Herbal remedies used to treat digestive system ailments by indigenous communities in the Rif region of northern Morocco

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Research Articles | Published:

Print ISSN : 0970-4078.
Online ISSN : 2229-4473.
Website:www.vegetosindia.org
Pub Email: contact@vegetosindia.org
Doi: 10.1007/s42535-023-00606-4
First Page: 379
Last Page: 396
Views: 360


Keywords: Medicinal plants, Digestive system diseases, Ethnomedicine, Traditional medicine


Abstract


Plants have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, and many modern medicines are still derived from plant compounds or inspired by them. This study was carried out in the Rif of Morocco to discover medicinal plants used to treat digestive system diseases, along with associated ethnomedicinal details. An ethnomedicinal review of plant species was conducted from July 2016 to July 2018, using semi-structured interviews with 732 traditional healers as informants. The results were examined using various quantitative indices, such as family cultural importance, salience index, plant part value, informant agreement ratio, and fidelity level, applied in the statistical analysis. Medicinal herb species were collected, catalogued, and deposited at the Plant, Animal Production, and Agro-industry Laboratory. 87 plant species were identified, spread over 73 genera and 42 families. Apiaceae, with 10 species, was the most commonly used family. The most common illnesses listed were gastric ulcers (IAR = 0.97). The majority of herbal treatments were formulated from decoctions (42.12%). The leaf was the most frequently used plant part (PPV = 0.344), and the most commonly recommended medicinal species by local traditional healers were Thymus saturejoides Coss. (SI = 0.240). According to this study, traditional healers in the Moroccan Rif region rely on medicinal herbs. Further investigation into these documented plants phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological properties is necessary to identify novel drugs and explore the potential complementarity between traditional and modern medicine.


Medicinal plants, Digestive system diseases, Ethnomedicine, Traditional medicine


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Acknowledgements


Our sincere gratitude goes out to the guides and residents of the Rif region for their invaluable assistance. We would also like to thank everyone who contributed to bringing this product to fruition.


Author Information


Chaachouay Noureddine
Agri-Food and Health Laboratory (AFHL), Hassan First University, Settat, Morocco
nour.chay@gmail.com
Belhaj Souad
Plant, Animal Productions and Agro-Industry Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco


El Khomsi Mostafa
Natural Resources and Sustainable Development Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco


Benkhnigue Ouafae
Department of Botany and Plant Ecology, Scientific Institute, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco


Zidane Lahcen
Plant, Animal Productions and Agro-Industry Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco