Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in northern Morocco (Taounate): Case of Mernissa

Abstract

Background: Medicinal and aromatic plants are widely used in Moroccan traditional pharmacopoeia. An ethnobotanical survey was carried out at Mernissa (Taounate, Northern Morocco), for 4 months, in order to collect data on medicinal plants used in phytotherapy for the treatment of various diseases. Methods: All data related to the interviewed people and their traditional therapeutic practices have been collected thanks to 410 questionnaire cards. This information was then analyzed using Relative Citation Frequency (RFC), Family Importance Value Index (FIV). Results: 118 plants species used in traditional herbal medicine, in the study area, are divided into 55 families, with the dominance of Lamiaceae (FIV = 19.49%), Apiaceae (FIV = 3.07%), Asteraceae (FIV = 10.34%), Rosaceae (FIV = 2.881%), Fabaceae (FIV = 9.066%) and Liliaceae (FIV = 9.752%). The most reported species are Origanum compactum Benth. (68.78%), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (56.09%), Mentha pulegium L. (52.19%), Chenopodium ambrosioides L. (33.41 %), Allium sativum L. (26.58), Aloysia citrodora Palau (25.12%), Pistacia lentiscus L. and Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter (24.87%). Moreover, leaves are the most commonly used plant’s parts (59%), and most therapies are prepared by decoction (40%) and administered orally (77%), in the form of herbal tea (58%). Affections of the digestive tract show the highest rate of treated diseases (40%). The cure rate is 45% with 54% relief. Conclusion: This information sheds light on the role of traditional medicine and the use of aromatic and medicinal plants in therapy among the Moroccan population, as an alternative to synthetic drugs. This work results could represent an important information source for pharmacologists, phytochemists and toxicologists to lead to the development of a new drug based on natural substances.