Cistus albidus is one of the approximately 20 species of the Cistus genus. The genus’ name is derived from the ancient Greek term kistos. It is supposed that the name alludes to the woody capsule fruits. Evergreen in its Mediterranean homeland and between 50 and 250 centimeters tall, this shrub is called albidus, not because of the colour of its flowers, but because its leaves are finely covered with white hair (trichomes).
No | Compound | Structure/Class | Presence in | Analytical Reference | Pharmacology |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | cis-α-Bergamotene | polycyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon | 🌱✿ | [30][31][35] | n/a |
2 | trans-α-Bergamotene | 🌱 | [29][30] | ||
3 | Borneol | polycyclic monoterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [34] | blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability improvement, intercellular tight junction (TJ) loosening [36] |
4 | Camphor | oxygenated polycyclic monoterpene | 🌱 | [32] | analgesic, antinociceptive [37]; antimicrobial, antiviral [38]; anticancer [39]; antitussive [40]; skin penetration enhancer [41]; |
5 | Carene | polycyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [34] | antiviral [42]; enhances bone mineralization [43]; anti-inflammatory [44]; |
6 | Carvacrol | monocyclic monoterpene alcohol | 🌱✿ | [31] | antibacterial (64); antifungal [45]; antioxidant [46]; anticancer [47]; anti-inflammatory, analgesic [48]; antiobesity [49]; hepatoprotective [50]; spasmolytic [51]; vasorelaxant [52]; |
7 | β-Cyclocitral | oxygenated monocyclic monoterpene | 🌱 | [35] | n/a |
8 | p-Cymene | monocyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [31][32] | anti-inflamatory, antinociceptive, antioxidant [53]; antidiabetic [54]; |
9 | p-Cymenene | monocyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [32] | n/a |
10 | Isobornyl formate | oxygenated polycyclic monoterpene | 🌱 | [32] | n/a |
11 | (D-)Limonene | monocyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon | 🌱✿ | [29][30][31][32] | anticancer, anticholesterol [55]; antidepressant [56]; |
12 | Linalool | acyclic monoterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [33][34] | antibacterial, antifungal [57]; anxiolytic [58]; anticancer, antioxidant [59]; analgesic [60]; anti-inflammatory [61]; |
13 | cis-linalool oxide | oxygenated heteromonocyclic monoterpene |
[33] | n/a | |
14 | Myrcene | acyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon | 🌱 | [31][33] | analgesic, antinociceptive [62]; |
15 | Neryl acetate | acyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon | 🌱✿ | [35] | n/a |
16 | (E)-Ocimene | acyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon | 🌱✿ | [31] | anticancer [63]; anticonvulsant [64]; |
17 | (Z)-β-Ocimene | [31] | anticancer [63]; antibacterial [65]; |
||
18 | α-Phellandrene | monocyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [31] | antifungal [66]; antidepressant [67]; anti-inflammatory, antihyperalgesic [67][68], analgesic, antinociceptive [68]; anticancer [69]; |
19 | β-Phellandrene | ✿ | [31] | n/a | |
20 | α-Pinene | polycyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [29][31][33] | antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant [70]; anticancer [71]; anti-Leishmania [72]; gastroprotective [73][74]; antibacterial [75]; antiviral [76]; neuroprotective [77]; |
21 | β-Pinene | 🌱✿ | [29] | anticancer [78]; antimicrobial [79]; gastroprotective [74]; neuroprotective [80]; |
|
22 | Piperitone | oxygenated monocyclic monoterpene | 𐩕 | [31] | n/a |
23 | Sabinene | polycyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon | 🌱 | [31] | n/a |
24 | cis-Sabinene hydrate | oxygenated polycyclic monoterpene | [31] | ||
25 | Safranal | oxygenated monocyclic monoterpene | 🌱 | [35] | antioxidant [81]; antimicrobial [82]; anticonvulsant [83]; antidepressant, anxiolytic [84]; gastroprotective [85]; |
26 | α-Terpinene | monocyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [31] | antioxidant [86]; antimicrobial [87]; |
27 | Δ-Terpinene | 🌱✿ | [34] | n/a | |
28 | γ-Terpinene | ✿ | [31] | antimicrobial [87]; | |
29 | α-Terpineol | monocyclic monoterpene alcohol |
✿𐩕 | [31][32][34][35][88] | antioxidant, anticancer, antinociceptive, anticonvulsant, sedative, antibronchitis, antihypertensive, vasorelaxant, cardioprotective [89]; |
30 | 4-Terpineol | 🌱 | [31][35] | antimicrobial [90]; gastroprotective [91]; |
|
31 | Thymol | monocyclic monoterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [31][32] | anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, immunostimulatory, anticancer [92]; cardioprotective [93]; antihypertensive [52]; antihyperglycemic [94]; antinociceptive [95]; gastroprotective [96]; anxiolytic [97]; |
32 | Abscisic acid | oxygenated monocyclic sesquiterpene |
🌱 | [98][99] | antidiabetic [100]; antinociceptive [101]; |
33 | α-Amorphene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [32][35] | n/a |
34 | Aromadendrene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [29][30][35] | antimicrobial [102]; |
35 | allo-Aromadendrene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [22][23][28][30][31][32][33][34][35] | |
36 | allo-Aromadendrene epoxide | oxygenated polycyclic sesquiterpene |
🌱 | [35] | |
37 | Bisabola-2,10-diene(1-9)oxide | oxygenated polycyclic sesquiterpene |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
38 | β-Bisabolene | monocyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
[30] | anticancer [103] | |
39 | epi-α-Bisabolol | monocyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [28][30][31][35] | anti-inflammatory [104]; antimicrobial [105]; anticancer [106]; |
40 | α-Bisabolol | 🌱 | [23][35] | n/a | |
41 | β-Bisabolol | 🌱✿ | [30] | n/a | |
42 | β-Bourbonene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [22][23][28][29][31][32][33][34][35] | n/a |
43 | 1,5-di-epi-Bourbonene (α or β) | 🌱 | [35] | ||
44 | Bulnesol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [31] | n/a |
45 | Cadalene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
46 | Cadina-1,4-diene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [30][35] | n/a |
47 | α-Cadinene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [32][35] | n/a |
48 | cis-γ-Cadinene | 🌱✿𐩕 | [31] | ||
49 | trans-γ-Cadinene | 🌱 | [28] | ||
50 | γ-Cadinene | 🌱 | [33][34][35] | ||
51 | δ-Cadinene | 🌱✿𐩕 | [23][28][30][31][32][34][35] | ||
52 | α-Cadinol | polycycylic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [23][30][31][35] | antifungal [107]; |
53 | T-Cadinol | [28][31][35][108] | anticancer [109] | ||
54 | α-Calacorene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [32][35] | n/a |
55 | β-Calacorene | [35] | |||
56 | Calamenene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [32][35] | anticancer [109]; |
57 | Caryophylladienol I | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
58 | Caryophylladienol II | [35] | |||
59 | β-Caryophyllene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿𐩕 | [22][23][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35] | antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor, anticancer [110]; anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective [111]; anxiolytic, antidepressant [112]; anticonvulsant [113]; analgesic [114]; |
60 | β-Caryophyllene epoxide |
oxygenated polycyclic sesquiterpene |
🌱 | [23][28][30][31][35] | anticancer, analgesic [114]; |
61 | Caryophyllenol II | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
62 | 8,14-Cedranoxide | oxygenated sesquiterpene |
🌱 | [28] | n/a |
63 | α-Cedrene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [29] | n/a |
64 | α-Copaene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [22][28][29][31][32][34][35] | antioxidant, anticancer [115]; neuroprotective [116]; |
65 | β-Copaene | 🌱✿𐩕 | [28][32][35] | ||
66 | α-Corocalene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
67 | α-Cubebene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [22][31][35] | antioxidant, neuroprotective [117]; antimicrobial [118]; anti-inflammatory [119]; |
68 | β-Cubebene | 🌱 | [22][28][31] | ||
69 | Cubebol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
70 | 4-epi-Cubebol | [35] | |||
71 | 1,10-di-epiCubenol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alchohol |
🌱✿ | [28][31][35] | n/a |
72 | Cubenol | 🌱 | [35] | ||
73 | 1-epi-Cubenol | 🌱✿ | [28][31][35] | ||
74 | ar-Curcumen-15-al | oxygenated monocyclic sesquiterpene | 🌱 | [28][35] | n/a |
75 | ar-Curcumene | monocyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [22][23][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][108] | n/a |
76 | β-Curcumene | ✿ | [30] | ||
77 | γ-Curcumene | 🌱✿ | [30][31] | ||
78 | Curcuphenol | monocyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [30][35] | anticancer [120]; |
79 | Cyclosativene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [31] | n/a |
80 | Dehydrosesquicineole | oxygenated polycyclic sesquiterpene |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
81 | Bicyclo-Elemene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [32] | n/a |
82 | β-Elemene | monocyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [30][35] | anticancer, anti-inflammatory [121]; |
83 | γ-Elemene | 🌱 | [30] | ||
84 | δ-Elemene | 🌱✿ | [30][31][32] | ||
85 | Elemol | monocyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [23][30][31] | n/a |
86 | β-Eudesma 4(15), 7 dien-1β-ol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
87 | α-Eudesmol | 🌱 | [28] | neuroprotective [122]; | |
88 | β-Eudesmol | 🌱✿ | [28][30] | anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory [123]; anticancer [124]; |
|
89 | γ-Eudesmol | 🌱✿ | [30][31] | n/a | |
90 | 10-epi-γ-Eudesmol | [30][31] | n/a | ||
91 | Kunseaol | monocyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
92 | Bicyclo-Germacrene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
93 | Germacrene B | monocyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [29][30] | |
94 | Germacrene D | 🌱✿𐩕 | [22][23][29][30][31][33][34][35] | anticancer [125]; anti-inflammatory, analgesic [126]; antioxidant [127]; |
|
95 | Iso-Germacrene D | 🌱 | [35] | ||
96 | β-Germacrenol | monocyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
97 | Globulol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [28][30] | n/a |
98 | α-Guaia-6,10(14)-diene-4β-ol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
99 | Guaiene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [28] | n/a |
100 | Guaiol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [30][31] | n/a |
101 | α-Gurjunene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [29][31][33][34] | n/a |
102 | β-Gurjunene | [31] | |||
103 | β-Himachalene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
✿𐩕 | [31] | n/a |
104 | α-Humulene | monocyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [22][23][28][29][30][31][33][34][35] | antitumor, anti- inflammatory, antimicrobial [128]; |
105 | Iso-Calamendiol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
106 | Iso-Italicene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [28] | n/a |
107 | Juniper camphor | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [31] | n/a |
108 | Ledol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35][88] | n/a |
109 | α-Longipinene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [28] | n/a |
110 | cis-Muurola-4(14),5-diene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [31][35] | n/a |
111 | α-Muurolene | [22][30][31][32][34] | |||
112 | γ-Muurolene | [28][31][35] | |||
113 | 14-hydroxi-α-Muurolene | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [28] | n/a |
114 | α-Muurolol | 🌱✿ | [31] | ||
115 | epi-α-Muurolol | [30] | |||
116 | T-Muurolol | [23][28][31][31][35] | |||
117 | E-Nerolidol | acyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [30] | antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-uterine fibroids [129]; anticancer [130]; |
118 | (E)-Nuciferol | moncyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
119 | β-Oplopenone | oxygenated polycyclic sesquiterpene |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
120 | Salvial-4(14)-en-1-one | oxygenated polycyclic sesquiterpene |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
121 | α-Santalene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [32] | n/a |
122 | cis-α-Santalol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [28] | antihyperglycemic, antioxidant [131]; |
123 | Selin-11-en-4-α-ol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [88] | anxiolytic, sedative [132]; |
124 | Selina-3,7(11)-diene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [32] | n/a |
125 | α-Selinene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [32] | n/a |
126 | β-Sesquiphellandrene | monocyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿ | [23][29][31][35] | anticancer [133]; antioxidant [134]; |
127 | trans-Sesquisabinene hydrate |
polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [30] | n/a |
128 | Shyobunone | oxygenated monocyclic sesquiterpene |
🌱 | [22][35] | neuroprotective, acetyl-cholinesterase inhibition [135]; |
129 | 6-epi-Shyobunone | [35] | |||
130 | iso-Shyobunone | [35] | |||
131 | Spathulenol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [28][30][31][35] | neuroprotective [136]; antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer [137]; |
132 | Spathulenol isomer | 🌱 | [30] | ||
133 | ar-Turmerol | monocyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [28][30] | n/a |
134 | Valerianol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [31] | n/a |
135 | Viridiflorol | polycyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱✿ | [30][35] | anti-arthritic, analgesic, antinociceptive [138]; anticancaer [139]; antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory [140]; |
136 | Xanthorrhizol | monocyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [28][35] | anticancer [141]; antimicrobial, antibacterial [142]; antihypolipidemic [143]; anti-inflammatory [144]; |
137 | α-Ylangene | polycyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [32] | n/a |
138 | β-Ylangene | 🌱 | [35] | ||
139 | α-Zingiberene | monocyclic sesquiterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱✿𐩕 | [22][23][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35] | analgesic, neuroprotective [145]; anticancer [146]; anti-inflammatory [147]; |
140 | Zingiberenol | monocyclic sesquiterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
141 | 15,16-Dinorlabd-8(20)-en-13-one | oxygenated diterpene |
🌱 | [88] | n/a |
142 | Geranyl-p-cymene | monocyclic diterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
143 | Geranyl α-terpinene | monocyclic diterpene hydrocarbon |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
144 | Geranyl linalool | acyclic diterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [35] | n/a |
145 | Gibberellin | oxygenated polycyclic diterpene |
🌱 | [4] | n/a |
146 | Manool | polycyclic diterpene alcohol |
🌱 | [88] | antioxidant, anti-inflammatory [148]; anticancer [149]; antihypertensive [150]; cardioprotective [151]; |
147 | Manoyl oxide | polycyclic oxygenated diterpene |
🌱 | [108] | anticancer [152]; |
148 | 13-epi-Manoyl oxide | [29][35][108] | |||
149 | Methyl Neoabietate | oxygenated polycyclic diterpene |
🌱 | [29] | n/a |
150 | lutein | oxygenated polycyclic tetraterpene |
🌱 | [4] | antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective [153]; anticancer [154]; hepatoprotective [155]; cardiopreotective [156]; |
151 | neoxanthin | oxygenated polycyclic tetraterpene |
🌱 | [4] | antihyperlipidemic [157]; |
152 | zeaxanthin | oxygenated polycyclic tetraterpene |
🌱 | [4] | n/a |
Studies of the pharmacological properties of traditional medicines based on C. albidus preparations are related to the presence of terpenoids and polyphenols. In order to understand the use that has been given to C. albidus traditionally, it is necessary to first review the preparation methods used in popular medicine of this plant due to their influence on the pharmacological effect. 6.1. Traditional Preparations For the different applications, traditionally, only the aerial parts of C. albidus were harvested, mainly the leaves, but also flowers, flower buds, and to a lesser extent stems. The traditional preparation of C. albidus varies from an infusion to a prolonged decoction, while the dose usually used is around 3 g per 100 mL of water, taking a cup (150 mL) two or three times a day [171][10]. Within traditional preparations, decoction is the most used technique. It consists of boiling the plant material for a certain period of time and letting it rest afterwards. This method is primarily suitable for thermostable and water-soluble phytochemicals. During decoction, several compounds undergo chemical modifications. For example, catechins undergo epimerization, which is a change in their configuration relative to one of their stereogenic centres. Epimers, specifically epicatechins and epigallocatechins, have been shown to have important health benefits. It has been found that this epimerization occurs more readily in water with alkaline pH values than in purified water [172][260]. In addition, it has been shown that at temperatures greater than 98ºC, epimerization occurs faster than its degradation [173][261], so it can be deduced that the traditional preparation of C. albidus is the most effective way to extract catechins and their epimers. However, for green tea, the levels of epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, and epigallocatechin gallate were reported to increase only during the first 3 to 5 min of preparation (infusion at 85ºC), and the proportion of these flavonoids decreased as time increased. In contrast, another study found that levels of catechin, gallocatechin, and gallocatechin gallate increased continuously with the length of preparation time [174][262]. Taking these results into account, the pharmacological activities referred to in traditional use could be optimized by limiting the decoction time. Nonetheless, thermolabile compounds are lost in the decoction process. As a result, monoterpenes should not be contained in the resulting extract. Sesquiterpenes, however, would not be affected by extracting temperatures around 100 degrees but by low solubility in water due to their lipophilic character. It can therefore be assumed that terpenes play a minor role in the traditional decoction of plant material. On the other side, probably in order to use the entire compound spectrum of the plant, based on both terpenes and polyphenols, the dried and crushed leaves sometimes were used directly (orally) [175][176][177][178][179][9,263–266]. This usage ensures that the resulting medicine is rich in polyphenols terpenes and other volatiles. However, a loss of several terpenes and oxidative reactions could be induced by the drying process, as reported for other species as Cannabis sativa [180][181][267,268].
Plant resources have always been an integral part of human society throughout history. Until the middle of the last century, traditional medicines provided an alternative and inexpensive source of primary health care for the rural population. However, with access to synthetic drugs, a large number of medicinal plants became obsolete, the memory of which in the population, after only two generations, is being lost. One of these medicinal plants is C. albidus, which has been used in traditional folk medicine for a variety of illnesses [171][182][183][184][10,286–288], especially for the treatment of fever, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal illnesses [185][8], skin diseases, rheumatism, and various inflammatory diseases [165][182]. For the sake of completeness, it is mentioned here that C. albidus has also been used as a tanning agent [164][181], as an insect repellent, and as a substitute for tobacco, highly appreciated, moreover, for its hypotensive effect [31][184][186][49,288,289]. The decoction of leaves was traditionally used in the Spanish Levant as a tranquilizer, in the Baixa Plana as a sedative [171][10], and as a remedy against Parkinson’s symptoms in Mallorca [187][188][290,291]. To relieve toothache, mouthwashes were made with a decoction of its leaves and flowers. A sip of the resulting liquid, once cold, was kept in the mouth for some time [179][189][190][191][266,292–294]. In addition, the decoction of the aerial parts was used as an external antiseptic, for wounds and skin infections [190][191][192][193][293–296]. In the Spanish Basque Country, several uses were reported. For example, decoction was applied for the treatment of ulcers and for the treatment of gangrene, and fresh leaves were used directly on the wound for disinfection [194][297]. In the Mediterranean region, the decoction of the aerial parts (leaves, stems, and flowers) has been used to regulate blood pressure [195][196][298,299]. It has also been a frequent remedy for hemorrhoids and to treat bruises and varicose veins [187][290]. The decoction of flowers and leaves has also been popularly used as an analgesic for oral infections [190][293] and for hepatoprotection in Granada and Mallorca [187][195][290,298]. The decoction of the fresh aerial parts, including the flowers, was used as a remedy against colds and flu infections, and against bronchitis [175][187][196][9,290,299] and whooping cough [171][10]. In the Spanish peninsula, C. albidus decoction has also been used as a remedy for osteoarthritis in the province of Jaen [179][266] and for rheumatism in the Valencian community and the Province of Jaen [189][197][292,300]. In addition, it was used as an external antiseptic for wound healing and skin infections in the provinces of Castellon, Mallorca, and Almería [171][187][190][10,290,293], and in Morocco [176][178][263,265]. In Sardinia (Italy), a traditional use is reported in poultices and ointments, which were applied directly to the wound [198][301]. In cases of gastrointestinal infections, in Almería (Spain), an infusion of dried leaves was prepared to reduce abdominal pain [190][195][293,298]. Against colic, in Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia (Spain) an infusion of young and tender shoots was administered, but it was also supplied by oral ingestion of the powder of dry leaves for treatment [175][9]. The dried leaf powder also served as an antidiarrheal in Jaen [179][266]. Infusions of fresh flowers and leaves have been used as an antiseptic for the urinary tract in Murcia [199][302] and also as an anti-inflammatory for orchitis in Valencia [200][303].