Ethno-pharmacological investigation on herbal remedies used by local people in Algeria’s septentrional sahara for controlling gastric ulcers

Algeria’s septentrional Sahara is a perfect area to study aromatic and medicinal plants and their traditional uses due to its rich natural and cultural heritage. This paper included information on herbal remedies used in conventional phytotherapy to treat stomach ulcers. Three hundred people from five distinct regions in the septentrional Algerian Sahara were interviewed for this semi-structured study. The participants were requested to contribute their knowledge of medicinal plants and natural remedies that may be used to cure stomach ulcers. During the survey, thirty-five species of medicinal plants were discovered. They belonged to 34 genera and 16 botanical families. The species with the highest RFC values were Punica granatum (RFC = 0.426), Juniperus phoenicea (RFC = 0.170) and Artemisia herba alba Asso (RFC = 0.130). Peels and leaves from the species described above were mainly used for preparing the remedy as a powder (52.7%), decoction (24.3%), or infusion (18.7%) was recommended by the majority of responders. Numerous plant species listed in this paper were identified as prospective candidates for additional phytochemical and pharmacological research owing to their insufficient examination in existing literature (Onopordum maracanthum, Tetraclinis articulata, Erythrea centaurium, and Solanum tuberosum). These findings are crucial for preserving the biodiversity and traditional knowledge of the indigenous people in Algeria’s Sahara while paving the way for future research focused on innovative phyto-formulations that could alleviate gastric ulcer symptoms.

• gastric ulcer
• herbal medicine
• medicinal plants
• traditional knowledge
• ethnopharmacology
• Punica granatum
• Juniperus phoenicea
• Artemisia herba-alba
• decoction
• infusion
• indigenous knowledge
• biodiversity conservation
• Algerian Sahara

• 3 — Good health and well-being

• Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies
• Phytochemistry Medicinal Plant Applications
• Medicinal Plant Research
• gastric ulcer
• herbal medicine
• medicinal plants
• traditional knowledge
• ethnopharmacology
• Punica granatum
• Juniperus phoenicea
• Artemisia herba-alba
• Plant Science
• Agricultural and Biological Sciences