Abstract
To establish a standardized and reliable data basis on the medicinal species used for their underground organs, many specimens were collected in the Marrakech region in collaboration with collectors and herbalists. The local ethno-medicinal uses of these medicinal underground organs were also recorded. The result showed that forty one medicinal species are exploited for their underground organs to treat a variety of human diseases. All species are wild collected and the root represents the most underground organ used. The families Asteraceae, Apiaceae and Caryophyllaceae are the more represented with respectively 10, 8 and 3 species. Comparing our data with the scientific literature showed that for each species identified, we have a complex of species and in some cases we have completely different species. On the human disease, we have identified 30 different types that have been cured using these underground organs. Rheumatism, cough and common cold, weight gain and stomach problems are the major problems treated. Key words: Underground organs, medicinal plants, identification, ethno-medicinal uses, Marrakech region.
Highlights
During the last decade, medicinal plants and its products has attracted the world-wide interest due to the growing recognition of the drugs on natural products (Hamilton, 2004)
The result indicated that forty one medicinal species are exploited for their underground part organs to treat a variety of human diseases (Table 1)
It appears that all these species were collected from the wild and the root represent the most underground organ used by the local population (87.8%)
Summary
Medicinal plants and its products has attracted the world-wide interest due to the growing recognition of the drugs on natural products (Hamilton, 2004). One third of plant materials used in Moroccan traditional medicine are as underground organs (bulb, root, tubercle and rhizome) and constitutes the most herbal medicinal drugs required by the local population. Most of these plant materials are sold in stalls in the dry products state which makes their identification very difficult. In some cases, the same trivial name was attributed to many species (Bellakhdar et al, 1991) This situation leads to general confusion regarding the botanical identity of medicinal products used and medicinal species collected for their underground part. The present study investigated the botanical identity and ethno-medicinal uses of below ground part of medicinal plants that are essentially collected and commercialized in the Marrakech region
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