Ethnobotany and floristic study of medicinal plants used in the treatment of respiratory diseases in the industrial region (Arzew) Oran, Algeria

The present study was carried out with the aim of making a complete inventory of medicinal plants and their therapeutic uses in the region of Arzew, Algeria using the series of ethnobotanical surveys. The survey targeted 500 people from the local population, of which 279 people use medicinal plants (56%) and 151 people use modern medicine (30%) and 70 people use both medicines (14.00%). Thus, the survey identified 65 plant species belonging to 32 families, including the Lamiaceae, which are the majority, followed by Apiaceae and Fabaceae. The foliage is the most used part and the majority of the remedies; it is prepared in the form of decoction. This study highlights the medicinal plants used in the treatment of respiratory ailments with a rate of 40%. The results obtained constitute a valuable source of information for the region studied and for the national medicinal flora. This could be a database for further research in the fields of phytochemistry and pharmacology and for the purpose of seeking new natural substances.