Ethnobotanical utilization of Alhagi maurorum Medik. in traditional recipes of Algerian Sahara Illizi Wilaya
Résumé
Alhagi maurorum Medik. (Fabaceae) is a spontaneous shrub native to the region extending from Russia to the Mediterranean and used by rural and Saharan Algerian people for its medicinal effects. This study aims to document the medicinal uses of A. maurorum in Illizi (southern Algeria). Ethnobotanical survey was carried out in Illizi between June and September 2018 through face-to-face interviews with 73 residents and traditional practitioners, using prepared questionnaire and specimen indexed of the plant. The data collected were analyzed using χ2 test of independence to study the association between categorical variables. Findings revealed four local names for this plant, the main one being Atjer (57.98%), and the preferential use of leaves (59.42%) and seeds (37.58%). It is consumed mainly by illiterate people (82.60%) over 55 years of age (56.52%) and to treat various ailments such as fever (28.99%) and gastrointestinal disorders (26.08%). The majority of remedies are prepared in the form of a macerate (43.47%). Recorded ethnomedicinal properties of the plant should be subjects of further pharmacological studies to validate their popular use.