Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies of medicinal and aromatic plants used in the treatment of metabolic diseases in the Moroccan Rif

Abstract

Since early times, the people of Morocco use medicinal and aromatic plants as traditional medicine to heal different human ailments. However, little studies have been made in the past to properly document and promote the traditional knowledge. This study was carried out in the Rif (North of Morocco), it aimed to identify medicinal and aromatic plant used by the local people to treat metabolic diseases, together with the associated ethnomedicinal knowledge. The ethnomedical information collected was from 582 traditional healers using semi-structured interviews, free listing and focus group. Family use value (FUV), use value (UV), plant part value (PPV), fidelity level (FL) and informant agreement ratio (IAR) were employed in data analysis. Medicinal and aromatic plant were collected, identified and kept at the natural resources and biodiversity laboratory, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra. During the present study 30 medicinal plant species belonging to 14 families has been documented. The most frequent ailments reported were diabetes (IAR = 0.98). The majority of the remedies were prepared from infusion (53.9%). Leaves were the most frequently used plant part (PPV 0.633) and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (UV = 0.325) was the specie most commonly prescribed by local herbalists. The results of this study showed that people living in the Rif of Morocco are still dependent on medicinal and aromatic plants. The documented plants can serve as a basis for further studies on the regions medicinal plants knowledge and for future phytochemical and pharmacological studies.

COVID-19, prevention and treatment with herbal medicine in the herbal markets of Salé Prefecture, North-Western Morocco

“…Therefore, advanced instruction reduces the ancestral therapeutic knowledge of the young generation [62] . Previous ethnobotanical studies [63] , [64] , [65] , [66] , [67] report similar findings. All stated that they had acquired their traditional knowledge and experience in medicinal plants from their parents, friends, and elderly relatives.…”

Herbal Medicine Used in the Treatment of Human Diseases in the Rif, Northern Morocco

“…Generally, the main route of application for herbal therapies was oral (82.4%). Furthermore, the oral mode of administration is a preferred route all over the world [ 10 , 14 , 36 , 38 , 39 , 65 ]. The predominance of oral treatment may be explained by a large incidence of internal illnesses in the Rif region.…”

“…PPV was determined by applying this equation [ 30 ]: where RU is the number of applications notified of total portions of the medicinal plant and RU plant part is the number of uses reported per part of the medicinal plant. The part among the most important PPV is the most used by the informants.…”

“…On the opposite, data on medicinal plants in this region are rare and insufficient. To complete partial and fragmentary studies those have been carried out throughout the Rif [ 13 , 14 ], Talassemtane National Park [ 15 ], and Tingitane Peninsula [ 16 ]. It is, therefore, necessary to undertake them to identify the local uses of plant species.…”

Oral disorders and ethnobotanical treatments: A field study in the central Middle Atlas (Morocco)

“…Plant part value (PPV) is calculated using the following formula: where RU = the number of uses reported for all plant parts and RU plant part = the sum of uses reported per part of the plant. The part with the highest PPV is the most used by the respondents [ 23 ].…”