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

Abstract

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in the Tata Province (South-eastern Morocco) with the aim to collect the detailed information about the usage of plants in human therapy. The survey was carried out over a period of 24 months, by means of semi-structured and structured interviews. A total of 900 interviews were conducted with traditional health practitioners and knowledgeable villagers. A total of 163 plant species representing 134 genera and 56 families were used in the treatment of various diseases. The most encountered medicinal plant families were Lamiaceae (12.3% of use-reports), Asteraceae (7.4%), Apiaceae and Fabaceae (6.7%). Plant leaves were the most commonly used plant part, and decoction and infusion were the most common methods of traditional drug preparation. This study has established a monograph of medicinal plants used in traditional herbal medicine in Tata Province. This work is a contribution to the preservation of local knowledge in traditional herbal medicine.