Chapters authored
Neurological Phytotherapy by Indigenous People of Rif, Morocco
The Rif region has a rich culture of popular medicine use and valuable medicinal plant practices. This study aimed to assess the potential concerning medicinal plants used in the treatment of neurological diseases. An ethnobotanical survey has been carried out in the Rif for two periods from June 2016 to June 2018. To gather information about indigenous medicinal plants, 520 indigenous people of Rif were interviewed. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and free listening, analyzed, and compared. A total of 42 plant species belonging to 37 genera and 23 families were mentioned to be used for treatment by the informants. Lamiaceae was the most commonly reported family in this study area. The most common ailment treated was epilepsy. The preponderance of the herbal remedies was prepared from infusion (53.4%). Leaf was the commonly used plant part (44.3%) and Marrubium vulgare L. (29.4%) was the species most commonly prescribed by indigenous healers. The results of this investigation revealed that indigenous communities living in the Rif are still reliant on plants to treat neurological diseases. These reported medicinal species can serve as a source for further investigations on these medicinal plant knowledge and future phytochemical, toxicological, and pharmacological studies.
Part of the book: Therapy Approaches in Neurological Disorders