An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the Boujdour Province, Morocco

Abstract

An ethnobotanical survey was carried out across the province of Boujdour in southern Morocco, with the aim of collecting detailed information about the use of medicinal and aromatic plants and evaluating the region's potential in contributing to traditional medicine. The 630 questionnaires used in the ethnobotanical survey show that of the 64 species of plants used which belong to 26 families, the Fabaceae family top the list as the primary contributor (10 species at a rate of 15,62 %). The leaves are the most used parts with a rate of 51.61%). The most widely used pharmaceutical form is the decoction with a rate of 42,58%. The oral route is the most used mode of administration with 69,32%. Of all the disorders and infections treated, the medicinal and aromatic plants identified were used in the treatment of 54 digestive diseases, with correspond to 31,58% of the diseases treated. The results obtained are a very
valuable source of information for the region studied and for the national medicinal flora. They can be considered as a source of information for scientific research in the field of phytochemistry and pharmacology and for the purpose of searching for new natural substances.