Exploration of the Medicinal Flora of the Aljumum Region in Saudi Arabia

Sameer H Qari,Alaa Qumsani,Wessam Filfilan,Abdulmajeed F Alrefaei

doi:10.3390/app11167620

Abstract

Understanding the natural resources of native flora in a particular area is essential to be able to identify, record, and update existing records concerning the flora of that area, especially medicinal plants. Until recently, there has been very little scientific documentation on the biological diversity of Aljumum flora. The current study aimed to document medicinal plants among the flora of this region and determine the traditional usages that are documented in the literature. In the flowering season from November 2019 to May 2020, we conducted more than 80 field trips to the study area. The results reported 90 species belonging to 79 genera and 34 families in the Aljumum region, which constitute 82 species of medicinal plants from a total of 2253 known species in Saudi Arabia. The most distributed species were Calotropis procera, Panicum turgidum, and Aerva javanica (5.31%); within four endemic families, we found Fabaceae (32.35%), Poaceae (20.58%), and Asteraceae and Brassicaceae (17.64%). The present study reviews a collection of medicinal plants in Aljumum used in ethnomedicine. Additionally, these natural resources should be preserved, and therefore, conservation programs should be established to protect the natural diversity of the plant species in this region with sustainable environmental management.

Highlights

Aerva javanica (Burm.f.) Juss.The results showed 90 species from this limited area, which contains 6.44% of the species from the total flora of Saudi Arabia
The current study identified 82 species that are utilized in folk medicine among the 90 species that were surveyed from various environments throughout the Aljumum region
This study provides a database that allows researchers to locate medicinal plants in this region for future studies to broaden the use of plant extracts in folk medicine or pharmaceutical manufacturing

Summary

Introduction

The present study reviews a collection of medicinal plants in Aljumum used in ethnomedicine. These natural resources should be preserved, and conservation programs should be established to protect the natural diversity of the plant species in this region with sustainable environmental management. Exploration of the Medicinal Flora of the Aljumum Region in Saudi Arabia. With the first appearance of humans on the earth, and through the centuries, humans have relied on plants and medicinal herbs as a treatment source. Medicinal plants impact global health, international trade, and the economy through the pharmaceutical industries. In terms of global health, traditional medicinal plants continue to play a central role in the health care systems of a large number of the world’s regions [2,3]

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion