Ethnobotanical survey of herbal remedies traditionally used in El Hammadia (Southern region of the province of Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria)

Abstract

This work is devoted to the study of medicinal plants in the southern region of BordjBouArreridj (communes of the Daïra of El Hammadia), and their different uses in traditional medecine. A series of surveys were conducted in the study area with inhabitants and herbalists, to acquire more  informations about the therapeutic uses of medicinal plants practiced by the local population. The analysis of the results allowed us to identify 78  species belonging to 36 families, the most represented are: Apiaceae (13.92%), Lamiaceae (12.65%), Asteraceae (11.39%) and Liliaceae (5.06%). The  most commonly parts used from these plants are respectively: the leaves (34.21%), the stems (17.54%), the fruits (12.28%), the roots (10.52%) and  the seeds (8.77%). Medicinal plants are prepared and used as powder, infusion, especially as decoction and poultice. The most used is the decoction.  The main common health problem treated are; digestive disorders (29.81%), respiratory disorders (10.55%), skin inflammations (9.17%),  urinary inflammations (8.25%), liver diseases (6.88%) and neurologic problems (6.42%). El Hammadia has good ethnobotanical potential of medicinal  plants. This study is the first contribution to the ethnobotany of this region. We have gathered from this province some considerable  knowledge about local medicinal plants for treating diseases.