Abstract
Rangelands provide good services, including forage for livestock, aromatic and medicinal plants, wildlife habitat, fuel wood, and the watershed. In the arid and desert rangelands of Tunisia, several medicinal plants are used locally in traditional medicine. Many of them have been scientifically investigated and validated. This study aimed to document the different plants used recently to treat and prevent Covid-19 by the rural communities in southern Tunisia. One hundred persons that were ensured to be cured after their infection by Covid-19 were asked to indicate what plants were used to prevent or treat the pandemic disease. It is noteworthy that the selected respondents did not use any other medication than medicinal plants due to the high price of medicament. Additionally, they had not received any Covid-19 vaccinations to date. Five species were harvested from the range lands to be used by the rural population in south Tunisia to treat and prevent Covid- 19. The plants included Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymbra capitata, Peganum harmala, Artemisia herbaalba and Astragalus armatus. These species are medicinally essential when it comes to treating several human diseases. Still, there are no new scientific findings on whether these conclusions are valid. These results can still be the subject of future scientific research.
Highlights
Native range lands are an important source of rare and environmentally, economically, nutritionally, and medically valued plants around the globe
The rangeland is botanically endowed with rich and diverse medicinal plants where 35 plant species belonging to 15 families are greatly used in both traditional and modern medicine
T. capitata was used by 25 people, followed by P. harmala by 19 people, A. herba-alba by 16 and A. armatus by 12 people
Summary
Native range lands are an important source of rare and environmentally, economically, nutritionally, and medically valued plants around the globe. Despite being under threat from various biotic and abiotic stresses, many arid range lands still produce medicinal plants that are valued in both traditional and modern medicine. Their harvesting greatly contributes to the annual livelihood income of many populations [7,8,9]. Tunisia’s rangelands occupy about 5.5 million ha, of which 87% of them are arid 11 These lands form the largest part of the Tataouine governorate surface, making up about 27% of the total rangeland in Tunisia 12. Tunisia is among the countries most severely affected by the ongoing pandemic, with more than 560 thou-
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