Ethnobotanical and Ethnomedicinal study of medicinal and aromatic plants used against dermatological diseases by the people of Rif, Morocco

Abstract

Since ancient times, the people of Morocco have used medicinal and aromatic plants as traditional medicine to heal different human ailments. However, few studies have been made in the past to properly document and promote traditional knowledge. This study was carried out in the Rif (North of Morocco), with the aim of identifying medicinal and aromatic plants used by the local people to treat dermatological diseases, together with the associated ethnomedicinal knowledge. The ethnomedical information collected was from 563 traditional healers using semi-structured interviews, free listings and focus groups. Family use value (FUV), use value (UV), plant part value (PPV), fidelity level (FL) and Informant Agreement Ratio (IAR) were employed in data analysis. Medicinal plants were collected, identified and kept at the Plant, Animal Productions and Agro-industry Laboratory, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra. During the present study 24 medicinal plant species belonging to 13 families were documented. The most frequent ailments reported were dermal wounds (IAR = 0.99). The majority of the remedies were prepared from decoction. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part and Inula viscosa L. (UV = 0.293) was the species most commonly prescribed by local herbalists. The results of this study showed that people living in the Rif of Morocco are still dependent on medicinal and aromatic plants. Therefore, these herbs are used and pharmaceutical and phytochemical studies should be carried out to study if their use is valid.