Medicinal plants used for the treatment of respiratory diseases in Kabylia, north of Algeria: an ethnomedicinal survey

Abstract

IntroductionRespiratory diseases are a major health problem in developing countries, including Algeria. Our study aimed to document the indigenous knowledge about the use of medicinal plants in the Kabylia region of Algeria, for the treatment of respiratory diseases. MethodsAn ethnobotanical survey was conducted in eight localities of the Tizi-Ouzou province (Kabylia) from August 2019 to January 2020. A total of 105 informants, including herbalists, doctors, botanists, and rural dwellers, were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The frequency citation (FC), relative frequency citation (RFC), and informant consensus factor (ICF) were calculated to analyze the data. ResultsOut of the 105 informants, women were the dominant gender (67.62%), with an average age of about 64 years, while men (32.38%) had an average age of 62 years. A total of 42 plant species belonging to 23 families used for the treatment of chronic respiratory inflammation were reported. Lamiaceae was the most cited family (46%), represented by nine species. Interestingly, Thymus numidicus Poir., an Algerian endemic plant, was reported for the first time to treat cold, flu, and asthma. In addition, Arum italicum Mill. and Pinus halepensis Mill. were described as remedies for asthma symptoms, essentially wheezing. A high-value ICF (0.94–0.97) was estimated for six respiratory ailments, including asthma, pulmonary obstruction, cough, wheezing, bronchitis, and respiratory infections. Leaves (56%) were the most widely used plant part, and infusion (42%) was the most cited preparation method. ConclusionOur study showed rich ethnomedical knowledge in the Kabylia region regarding the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of respiratory diseases. The most reported species could be of great interest for further pharmacological studies.