Unraveling the ethnopharmacological potential of medicinal plants used in Algerian traditional medicine for urinary diseases

Introduction: Traditional medicine is gaining increasing importance worldwide for the management of various health conditions, including urinary diseases. Little is known about this traditional knowledge among Algerian populations, even though the country is very rich in terms of plant biodiversity and ethnicities. This study explored the beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge used in Algerian traditional ethnopharmacological practices for the treatment of urinary diseases. Method: Field studies were conducted between June 2017 to July 2020 using face-to-face semi structured interviews with 385 herbalists and traditional practitioners in 13 locations in Algeria. Results: The results revealed that 134 medicinal plants belonging to 121 genera and 53 families were used as traditional therapy for urinary diseases in Algeria. The most represented botanical families were Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae and Poaceae. The most cited plant species were Parietaria officinalis, Cucurbita maxima, Hordeum vulgare, Citrus limon, Olea europaea, Herniaria hirsuta, Allium cepa, and Urtica dioica. Nevertheless, on the basis of use reports and use value indices, Citrus limon, Parietaria officinalis, Hordeum vulgare, Allium cepa, Olea europaea, Cucurbita maxima, Herniaria hirsuta, Urtica dioica, and Petroselinum crispum were the most reported plant species . These species are used alone or in mixtures of two or more ingredients from different origins such as honey, olive oil, and goat milk. Our findings revealed several new therapeutic uses and new medicinal plants that are reported for the first time in the treatment of urinary diseases in Algeria. Conclusion: This is the first ethnopharmacological study documenting the Algerian traditional uses of herbal remedies for treating urinary diseases. Our findings are relevant for the discovery of novel therapeutical drugs.