in liquor or alcohol for 2 months and
adding a sugar solution (Carri 2013). It is very popular in the islands of Corsica
and Sardinia, where it is known as myrte or mirto (Barboni etal. 2010; Montoro
etal. 2006). Other non-alcoholic beverages, such as herbal teas, have also been
made with this plant (Ali-Shtayeh etal. 2008; Moll 2005; Nassif and Tanji 2013).

13 Ethnobotanical and Food Composition Monographs

371

The leaves (Ali-Shtayeh etal. 2008), the flowering buds (Redi 2006) and the
sweet flavoured flowers (Lentini and Venza 2007) are consumed raw in salads in
Palestine, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Sicily, respectively.
Different aromatic parts of the plant, especially the leaves and the fruits, are used
as highly valued condiments in the Mediterranean kitchen (e.g. Ali-Shtayeh etal.
2008; Hadjichambis etal. 2008; Nassif and Tanji 2013), to flavour grilled meats
(Guarrera 2006) or to season olives in brine (Cobo and Tijera 2011; Galn 1993;
Lentini and Venza 2007; Triano etal. 1998). In the latter case, some people mention its double role as condiment and preservative for avoiding the olives to soften
(Molina 2001).
Other Uses Different parts of the plant have been used as medicine, mainly to treat
digestive (Carri 2013; Guarrera 2006; Moll 2005) and respiratory diseases (Carri
2013; Guarrera 2006; Pellicer 2001; Redi 2006) or in external use as anti-inflammatory and to treat skin diseases (Carri 2013; Guarrera 2006; Pellicer 2001). The
raw consumption of the fruit is popularly considered good against diarrhoea and a
vitamin-rich tonic (Carri 2013; Guarrera 2006).
The essential oil from the leaves, flowers, and bark is used in the elaboration
of different cosmetics (Carri 2013; Guarrera 2006), such as the traditional aigua
de murta (myrtle water), made in the Balearic Islands and used as a perfume and a
rejuvenating tonic for the skin.
Among other uses, myrtle has been used as an ornamental plant, both in gardens
and in different ritual and religious ceremonies (Carri 2013; Galn 1993; Guarrera
2006).
Historical References This plant was well known and cultivated since antiquity,
occupying a prominent place in the writings of Greek, Roman, and Arabian writers
(Sumbul etal. 2011). Following these authors, its ceremonial use was mentioned in
the Bible (Nehemiah 8:15) and its medicinal properties cited by Hippocrates (both,
c. fifth centuryBC). Theophrastus mentioned it among the cultivated plants, giving
advices about its cultivation and describing its morphological characteristics, its
fragrance, and its use in the confection of garlands (Teofrasto 1988). Dioscorides
also mentioned a myriad of medicinal applications of myrtle (Osbaldeston 2000),
explaining, for example, how to prepare myrtle oil with the leaves for treating different skin diseases and how to elaborate myrtle wine with the fruits for digestive
problems. Interestingly many of these remedies have been registered in recent ethnobotanical surveys.
Alonso de Herrera (1513), a Spanish author of the sixteenth century, mentioned
the use of myrtle as a condiment, besides treating how to cultivate it and describing
some of the medicinal properties already mentioned by Dioscorides.
Food Composition Tables for raw fruits of Myrtus communis (Tables 13.64, 13.65
and 13.66).

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J. Tardo et al.

Table 13.64 Main constituents, per 100g of fresh fruits of M. communis


Units
Average
Range
References
Energy (calculated value)
kcal
89
80107

Moisture
g
70.3
61.775.7
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Available carbohydrates
g
7.88
7.508.26
3
Reducing sugars
g
7.56
6.698.64
1, 3
Dietary fibre
g
17.4

1
Proteins
g
2.55
1.664.17
1, 5
Lipids
g
1.31
0.872.37
1, 2, 4, 5
Ash
g
0.68
0.600.73
1, 5
K
mg
514
478549.9
5
Na
mg
79.3
77.781.0
5
Ca
mg
142
122163.2
5
Mg
mg
44.4
36.852.1
5
Fe
mg
2.08
1.602.56
5
Cu
g
279
248310
5
Mn
g
872
7231021
5
Zn
g
1008
9621053
5
1 Aydn and Ozcan (2007) Turkey, 2 Wannes etal. (2009) Tunisia, 3 Fadda and Mulas (2010) Italy
(20 samples), 4 Wannes etal. (2010) Tunisia, 5 Hacseferoullar etal. (2012) Turkey (2 samples)

Table 13.65 Other constituents, per 100g of fresh fruits of M. communis


Units
Average
Range
References
Organic acids
Malic acid
mg
60
4070
1
Citric acid
mg
229
191268
1
Tartaric acid
mg
0.07
0.070.08
1
Total phenolics
mg
1201a
5312411
2, 3
Phenolic acids
mg
29.1a
14.460.1
2
Flavonols
mg
298a
114577
2
Flavanols
mg
251a
115548
2
1 Hacseferoullar etal. (2012) Turkey (2 samples), 2 Barboni etal. (2010) France (10 samples),
3 Serio etal. (2014) Italy
a
Expressed as sum of individual compounds (myricetin derivatives as major components)

13 Ethnobotanical and Food Composition Monographs

373

Table 13.66 Fatty acids profile (% of total fatty acids) of fresh fruits of M. communis
Individual compounds
Average
Range
References
12:0
1.46
0.364.30
1, 2, 3
14:0
1.08
0.353.00
1, 2, 3
16:0
13.4
10.215.7
1, 2, 3, 4
16:1
0.36
0.300.53
1, 2, 3
18:0
4.12
2.208.19
1, 2, 3, 4
32.0
6.4972.1
1, 2, 3, 4
18:1n9
43.3
1.7071.3
1, 2, 3, 4
18:2n6
3.75
3.254.70
2, 3
18:3n3
20:0
0.64
0.41.04
2, 3, 4
0.45
0.20.93
2, 3, 4
20:1n9
20:2
0.01

4
22:0
0.31

4
24:0
0.01

4
Categories (calculated values)
SFA
21.0
17.953.6

MUFA
32.5
27.140.4

PUFA
46.2
19.247.1

4.7
3.712.6

n3
41.4
6.643.3

n6
32.2
26.040.1

n9
1 Cakir (2004) Turkey, 2 Wannes etal. (2009), Tunisia, 3 Wannes etal. (2010), Tunisia, 4 Serce
etal. (2010) Turkey (8 samples)
SFA saturated fatty acids, MUFA monounsaturated fatty acids, PUFA polyunsaturated fatty acids

Remarks (fruits of M. communis)

High in dietary fibre (>6g/100g).


High MUFA proportion (oleic acid).
Low Na content (<120mg/100g). It can be considered as a source of K,
Ca, Cu, and Mn; sometimes also a source of Fe.

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