Complimentary Herbal Treatments Used in Meknes-Tafilalet Region (Morocco) to Manage Cancer

Abstract

In Morocco, the use of folk medicine and phytotherapy is very common to treat several diseases including cancer. The aim of our study was to perform an ethnobotanical investigation of the plants used in traditional medicine to treat cancer in the region of Meknès-Tafilalet. Methods. An ethnobotanical survey has been conducted in Meknès-Tafilalet region (Meknès, Errachidia, Moulay Idriss, Khenifra, Ifrane and Azrou). Information was gathered from traditional healers, herbalists, patients and users of medicinal plants using semi-structures questionnaires. Results. Our study demonstrates that the practice of phytotherapy for the treatment of diseases and cancer in particular is important since 68.5% of the informants indicated using medicinal plants. In addition, our study reports that 35 different plants, belonging to 23 botanical families, are used in the Meknes-Tafilalet region. Of those, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Liliaceae and Fabaceae are the most used families. In addition, we show that Aristolochia longa is the plant mainly used to treat cancer specifically. Our data indicate that leaves and seeds (respectively 36.9% and 28.6%) are the parts of the plants mainly used, largely processed in powder (76.9%). Our data indicate that despite unprecise data on the posology, adverse effects are seen only in 15% of the cases. Conclusion. Our study is an essential documentation on traditional use of medicinal plants in Meknes-Tafilalet region that will contribute to the preservation of the ancestral knowledge and will promote protection of biodiversity of this region.