Medicinal plant diversity and uses in the region of Tamalous (Northeast of Algeria)

In order to inventory the medicinal flora and preserve the phytotherapeutic knowledge of the region of Tamalous, this study was undertaken on the basis of a sample made up of 300 users of medicinal plants where the majority of them are women, aged between 40 and 60 years old, married, illiterate and unemployed. The analysis of the questionnaires allowed the census of 101 species divided into 46 families and the most cited plants are: Myrtus communis L., Pistacia lentiscus L., Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter, Angelica officinalis L., Lavandula stoechas L., Thymus vulgaris L. and Carlina gummifera (L.) Less. The results obtained have shown that the most used part of the plant is the leaf (43%). In addition, the decoction is the most used preparation method (46%), gastrointestinal disorders represent the most treated diseases by listed plants (28%). Finally, the calculation of some ethnobotanical parameters allowed us to observe the wide use of Angelica officinalis L. (UV = 1.02) to treat different diseases, the specificity of Carlina gummifera (L.) Less. Against dermatological disorders (FL = 100%), and thus the consensus of users with respect to the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases (ICF = 0.98).