Title : The sale of medicinal and aromatic plants in the chlef region and phytochemical screening of a local plant Myrtus communis L
Abstract:
This work contributes to the knowledge of medicinal and aromatic plants sold by herbalists as well as a phytochemical screening of a local medicinal plant (Myrtus communis L.). A total of 64 plant species were identified and distributed among 32 families of which Lamiaceae represented 21.53% of the identified species. The results characterizing medicinal plants indicate that trees represented 54.42% of the plants recorded, 53.12% of the plants were cultivated, 53.40% of the plants were intended for therapeutic purposes, 66.67% of the plants sold were picked by the herbalist himself, 54% of herbalists evaluated the plants by their smells. The phytochemical screening of Myrtle leaves from both sources highlighted the presence of Tannins, Glucosides and alkaloids. The test for Steroids and Triterpenes was positive for Forest Myrtle and negative for that purchased from the herbalist. Flavonoids and Saponosides tests are negative for Myrtle leaves from both sources.
Keywords: medicinal plants, phytochemical screening, herbalists, ethnobotany, Myrtus communis
