Ethnomedicinal plants of Bechar, southwest Algeria: Quantitative assessment of traditional knowledge, informant consensus, and candidate species for pharmacological validation

Authors

  • Fethi Toul University of Tahri Mohammed, Bechar
  • Abdelkader Guenaïa Laboratory of Biological Resources and Food Security in Semi-Arid Areas of southwestern Algeria, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria. and Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria.
  • Saïf Gouri Laboratory of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria and Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria.
  • Mebarka Hanane Mouslim Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria.
  • Fatima Zohra Sanebaoui Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria.
  • Ali Boulenouar Laboratory of Biological Resources and Food Security in Semi-Arid Areas of southwestern Algeria, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria and Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria.
  • Bouziane Terfaya Laboratory of Biological Resources and Food Security in Semi-Arid Areas of southwestern Algeria, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria and Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria.

Abstract

Background: Traditional medicinal knowledge in arid and semi-arid regions represents an underexplored reservoir for drug discovery. However, the systematic evaluation of multiple therapeutic systems within a single pharmacopoeia remains limited. This ethnopharmacological assessment prioritizes high-consensus treatments to guide future pharmacological investigation.

Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted from February to June 2023 across six municipalities of Bechar. Data were collected through structured interviews with 175 informants (traditional healers, herborists, phytotherapists, and herbal medicine enthusiasts) and subsequently documented and analyzed using Use Value (UV), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), and Fidelity Level (FL) indices. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and regression modeling.

Results: Ninety-nine (99) medicinal plant species demonstrated therapeutic applications across seven major organ systems. High-consensus treatments (ICF ≥0.80) were identified for respiratory conditions (ICF=0.89, 28 plants) and gastrointestinal disorders (ICF=0.84, 52 plants). Ceratonia siliqua demonstrated the highest fidelity level for gastric ulcers (FL=95%). Secondary therapeutic areas included parasitic infections (22 plants, ICF=0.76), skin conditions (31 plants), and urogenital dysfunction (18 plants). Age-stratified analysis revealed significant intergenerational knowledge erosion (UV >50 years: 0.52±0.18 vs <35 years: 0.31±0.15; p<0.001). Combination formulations (75% of treatments) incorporated 2-15 plants, suggesting a potential synergistic therapeutic approach based on traditional polyherbal practice.

Conclusions: This multi-system ethnopharmacological assessment identified medicinal plants with high consensus and strong quantitative prioritization for the treatment of respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders. High informant consensus factors and fidelity levels provide a quantitative basis for prioritizing species for future pharmacological study. Urgent documentation is essential to preserve endangered ethnomedicinal knowledge and rapid cultural erosion.

Keywords: Ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, high-consensus treatments, medicinal plants, Bechar, Algeria.

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Published

2026-05-24

How to Cite

Toul, F., Guenaïa, A., Gouri, S., Mouslim, M. H., Sanebaoui, F. Z., Boulenouar, A., & Terfaya, B. (2026). Ethnomedicinal plants of Bechar, southwest Algeria: Quantitative assessment of traditional knowledge, informant consensus, and candidate species for pharmacological validation. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 34, 1–43. Retrieved from https://www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/index.php/era/article/view/7910

Issue

Vol. 34 (2026)

Section

Research

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