Table A1.
List of different recipes and posology used by people of the Sete Cidades community in São Miguel island.
| Plant Name | Preparation Mode | Posology | Adverse Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allium cepa L. | For the infusion, fresh and dried peels can be used, and for the decoction, fresh peels. Inhale vapors of the infusion of the bulb peels mixed with A. sativum for 10 minutes. When infusing, don’t let it boil. To prepare the decoction, mix the bulb peels with leaves and bark of E. umbellata, R. ulmifolius, P. cattleianum, A. sativum and M. sylvestris, plenty of each ingredient to ¾ L of water. At the end, remove the M. sylvestris. Peels can be conserved dried. | Drink the infusion and inhale its vapors before going to bed and when waking up. Drink the decoction three times a day: in the morning, lunch time and night. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Allium sativum L. | For the infusion and the decoction fresh and dried peels can be used. Inhale vapors of the infusion of the bulb peels mixed with A. cepa for 10 minutes. When infusing, don’t let it boil. To prepare the decoction, mix the bulb peels with leaves and bark of E. umbellata, R. ulmifolius, P. cattleianum, A. cepa and M. sylvestris, plenty of each ingredient to ¾ L of water. At the end, remove the M. sylvestris. Peels can be conserved dried. | Drink the infusion and inhale its vapors before going to bed and when waking up. Drink the decoction three times a day: in the morning, lunch time and night. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Aloysia citriodora Palau | For the infusion, use fresh leaves, and for the decoction fresh and dried leaves can be used. To treat colds, infuse 15 leaves per liter of water. To prepare the infusion and the decoction for other medicinal uses, infuse 3 to 4 soup spoons of leaves per liter of water. Leaves can be conserved dried. | To treat colds, drink the infusion every day. Drink the other infusion or decoction for other medicinal uses throughout the day, without drinking it many days in a row. | Infusion made for colds should not be given to children younger than 5 years old |
| Chelidonium majus L. | Use fresh stem. Extract the juice or latex and apply in the wound until it gets dark. Stem is not conserved. | Apply only once directly in the wound until it gets dark. | No |
| Clinopodium menthifolium subsp. ascendens (Jord.) Govaerts | Use leaves or whole plant fresh or dried. To prepare the decoction: to use in colds and flu, gallbladder pain, mix dried or fresh leaves with 3 coffee spoons of ginger, 1 spoon of honey and 1 cinnamon stick; to use in urinary problems and bladder pain, decoct 3 to 4 leaves per liter of water, and mix with other plants if desired. To prepare the infusion or decoction to use in stomach pain or abdominal cramps, infuse or decoct 15 g/L of water. Use fresh leaves to prepare juice. Whole plant and leaves can be conserved dried and closed away from direct sun light to prepare a cigarette. | Decoction for colds and flu can be drinked as desired. Drink infusion or decoction for stomach pain and abdominal cramps only when in pain. Drink 1.5 L of decoction for urinary problems or bladder pain. | No |
| Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck | Use fresh peels. To prepare the infusion and the decoction use lemon peel according to taste. Juice can be diluted. They can be mixed with only M. x piperita or adding more 1 coffee spoon of ginger, 1 spoon of honey and 1 spoon of cinnamon. Peels can be conserved in the fridge or frozen. | The infusion, decoction and juice (diluted or not) should be drinked whenever feeling sick or before going to bed. | No |
| Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants | To prepare the infusion use fresh leaves and flowers according to taste. Leaves and flowers are not conserved. | As desired. | No |
| Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb. | Use fresh leaves. To prepare the decoction, mix the bulb peels with leaves and bark of M. sylvestris, R. ulmifolius, P. cattleianum, A. sativum and A. cepa, plenty of each ingredient to ¾ L of water. At the end, remove the malvas. The leaves are not conserved. | Drink the decoction three times a day: in the morning, lunch time and night. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Equisetum telmateia Ehrh. | Use fresh leaves and stem. Infuse 15 g/L of water. Leaves are not conserved. | Prepare and drink only when in pain or urinary problems. | No |
| Eucalyptus globulus Labill. | Leaves and flowers can be used fresh or dried. To prepare the infusion or decoction use 25 to 30 g/L of water. Leaves and flowers can be conserved dried. | Drink 2 to 3 teacups a day. | No |
| Foeniculum vulgare Mill. | Use fresh flowers and roots, and dried leaves. Seeds can be used dried and fresh. To prepare the infusion to gargle, use 1 teaspoon of seeds for one glass of water. To prepare decoction against menstrual pain, use 20 g of fresh seeds or 30 g of fresh roots per litre of water; for abdominal cramps, colds or stomach pain, use 20 g of dried seeds or 20 g of dried leaves per litre of water. Prepare a flower soup according to taste, to treat liver problems. The infusion, decoction or soup using fresh ingredients cannot be conserved. Leaves and seeds can be conserved dried in a dry place. | Gargle with infusion when in pain. Decoction used for menstrual pain should be ingested three days before menstruation. Flower soup should be consumed continuously. Decoction used in abdominal cramps, colds or stomach pain should be given to babies and alternated with breast milk. | No |
| Fragaria vesca L. | Use fresh leaves only. Infuse 15 g/L of water. Leaves are not conserved. | Prepare and drink only when in pain or urinary problems. | No |
| Hedera helix L. | Use fresh leaves only. Infuse 15 g/L of water. Leaves are not conserved. | Prepare and drink only when in pain or urinary problems. | No |
| Malva sylvestris L. | Use fresh leaves and whole plant. To prepare the poultice boil 30 to 40 leaves per litre of water. To prepare the infusion and maceration, use 20 leaves per litre of water. To gargle, use infusion. To prepare the decoction, mix the leaves with leaves and bark of E. umbellata, R. ulmifolius, P. cattleianum, A. sativum and A. cepa, plenty of each ingredient to ¾ L of water. The plant is not conserved. | Apply the poultice until the wound heals. Wash the face with the infusion every day, and gargle with it until fully recovered. Drink the decoction 3 times a day: in the morning, at lunch time and night. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Melissa officinalis L. | Prepare the decoction using fresh leaves to taste. Leaves are not conserved. | Use the decoction in the soaking bath before going to bed. Drink 1 to 2 times a day. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Mentha spicata L. | Use fresh leaves. To prepare the decoction, use 10 to 30 g/L of water. Leaves are not conserved | Drink at lunch and dinner. | No |
| Mentha × piperita L. | Use fresh leaves. To prepare the infusion or decoction to drink or gargle, use a couple of leaves for ½ L of water. Leaves are not conserved. The drink can be conserved in the fridge. | Drink the infusion or decoction, or gargle with it, during the day as desired, at room temperature. Inhale the vapors from the infusion for 10 minutes. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Morella faya (Aiton) Wilbur | Use dry seeds and fresh leaves. To prepare a poultice, burn the dried seeds, and mix them if desired with olive oil, to create a past to apply topically. Prepare the decoction using fresh leaves according to taste. Seeds are conserved dried. | Apply the poultice once a day in the wound until it closes. Rub the scalp during the bath with the decoction. Drink the decoction when having abdominal cramps or leg pain. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Origanum majorana L. | Prepare the decoction using fresh leaves according to taste. Leaves are not conserved. | As desired. | No |
| Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss | Use fresh leaves. To prepare decoction, use leaves of 1 to 2 twigs per coffee pot. Leaves are not conserved. | As desired. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Psidium cattleianum Afzel. ex Sabine | Use fresh or dried leaves. To prepare the decoction: to use in stomach pain, use 3 to 4 fresh or dried leaves per litre of water; to use in diarrhea, mix the fresh leaves with M. sylvestris, R. ulmifolius, E. umbellata, A. sativum and A. cepa, plenty of each ingredient. At the end, remove the malvas. Leaves are conserved dried. | Drink 1.5 L a day of decoction for stomach pain until feeling better. Drink the decoction for diarrhea 3 times a day: morning, lunch time and night. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Rosmarinus officinalis L. | Use fresh leaves and flowers. Prepare the maceration according to taste. To prepare the decoction use 20 to 30 g of fresh leaves and/or flowers per litre of water. Leaves and flowers can be conserved dried. | Use the maceration in the soaking bath but only in the morning and never at night-time as it disturbs the sleep. Drink the decoction when in pain. | No |
| Rubus ulmifolius Schott | Use fresh or dried shoots and buds. Infuse 30 g/L of water of fresh or dried shoots and buds. To prepare the decoction, use fresh shoots and buds mixed with M. sylvestris, E. umbellata, P. cattleianum, A. sativum and A. cepa, plenty of each ingredient to ¾ L of water. At the end remove the malvas. Shoots and buds are conserved dried. | Both the infusion and the decoction should be drunk 3 times a day: morning, at lunch time and night. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Ruta chalepensis L. | Use fresh leaves. Infuse up to a maximum of 20 g/L of water of fresh leaves. Leaves are not conserved. | Drink throughout the day. | Infusing more than 20g of leaves per liter gets toxic. Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Salvia officinalis L. | Use fresh or dried leaves and flowers. Decoct 30 g of fresh or dried leaves and flowers per litre of water. The infusion is prepared according to taste. Leaves are conserved dried. | As desired. | No |
| Sambucus nigra L. | Use fresh flowers. Decoct 10 to 15 flowers per litre of water. Flowers are not conserved. | Drink 3 cups a day. | Do not give to children younger than 5 years old |
| Taraxacum campylodes G.E.Haglund | Use fresh or dried leaves. The infusion is prepared according to taste. Use fresh leaves for salads in meals. Leaves are conserved dried. | Drink and consume continuously. | No |
| Thymus vulgaris L. | Use fresh leaves. Infuse. Leaves are not conserved. | As desired. | No |
| Tilia × europaea L. | Use fresh or dried leaves and flowers. Decoct 30 g/L of water of fresh or dried leaves and/or flowers. The infusion is prepared according to taste. Leaves and flowers are conserved dried. | As desired. | No |