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J. Tardo et al.
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Historical References This plant was well known and cultivated since antiquity,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).
372
J. Tardo et al.
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)
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