Ethnopharmacological study of medicinal plants used in the treatment of skin burns in occidental Morocco (area of Rabat)

An ethnopharmacological study reveals that traditional Moroccan herbalists rely on 36 medicinal plant species, primarily from the Lamiaceae and Asteraceae families, to treat skin burns. Among these, Pinus halepensis, Cynara humilis, and Salvia verbenaca are most frequently cited, with leaves commonly used in powdered form applied directly to burns. This is the first comprehensive survey of its kind in Morocco, documenting 20 plant species for the first time as anti-burn remedies. Conducted across six cities in the Rabat region between 2015 and 2018, the study involved 65 herbalists and employed semi-structured questionnaires to record traditional practices. The findings highlight the potential of these plants for pharmacological validation and the discovery of bioactive compounds.

Salhi, N., Bouyahya, A., Fettach, S., Zellou, A., & Cherrah, Y. (2019). Ethnopharmacological study of medicinal plants used in the treatment of skin burns in occidental Morocco (area of Rabat). South African Journal of Botany, 121, 128–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2018.10.038