Phytothérapie et taxonomie des plantes médicinales spontanées dans la région de Tiaret (Algérie)

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the floristic (chorology and biology), taxonomic (botanical description and identification), and herbal (uses and treated diseases) properties of the inventory of medicinal plants of Guezoul located at the north end of Tiaret. For the phytoecological plots made recently in the region, we used the database for this inventory. The selections of species for medicinal and therapeutic indications were made using an ethnobotanical survey carried out mainly with the local population, and some herbalists and healers in the region. We also used different bibliographic items for comparison. This allowed us to distinguish 66 species of herbs. Of these, 60 are shown in our investigation, and other species are only cited in the literature and seem unknown in the region. These plants are mainly Mediterranean, and fall under 39 different botanical families dominated by Orchidaceae and aromatic Lamiaceae plants rich in essential oils. They are used in the digestive system’s treatment, internal diseases (diabetes, liver, etc.), and urinary tract. Also, we present in this study some taxonomic clarification of medicinal species, refining botanical identification with four subspecies identified. Finally, we propose three new taxa for the medicinal flora in Algeria: Thymus munbyanus Boiss. & Reut. subsp. munbyanus, Allium roseum L. subsp. roseum, and Evernia prunastri (L.) Ach.