Ethnopharmacological review of medicinal plants used to manage hypertension in Morocco

Abstract

Morocco is facing the emergence of high blood pressure which is increasingly becoming a real public health issue. In the long term, it is an important risk factor for several other related diseases. This study aimed to compile all the available knowledge on traditional medicine for the treatment of hypertension in different regions of Morocco. The compilation indicated that 104 medicinal plant species were reported to be traditionally used in the treatment of hypertension in Morocco. The most cited families were Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Amaranthaceae and Fabaceae. Petroselinum crispum, Tetraclinis articulata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Olea europaea, Allium sativum, Syzygium aromaticum, Peganum harmala and Aloysia citriodora were the most frequently reported plant for their antihypertensive use. The leaves are the most used plant part and decoction is the preferred mode of preparation. The present findings showed that the people of Morocco use a large variety of plants for the treatment of hypertension. More attention should be paid to these plant to confirm safety and efficacy in clinical practice and to identify pharmacologically active metabolites.