Medicinal plant diversity and uses in the region of Tamalous (Northeast of Algeria)

Agrarian Academic Journal

agrariacad.com

doi: 10.32406/v8n3/2025/78-92/agrariacad

 

Medicinal plant diversity and uses in the region of Tamalous (Northeast of Algeria). Diversidade e usos de plantas medicinais na região de Tamalous (Nordeste da Argélia).

 

Abdelouahab Belaidi^1*, Francisco Maria Vázquez Pardo², Francisco Márquez-García³

 

^1*- Department of Agronomic Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Skikda, Skikda, Algeria. E-mail: a.belaidi@univ-skikda.dz

^2- Agrarian Plant Biodiversity Area, Institute of Agricultural Research Finca La Orden-Valdesequera (CICYTEX), Ctra. A-5, Km 372, 06187 Guadajira, Badajoz, Spain. E-mail: frvazquez50@hotmail.com

^3- HSS Herbarium, Department of Forest Production and Biodiversity, Institute of Agricultural Research Finca La Orden-Valdesequera (CICYTEX), Ctra. A-5, Km 372, 06187 Guadajira, Badajoz, Spain. E-mail: fmarquez@agriculturadeconservacion.org

 

Abstract

 

In order to inventory the medicinal flora and preserve the phytotherapeutic knowledge of the region of Tamalous, this study was undertaken on the basis of a sample made up of 300 users of medicinal plants where the majority of them are women, aged between 40 and 60 years old, married, illiterate and unemployed. The analysis of the questionnaires allowed the census of 101 species divided into 46 families and the most cited plants are: Myrtus communis L., Pistacia lentiscus L., Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter, Angelica officinalis L., Lavandula stoechas L., Thymus vulgaris L. and Carlina gummifera (L.) Less. The results obtained have shown that the most used part of the plant is the leaf (43%). In addition, the decoction is the most used preparation method (46%), gastrointestinal disorders represent the most treated diseases by listed plants (28%). Finally, the calculation of some ethnobotanical parameters allowed us to observe the wide use of Angelica officinalis L. (UV = 1.02) to treat different diseases, the specificity of Carlina gummifera (L.) Less. Against dermatological disorders (FL = 100%), and thus the consensus of users with respect to the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases (ICF = 0.98).

Keywords: Biodiversity. Medicinal flora. Ethnobotany. Phytotherapy. Traditional knowledge.

 

 

Resumo

 

Com o objetivo de inventariar a flora medicinal e preservar o conhecimento fitoterápico da região de Tamalous, este estudo foi realizado com base em uma amostra composta por 300 usuários de plantas medicinais, sendo a maioria mulheres, com idade entre 40 e 60 anos, casadas, analfabetas e desempregadas. A análise dos questionários permitiu o censo de 101 espécies, divididas em 46 famílias, e as plantas mais citadas são: Myrtus communis L., Pistacia lentiscus L., Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter, Angelica officinalis L., Lavandula stoechas L., Thymus vulgaris L. e Carlina gummifera (L.) Less. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a parte mais utilizada da planta é a folha (43%). Além disso, a decocção é o método de preparo mais utilizado (46%), e os distúrbios gastrointestinais representam as doenças mais tratadas pelas plantas listadas (28%). Por fim, o cálculo de alguns parâmetros etnobotânicos permitiu observar a ampla utilização de Angelica officinalis L. (UV = 1,02) para o tratamento de diferentes doenças, a especificidade de Carlina gummifera (L.) Less. contra distúrbios dermatológicos (FL = 100%) e, portanto, o consenso dos usuários quanto ao tratamento de doenças gastrointestinais (ICF = 0,98).

Palavras-chave: Biodiversidade. Flora medicinal. Etnobotânica. Fitoterapia. Conhecimento tradicional.

 

 

Introduction

 

The Mediterranean region is renowned for its exceptional biological diversity, with an estimated 25,000 species of vascular plants, which account for 9.2% of the world’s flora, despite covering only 1.5% of the Earth’s surface (MÉDAIL; QUÉZEL, 1997; MÉDAIL, 2008). It ranks as the third most biodiverse hotspot globally in terms of plant species (MITTERMEIER et al., 2005).

Algeria, home to more than 3,139 plant species (QUÉZEL; SANTA, 1962-1963), boasts one of the richest floras in North Africa (MIARA et al., 2018). Among this diverse flora, a significant number of species are used for medicinal purposes.

In Algeria, the use of medicinal plants is deeply rooted in popular culture, and continues to play a key role in community health (BOUDJELAL et al., 2013; MIARA et al., 2019), as evidenced by various studies recently published in the country (HAMMICHE; MAIZA, 2015; OUELBANI et al., 2016; BOUREDJA et al., 2017; BENDIF et al., 2018; SOUILAH et al., 2018; MIARA et al., 2019; BELAIDI et al., 2021).

However, they remain rare in certain areas, such as the Tamalous region (wilaya of Skikda), a rural and agricultural area, located in the northeast of the country and characterized by a warm and rainy Mediterranean climate that allows for the appearance of abundant and diverse flora.

Despite this rich floristics, this study represents the first ethnobotanical study initiative carried out in the region, which aims to identify medicinal plants used in traditional medicine by the local population and to gather information relating to traditional herbal medicine in the region.

 

Materials and methods

 

Study area

 

The Tamalous region is located in eastern Algeria (Table 1, Figure 1), 50 km from the capital of Skikda (36° 50′ 10″ N, 6° 38′ 30″ E), it extends over an area of ​​368.09 km² and has 80,936 habitants. It is a region with a rural character and an agricultural vocation.

 

Table 1 – Distribution of surveys by locality.

Localities	Geographic coordinates	Bioclimatic stage	Number of investigation
Ain Cheraia	36° 85′ 46″ N, 6° 72′ 35″ E	Mild sub-humid	60
Ahmed Salem	36° 87′ 54″ N, 6° 61′ 09″ E	Mild sub-humid	60
Ain Tabia	36° 80′ 21″ N, 6° 61′ 81″ E	Mild sub-humid	60
Bin Elouiden	36° 80′ 97″ N, 6° 56′ 33″ E	Mild sub-humid	60
Bouyaghil	36° 84′ 86″ N, 6° 58′ 10″ E	Mild sub-humid	60
Total			300

 

Figure 1 – Location of the region of Tamalous and sites studied.

 

Measured parameters

 

Use Value (UV): The relative importance of each plant species known locally for use as an herbal remedy is called as UV. It was calculated according to the following formula (BARNERT; MESSMANN, 2008):

UV = ƩU / n

Where:

U: number of use-reports cited by each informant for a given plant species.

n: total number of informants interviewed for a given plant.

 

Fidelity Level (FL): it is used to determine the most frequent plant species used to treat a particular disease category by informants in the study area. The FL is calculated according to the following formula (MARTIN, 1995):

FL= (Np/N) X 100

Where:

Np: number of use-reports cited for a given species for a category of diseases.

N: total number of use-reports cited for a given species.

 

Informant Consensus Factor (ICF): is used to see if there is agreement on the use plant in disease categories among plant users in the study area. The ICF was calculated according to the following formula (BAĞCI, 2000; CAUNCA; BALINADO, 2021):

ICF = (Nur-Nt) / (Nur -1)

Where:

Nur: refers to the number of use-reports for a particular disease category.

Nt: refers to the number of taxa for a particular disease category by all informants.

 

Results and discussions

 

Census of medicinal plants used the local population of Tamalous

 

The surveys conducted with these users led to the identification of 101 species of medicinal plants used as traditional remedies by the local population (Table 2, Figure 2). This number is particularly noteworthy when compared to the findings of studies from various regions in northeast of Algeria, such as: M’sila (58 species) (BOUDJELAL et al., 2013); Bourdj Bou Arreridj (83 species) (BENDIF et al., 2018); Sétif (93 species) (CHERMAT; GHARZOULI, 2015); Kabylia (98 species) (MEDDOUR; MEDDOUR-SAHAR, 2015; SILVA; SOARES, 2020). Additionally, some studies have reported even higher numbers, such as: Guerbes-Sanhadja Wetlands Complex (102 species) (BELAIDI et al., 2021) and Mascara region (141species) (BENARBA et al., 2015).

 

Table 2 – list of medicinal plants used by the local population of Tamalous.

N°	Scientific name	Familly	Common name
01	Acanthus mollis L.	Acanthaceae	Bear’s breeches
02	Ajuga iva (L.) Schreb.	Lamiaceae	Ivette musky
03	Allium cepa L.	Amaryllidaceae	Onion
04	Allium sativum L.	Amaryllidaceae	Garlic
05	Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f.	Asphodelaceae	Barbados aloe
06	Apium graveolens L.	Apiaceae	Common celery
07	Arbutus unedo L.	Ericaceae	Strawberry tree
08	Artemisia absinthium L.	Asteraceae	Wormwood
09	Arum italicum Mill.	Araceae	Italian arum
10	Asphodelus microcarpus L.	Xanthorrhoeaceae	Asphodel
11	Ampelodesmos mauritanicus (Poir.) T. Durand & Schinz	Poaceae	Diss
12	Atriplex hortensis L.	Amaranthaceae	Mountain spinach
13	Arunde donax L.	Poaceae	Giant reed
14	Allium triquetrum L.	Liliaceae	Three-cornered leek
15	Artemisia herba-alba Asso.	Asteraceae	Wormwood
16	Artemisia abrotanum L.	Fabaceae	Southern wormwood
17	Borago officinalis L.	Boraginaceae	Borage
18	Bunium mauritanicum (Boiss. & Reut.) Batt.	Apiaceae	Talrouda
19	Carlina gummifera L. Less.	Asteraceae	The distaff thistle
20	Ceratonia siliqua L.	Fabaceae	The carob
21	Cinnamomum verum J. Presl	Lauraceae	Cinnamon
22	Cistus monspeliensis L.	Cistaceae	Montpellier cistus
23	Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl.	Lauraceae	Camphor
24	Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All.	Asteraceae	Roman chamomile
25	Coriandrun sativum L.	Apiaceae	Coriander
26	Convolvulus tricolor L.	Convolvulaceae	Dwarf morning-glory
27	Crocus sativus L.	Iridaceae	Saffron crocus
28	Cynodon dactylon (L.) pers.	Poaceae	Bermuda grass
29	Cupressus sempervirens L.	Cupressaceae	Cypress
30	Cuminum cyminum L.	Apiaceae	Cumin
31	Cytisus triflorus Lam.	Fabaceae	Elongated laburnum
32	Cynara scolymus L.	Asteraceae	Artichoke
33	Daphne gnidium L.	Thymelaceae	Daphne were
34	Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott	Dryopteridaceae	The male fern
35	Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter	Asteraceae	Viscous inule
36	Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton	Zingiberaceae	Cardamom
37	Erica carnea L.	Ericaceae	The winter heath
38	Eruca sativa Mill.	Brassicaceae	Rocket
39	Echium vulgare L.	Boraginaceae	Viper’s bugloss
40	Eucalyptus globulus Labill.	Myrtaceae	Australian fever
41	Euphorbia helioscopia L.	Euphorbiacaea	Sun spurge
42	Ficus carica L.	Moraceae	Fig
43	Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl	Oleaceae	Narrow-leafed ash
44	Foeniculum vulgare Mill.	Apiaceae	Sweet fennel
45	Hordeum vulgare L.	Poaceae	Barley
46	Heliotropium bacciferum forssk.	Boraginaceae	Rough heliotrope
47	Hyoscyamus albus L.	Solanaceae	White henbane
48	Glycyrrhiza glabra L.	Fabaceae	Licorice
49	Juglans regia L.	Juglandaceae	The common walnut
50	Lavandula stoechas L.	Lamiaceae	Lavender
51	Laurus nobilis L.	Lauraceae	Bay laurel
52	Lepidium sativum L.	Brassicaceae	Cress
53	Linum usitatissimum L.	Linaceae	Flax
54	Malva sylvestris L.	Malvaceae	Common mallow
55	Mentha viridis L.	Lamiaceae	Green mint
56	Mentha pulegium L.	Lamiaceae	Mint
57	Morus alba L.	Moraceae	White mulberry
58	Myrtus communis L.	Myrtaceae	Myrtle
59	Marrubium vulgare L.	Lamiaceae	White horehound
60	Nerium oleander L.	Apocynaceae	Oleander
61	Nigella damascena L.	Ranunculaceae	Love-in-a-Mist
62	Nigella sativa L.	Ranunculaceae	Black caraway
63	Ocimum basilicum L.	Lamiaceae	Basil
64	Olea europaea L.	Oleaceae	Olive tree
65	Olea europaea (L). var. sylvestris (Mill.) Lehr	Oleaceae	Oleaster
66	Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.	Cactaceae	Prickly pear
67	Origanum majorana L.	Lamiaceae	Marjoram
68	Oxalis pes-caprae L.	Oxalidaceae	Sourgrass
69	Papaver rhoeas L.	Papaveraceae	Common poppy
70	Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss.	Apiaceae	Parsley
71	Phillyrea media L.	Oleaceae	Mock privet
72	Pistacia lentiscus L.	Anacardiaceae	Mastic
73	Populus alba L.	Salicaceae	White poplar
74	Punica granatum L.	Lythraceae	Pomegranate
75	Parietaria officinalis L.	Urticaceae	Upright pellitory
76	Pimpinella anisum L.	Apiaceae	Anise
77	Peganum harmala L.	Zygophyllaceae	Wild rue
78	Pulicaria odora (L.) Rchb.	Asteraceae	Mediterranean fleabane
79	Quercus suber L.	Fagaceae	Cork oak
80	Rhamnus alaternus L.	Rhamnaceae	Buckthorn
81	Rosmarinus officinalis L.	Lamiaceae	Rosemary
82	Rubus ulmifolius J. Presl & C. Presl	Rosaceae	Bramble
83	Ruta chalepensis L.	Rutaceae	Commun rue
84	Ricinus communis L.	Euphorbiaceae	The castor bean
85	Salvia officinalis L.	Lamiaceae	Sage
86	Salvia hispanica L.	Lamiaceae	Chia
87	Scilla maritima L.	Liliaceae	Squill
88	Senna alexandrina Mill.	Fabaceae	Alexandrian senna
89	Sesamum indicum L.	Pedaliaceae	Sesame
90	Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry	Myrtaceae	Cloves
91	Teucrium polium L.	Lamiaceae	Felty germander
92	Thapsia garganica L.	Apiaceae	The deadly carrots
93	Thymus Algeriensis Boiss. et Reut.	Lamiaceae	Wild thyme
94	Thymus vulgaris L.	Lamiaceae	Garden thyme
95	Traganum nudatum Delile	Amaranthaceae	Domrane
96	Trigonella foenum-graecum L.	Fabaceae	Fenugreek
97	Urtica membranacea L.	Urticaceae	Common nettle
98	Vitis vinifera L.	Vitaceae	Grape-vine
99	Aloysia citriodora Palau	Verbenaceae	Lemon verbena
100	Zingiber officinale Roscoe	Zingiberaceae	Ginger
101	Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam.	Rhamnaceae	Sedra

 

Figure 2 – Some plant species identified: (a) Cytisus triflorus Lam., (b) Urtica membranacea L., (c) Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter, (d) Lavandula stoechas L., (e) Myrtus communis L., (f) Traganum nudatum Delile.

 

Distribution of medicinal plants according to botanical families

 

Regarding the distribution of plants by botanical family, we observed a notable number of families (46) (Figure 3), with Lamiaceae being the most dominant (13 species), followed by Apiaceae (08), Asteraceae (07) and Fabaceae (06). The remaining families contained between 1 and 4 species. This dominance aligns with findings from previous studies in Algeria (BOUDJELAL et al., 2013; CHERMAT; GHARZOULI, 2015; SOUILAH et al., 2018), as well as international research (BENKHNIGUE et al., 2010; EL ALAMI et al., 2016; SBAI-JOUILIL et al., 2017; CHAACHOUAY et al., 2019). This trend may be attributed to the high abundance of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in these families.

 

Analysis of the socio-demographic profile of informants

 

According to Bouredja et al. (2017), knowledge of the properties and use of medicinal plants are usually acquired through a scientific and experimental knowledge accumulated and passed from one generation to another (Table 3, Figure 4).

The results obtained show that women use plants more than men with a rate of 71%, this is due to the fact that they are responsible for taking care of their children and also using these plants for cosmetic purposes. The results indicate that individuals across different age groups use medicinal plants at varying rates, with those aged between 40 and 60 years representing the largest group, accounting for 46% of users. While young people under the age of 20 are not interested in herbal medicine, this may endanger herbal medicine and makes us fear for its future in the next generations, as young people today are not very dependent on this method of treatment and prefer modern medicine. These findings align with those of Miara et al. (2018), Souilah et al. (2018) and Belaidi et al. (2021).

 

Figure 3 – Distribution of medicinal species according to botanical family.

 

Anyinam et al. (1995) mention that knowledge of the properties and uses of medicinal plants are generally acquired with age and with long experience passed from one generation to the next. The transmission of this knowledge is in danger today because it is not always assured.

In the study region, the majority of herbal users are married with a percentage of (69%), compared to (20%) for single people. This predominance is confirmed in Algeria by Bouredja et al. (2017) and Belaidi et al. (2021), and in Morocco by Chaachouay et al. (2019). This can be explained by the growing responsibilities of married couples towards their children and thus in order to minimize medical costs.

In contrast to the results of most studies in this field, the results we obtained showed that people of all educational levels tend to seek treatment with herbs, with a slight preference for illiterate people, at a rate of 31%.

In our study, and in order to minimize the burdens generated by conventional medicine, more than half of the users (51%) are unemployed.

As regards the origin of the information, the majority of users have acquired phytotherapeutic information from the family or personal experience with rates respectively of 47 and 43%, while the other sources of information (reading books, internet, and herbalist) are less cited. This reflects the image of the transmission of therapeutic practices from one generation to another and indicates the dependence of users on their families regarding the phytotherapy. Observation like that of Belaidi et al. (2021) in the Guerbes-Sanhadja wetland complex.

 

Table 3 – Classification of informants according to several factors.

Factor	Categories	%
Gender	Men	29
	Women	71
Age	[20-40[	29
	[40–60[	46
	≥ 60	25
Family situation	Married	69
	Single	20
	Divorced / widowed	11
Study level	Illiterate	31
	Primary level	10
	Middle level	13
	Secondary level	25
	University level	21
Function	Unemployed	52
	Private	14
	Official	19
	Farmer	10
	Retired	05
Origin of the information	Family member	47
	Reading (books/internet)	05
	Herbalist	05
	Personal experience	43

 

Figure 4 – ACM of the socio-demographic profile of informants.

 

Parts of plants used

 

In general, the parts of plants used in traditional medicine are the leaves, the underground part (roots, bulbs and tubers), the aerial part, the fruits, the seeds, the flowers, the stem and the bark. The results of this survey show that the leaf is the part of medicinal plants the most used (43%), a similar observation in the majority of ethnobotanical studies in Algeria (BOUREDJA et al., 2017; SOUILAH et al., 2018; BELAIDI et al., 2021) and even in Morocco cited by Daoudi et al. (2015), followed by the underground part and aerial part (13%) (Figure 5).

The high frequency of leaf use can be explained by the ease and speed of the harvest (BITSINDOU, 1986) but also by the fact that they are the seat of photosynthesis and sometimes of the storage of secondary metabolites responsible for the biological properties of the plant (BIGENDAKO-POLYGENIS; LEJOLY, 1990).

From an ecological point of view, the remarkable frequency of use of the leaves compared to the root parts, flowers and seeds, in reality avoid the excessive pulling out of the plants and therefore ensure their renewal and natural regeneration.

 

Figure 5 – Use of medicinal plants according to their organs.

 

Method of preparation

 

In order to facilitate the administration of the active ingredients, several preparation methods are used, in our study, the decoction method is the technique most used by the local population with a high rate of around 46%, a result conformed by Miara et al. (2019) and Bouredja et al. (2017) in Algeria, and Benkhnigue et al. (2010) in Morocco.

Due to the conviction of users in the region that the decoction allows the sterilization of the plant and the extraction of the active ingredients. The second method used is the powder (37%) followed by the cataplasm (9%), and the infusion (8%) (Figure 6).

 

Figure 6 – Use of medicinal plants according to the method of preparation.

 

Diseases treated in traditional medicine

 

The ethnobotanical analysis revealed 9 categories of diseases treated by the inventoried plants, gastrointestinal disorders represent the most cited disease with a rate of 28%, followed by cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases (15%). The predominance of gastrointestinal disorders is very frequent in Algerian ethnobotanical studies with different rates: Souilah et al., 2018 (20%); Ould El Hadj et al., 2003 (26.38%); Chermat; Gharzouli, 2015 (34.41%); Belaidi et al., 2021 (31%). The same observation is also mentioned in Morocco by Daoudi et al. (2015) (38.9%) and Benkhnigue et al. (2010) (26.15%). The results obtained can be explained by the poor eating habits answered in the region characterized by the excessive use of pasta and dried legumes (Figure 7).

 

Figure 7 – Use of medicinal plants according to treated diseases.

 

Analysis of calculated parameters

 

Use Value (UV)

 

According to the obtained results, the use values ​​of the species are very close and vary from 1.02 to 1, however the highest is observed in Angelica officinalis L., with a use value of 1.02.

High UV indicate that local people are using the plant for many purposes to treat various categories of diseases (BARNERT; MESSMANN, 2008) (Table 4).

 

Table 4 – Use Value (UV) of the most cited medicinal plants. 

Medicinal plant	Use value
Angelica officinalis L.	1.02
Pistacia lentiscus L.	1.01
Mentha viridis L.	1.01
Carlina gummifera (L.) Less.	1
Lavandula stoechas L	1
Myrtus communis L.	1
Thymus vulgaris L.	1
Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter	1

 

Fidelity Level (FL)

 

Concerning the level of fidelity (FL), the calculations carried out clearly show that Carlina gummifera (L.) Less. possesses the highest fidelity level with a percentage of 100%, this indicates that this species is used by the local population specifically to treat a single category of disease (dermatological disorders).

Myrtus communis L. and Thymus vulgaris L. comes in second position with a percentage of 89%, which are often used to treat gastrointestinal disorders (Table 5).

 

Table 5 – Fidelity Level (FL) of the most cited medicinal plants.

N°	Medicinal plants	Fidelity level (%)	Most frequent therapeutic use
01	Carlina gummifera (L.) Less.	100	Dermatological disorders
02	Myrtus communis L.	89	Gastro-intestinal disorders
03	Thymus vulgaris L.	89	Gastro-intestinal disorders
04	Lavandula stoechas L	70	Gastro-intestinal disorders
05	Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter	64	Dermatological disorders
06	Angelica officinalis L.	64	Gastro-intestinal disorders
07	Pistacia lentiscus L.	34	Dermatological disorders
08	Mentha viridis L.	30	Gastro-intestinal disorders

 

Informant Consensus Factor (ICF)

 

The higher value of the ICF indicates that the local population agrees with the use of the species in the treatment of a category of disease. This value, resulting in a well-defined selection criterion in the area studied or in information, is transmitted between the local populations. The lower ICF value indicates that the plants are chosen at random or that the local population does not exchange information about their use (KAYA, 2006).

The highest value of the ICF recorded for gastrointestinal disorders (0.98) indicates that users of herbal remedies are agreed on the treatment of this disease, and the most frequently used species is Myrtus communis L., dermatology comes in second place with a value of 0.96, and Carlina gummifera (L.) Less. represents the most used species for this category of diseases (Table 6).

 

Table 6 – Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) for different disease categories.

N°	Medicinal plants	ICF
01	Gastro-intestinal disorders	0,98
02	Dermatological disorders	0,96
03	Cardiovascular diseases	0,95
04	Analgesics and sedatives diseases	0,92
05	Respiratory diseases	0,91
06	Urinary diseases	0,75
07	Genital diseases	0,63

 

Conclusion

 

Despite the specific richness of the region, this study represents the first initiative in terms of ethnobotanical study in the Tamalous region aimed at the census of medicinal plants and the preservation of its phytotherapeutic practices. It highlights the significant reliance of the Tamalous region’s population on traditional herbal medicine, with 101 medicinal species documented across 46 botanical families, predominantly Lamiaceae.

Key species such as Myrtus communis L., Pistacia lentiscus L., and Angelica officinalis L. were frequently used, primarily in the form of leaf-based decoctions (46%) to treat gastrointestinal disorders (28%), followed by cardiovascular and respiratory ailments.

Analysis of ethnobotanical parameters reveals that Angelica officinalis L. has the highest use value (UV=1.02), demonstrating its versatile use. Carlina gummifera (L.) Less. shows maximum use fidelity (FL=100%) for dermatological disorders. The high consensus (ICF=0.98) on plants treating gastrointestinal conditions, including Myrtus communis L. and Thymus vulgaris L., reflects well-established traditional knowledge. These results demonstrate both the specialization of certain plants and the effective transmission of local therapeutic knowledge.

This dependence of local population on medicinal plants to treat various diseases despite the development of modern medicine  this tcan be set up a database for the valuation and conservation of medicinal plants in order to discover new active ingredients that can be used in pharmacology and to protect this wealth.

 

Conflicts of interest

 

The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the work presented here.

 

Acknowledgements

 

I am very grateful to the director of CICYTEX Mrs. Carmen González Ramos for agreeing to welcome me at the institute for two months, and to all the team of Dr. Francisco Vazquez; Francisco Garcia and David Garcia Alonso. Also, many thanks to my students: Titam Khadidja and Zeggari Asma for their effective cooperation.

 

References

 

ANYINAM, C. Ecology and ethnomedicine: exploring links between current environmental crisis and indigenous medical practices. Social Science and Medicine, v. 4, n. 3, p. 321-329, 1995. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(94)E0098-D

BAĞCI, Y. Ethnobotanical features of Aladaglar (Yahyali, Kayseri) and its vicinity. The Herb Journal of Systematic Botany, v. 7, p. 89-94, 2000.

BARNERT, J.; MESSMANN, H. Management of lower gastrointestinal tract bleeding. Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology, v. 22, n. 2, p. 295-312, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpg.2007.10.024

BELAIDI, A.; BEGHAMI, Y.; FRANCISCO, M. V.; SOUILAH, N.; BENDIF, H. The phytotherapeutic arsenal in the Guerbes-Sanhadja wetlands complex (Northeast of Algeria). Journal of Bioresource Management, v. 8, n. 2, p. 38-54, 2021. https://doi.org/10.35691/JBM.1202.0179

BENARBA, B.; BELABID, L.; RIGHI, K.; BEKKAR, A. A.; ELOUISSI, M.; KHALDI, A.; HAMIMED, A. Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Mascara (Northwest of Algeria). Journal of Ethnopharmacology, v. 175, p. 626-637, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.09.030

BENDIF, H.; MIARA, M.D.; HARIR, M.; MERABTI, K.; SOUILAH, N.; GUERRODJ, S.; LABZA, R. An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in El Mansourah (West of Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria). Journal of Soil and Plant Biology, v. 1, p. 45-60, 2018. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370328561

BENKHNIGUE, O.; ZIDANE, L.; FADLI, M.; ELYACOUBI, H.; ROCHDI, A.; DOUIRA, A. Etude ethnobotanique des plantes médicinales dans la région de Mechraâ Bel Ksiri (Région du Gharb du Maroc). Acta Botanica Barcinonensia, v. 53, p. 191-216, 2010. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Etude-ethnobotanique-des-plantes-medicinales-dans-la-region-de-mechraa-bel-ksiri

BIGENDAKO-POLYGENIS, M. J.; LEJOLY, J. La pharmacopée traditionnelle au Burundi. Pesticides and drugs in animal health. Namur: Presses Universitaires Namur, p. 425-442, 1990.

BITSINDOU, M. Enquêtes sur la phytothérapie traditionnelle à Kindamba et Odzala (Congo), et analyse des convergences d’usage des plantes médicinales en Afrique centrale. 482p. Thesis (Doctorat en Sciences) – Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, 1986. https://difusion.ulb.ac.be/vufind/Record/ULB-DIPOT:oai:dipot.ulb.ac.be:2013/212363/Detailsb

BOUDJELAL, A.; HENCHIRI, C.; SARI, M.; SARRI, D.; HENDEL, N.; BENKHALED, A.; RUBERTO, G. Herbalists and wild medicinal plants in M’Sila (North Algeria): An ethnopharmacology survey. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, v. 148, n. 2, p. 395-402, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2013.03.082

BOUREDJA, N.; MESSAOUDI, N.; BENYAMINA, K. Ethnobotanical and floristic study of medicinal plants in the region of Oued Tlelalt, Algeria. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, v. 8, n. 3, p. 1199-1204, 2017. https://doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.8(3).1199-04

CAUNCA, E. S.; BALINADO, L. O. Determination of Use-Value, Informant Consensus Factor, and Fidelity Level of medicinal plants used in Cavite, Philippines. Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences, v. 10, n. 2, p. 443-453, 2021. https://doi.org/10.5530/ajbls.2021.10.59

CHAACHOUAY, N.; BENKHNIGUE, O.; FADLI, M.; IBAOUI, H.; ZIDANE, L. Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies of medicinal and aromatic plants used in the treatment of metabolic diseases in the Moroccan Rif. Heliyon, v. 5, n. 10, p. 1-9, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02191

CHERMAT, S.; GHARZOULI, R. Ethnobotanical study of medicinal flora in the northeast of Algeria – an empirical knowledge in Djebel Zdimm (Setif). Journal of Materials Science and Engineering, v. 5, p. 50-59, 2015. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283582543

DAOUDI, A.; BAMMOU, M.; ZARKANI, S.; SLIMANI, I.; IBIJBIJEN, J., NASSIRI, L. Étude ethnobotanique de la flore médicinale dans la commune rurale d’Aguelmouss province de Khénifra (Maroc). Phytothérapie, v. 14, n. 4, p. 220-228, 2015. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287632598

EL ALAMI, A.; LOUBNA, F.; CHAIT, A. Etude ethnobotanique sur les plantes médicinales spontanées poussant dans le versant nord de l’Atlas d’Azilal (Maroc). Algerian Journal of Natural Products, v. 4, n. 2, 271-282, 2016. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301657101

KAYA, M. D.; OKÇU, G.; ATAK, M.; ÇIKILI, Y.; KOLSARICI, Ö. Seed treatments to overcome salt and drought stress during germination in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). European Journal of Agronomy, v. 24, n. 4, p. 291-295, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2005.08.001

MARTIN, G. J. Ethnobotany: A Methods Manual. A people and plants conservation manual. 1^st edition. New York: Springer, 1995, 296p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2496-0

MÉDAIL, F. A natural history of the islands’ unique flora. Marseille: Initiative Pim, p. 27-33, 2008. https://initiative-pim.org/ressource/a-natural-history-of-the-islands-unique-flora/

MÉDAIL, F.; QUÉZEL, P. Hot-spots analysis for conservation of plant biodiversity in the Mediterranean basin. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, v. 84, n. 1, p. 112-127, 1997. https://doi.org/10.2307/2399957

MEDDOUR, R.; MEDDOUR-SAHAR, O. Medicinal plants and their traditional uses in Kabylia (Tizi Ouzou, Algeria). Arabian Journal of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants, v. 1, n. 2, p. 137-151, 2015. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306278058

MIARA, M. D.; BENDIF, H.; HAMMOU, M. A.; TEIXIDOR-TONEU, I. Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by nomadic peoples in the Algerian steppe. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, v. 219, p. 248-256, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2018.03.011

MIARA, M. D.; BENDIF, H.; REBBAS, K.; RABAH, B.; HAMMOU, M. A.; MAGGI, F. Medicinal plants and their traditional uses in the highland region of Bordj Bou Arreridj (Northeast Algeria). Journal of Herbal Medicine, v. 16, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hermed.2019.100262

MITTERMEIER, R. A.; GIL, P. R.; HOFFMANN, M.; PILGRIM, J.; BROOKS, T.; MITTERMEIER, C. G.; LAMOREUX, J.; FONSECA, G. A. B. Hotspots Revisited: Earth’s Biologically, Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, Conservation International, 2005, 392p. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/H/bo3707156.html

OUELBANI, R.; BENSARI, S.; MOUAS, T. N.; KHELIFI, D. Ethnobotanical investigations on plants used in folk medicine in the regions of Constantine and Mila (Northeast of Algeria). Journal of Ethnopharmacology, v. 194, p. 196-218, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2016.08.016

OULD EL HADJ, M.; HADJ-MAHAMMED, M.; ZABEIROU, H. Place des plantes spontanees dans la medecine traditionnelle de la région d’Ouargla (Sahara Septentrional Est). Courrier du Savoir Scientifique et Technique, v. 3, n. 3, p. 47-51, 2003. https://asjp.cerist.dz/en/article/77907

QUÉZEL, P.; SANTA, S. Nouvelle flore de l’Algérie et des régions désertiques méridionales. Paris: CNRS, 1962-1963, 1170p.

SBAI-JOUILIL, H.; FADLI, A.; EL HAFIAN, M.; EL AYAD, R.; BENHARBIT, O.; ZIDANE, L. Floristic and ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in the treatment of respiratory diseases in Seksaoua Region (Western High Moroccan Atlas). Annual Research & Review in Biology, v. 17, n. 6, p. 1-10, 2017. https://doi.org/10.9734/ARRB/2017/36526

SILVA, W. C; SOARES, N. Use and diversity of medicinal plants present in bottles sold in the municipality of Itumbiara – GO, Brazil. Agrarian Academic Journal, v. 3, n. 4, p. 163-180, 2020. https://doi.org/10.32406/v3n42020/163-180/agrariacad

SOUILAH, N.; ZEKRI, J.; GRIRA, A.; AKKAL, S.; MEDJROUBI, K. Ethnobotanical study of medicinal and aromatic plants used by the population National Park of El Kala (north-eastern Algeria). International Journal of Biosciences, v. 12, n. 4, p. 55-77, 2018. http://doi.org/10.12692/ijb/12.4.55-77

 

 

 

Received on December 31, 2024

Returned for adjustments on June 4, 2025

Received with adjustments on June 10, 2025

Accepted on June 16, 2025