Ethnobotanical Research on Medicinal Plants Used for Respiratory Diseases: Results of a Survey in Fez, Morocco

This work reports the results of an ethnobotanical survey conducted among the inhabitants of Fez, Morocco, on the traditional use of medicinal and aromatic plants in the treatment of respiratory system diseases. The respiratory conditions treated, in descending order of citation, are flu, bronchitis, cold, cough, pharyngitis, and asthma. Thirty-seven species grouped into 20 families were cited as effective for treating these various conditions. The Lamiaceae family, represented by 10 species, is the most frequently cited family. For treating flu, Matricaria chamomilla is the most commonly used; for colds, Zingiber officinale and Crocus sativus seem to be the most effective; for treating bronchitis, Eucalyptus globulus is the most commonly used; for pharyngitis and cough, Origanum vulgare is the most significant. Meanwhile, for asthma, Linum usitatissimum and Iris x germanica are the most effective. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) shows that these diseases form two groups: one composed of flu, bronchitis, and cold; and the other composed of asthma, pharyngitis, and cough. The plants associated with the first group are Salvia rosmarinus, Sambucus nigra, Thymus vulgaris, and Matricaria chamomilla; while the plants associated with the second group of diseases, represented by asthma, pharyngitis, and cough, are Glycyrrhiza glabra, Allium cepa, Origanum vulgare, Salvia officinalis, Linum usitatissimum, and Iris x germanica.