Medicinal plants used by indigenous communities for veterinary practices in Naâma region, South west Algeria

Abstract

Ethnoveterinary practices are very widespread in the Algerian steppe. This study was conducted from January to June 2024 with 30 breeders, 17 veterinarians, and 5 zootechnicians. Ethnobotanical survey was adopted to collect data on veterinary plants and their use by livestock farmers in the Naâma region (South west Algeria). 26 medicinal plants belonging to 15 families and 25 genera were identified. The Lamiaceae (19.23%) and Fabaceae (11.54%) families were the most prevalent, leaves being the most frequently used plant part (50%). The decoction was the predominant method of remedy preparation (50%) and digestive diseases were the most treated. The most frequently used species were Juniperus phoenicea subsp. phoenicea (84.62%), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (78.85%), Punica granatum L. (69.23%), Atriplex halimus L. (67.31%), Artemisia herba-alba Asso (63.46%), and Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam (59.62%). The introduction of cultural heritage management processes is essential to protect indigenous knowledge of veterinary plants.