Ras El Hanout: a theriac of therapeutic plants and spices - Qualitative and quantitative ethnobotanical investigation in the city of Meknes (Morocco)

Background: In Morocco, plants are not traditionally used in isolation, but rather in mixtures, like Ras El Hanout, an ancestral spice theriac from North Africa for culinary and medicinal use. The aim of this project is to preserve and enhance this heritage by means of a qualitative and quantitative ethnobotanical study exploring the ethnopharmacological information about its constituent plants. Methods: Sixty herbalists from Meknes city were interviewed to collect ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal information on the Ras El Hanout mixture using a semi-structured questionnaire and the free listing technique. A quantitative ethnobotanical study was also carried out by calculating various quantitative indices. In parallel, various databases were consulted to obtain information on the pharmacological activities and active ingredients of its constituent plants. Results: The results revealed that Ras El Hanout is used as a spice, an aphrodisiac, a tonic and to treat various illnesses. Its composition differs depending on the herbalist and the intended use, and it can contain up to 60 plants. The quantitative study showed that 10 species have a relative frequency of citation value equal to 1, with Cinnamomum cassia being the species with the highest use value (2.967). The highest informant agreement values (0.711) were obtained for the use of Ras El Hanout as an aphrodisiac and tonic. Conclusions: The species constituting Ras El Hanout are endowed with a range of biological activities thanks to their active ingredients, which explains the typical flavor and therapeutic effects of this mixture. However, to guarantee its safety and effectiveness, pharmacotoxicological studies are necessary. Keywords: Ras El Hanout, spice, therapeutic properties, mixture, Meknes, Morocco.