**4. Discussion**

Popular medicine practice in the Rif region is diversified and rich. The floristic analysis showed that a total of 42 medicinal species belonging to 37 genera and 23 botanical families were commonly utilized by local people in the therapy of cystitis. The botanical family Lamiaceae was described by the most important number of medicinal plants (6 species). The dominance of Lamiaceae might reflect a rich bioactive ingredient and a wide variety of phytochemical compounds in the species taxa belonging to this family. Scientific studies on these plant families could provide insights into their rich phytoconstituents and understandings of the pharmacological actions of their active compounds. These results are in general agreement with ethnomedicinal inventories which indicated that the most prominent family was Lamiaceae [11, 20–24].

The most commonly used plant species were *Marrubium vulgare* L. the most common significant (29.4%) followed by *Allium cepa* L. (23.1%), *Matricaria chamomilla* L. (21.2%), *Linum usitatissimum* L. (20.5%), and *Rosmarinus officinalis* L. (19.8%). According to many authors, all these plants have phytochemical components with effects on the nervous system [25]. They contain flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins terpenoids, steroids, and cardiac glycosides. These chemical constituents were considered as the main bioactive compounds of medicinal plants [26]. These chemical contents could be responsible for the traditional use of this plant. Indeed, alkaloids are the most known molecules possessing psychoactive properties [27]. Likewise, some flavonoids, terpenoids, and steroids were quoted to have a psychoactive effect [28, 29]. These chemical constituents intervene to disturb neurotransmitter activities. Moreover, our investigations showed that medicinal plant species that were used by a single or few informants tend to have lower use values than the more prevalent species as shown in **Table 2**. This can imply that some medicinal plant knowledge was maintained and used by a specific traditional healer of Rif's people. However, Tardio et al. [30] stated that a plant with a low use value could be a very important plant for a few people. Therefore, the study of

**131**

northern Morocco.

**5. Conclusion**

*Neurological Phytotherapy by Indigenous People of Rif, Morocco*

categories of epilepsy problems and headache problems.

species that could be efficient in treating a particular ailment [37].

cancels the toxic effect of certain recipes.

study area of traditional medicinal practice [31].

culturally important medicinal plants could provide a deeper understanding of the

The medicinal plants that are widely used by the people of Rif have higher use values than those that are less popular. The highest value of use indicates that plant species are mostly preferred for the study population to treat a given disease. There are 28 plant species highly cited for neurological disorders that should be taken into further consideration through phytochemical, pharmaceutical, and biological studies to evaluate more data regarding their efficacy and authenticity. The present study showed a high degree of agreement among interviewees especially in the

The reported ailments were grouped into 4 categories based on the information gathered from the interviews. The highest use value was obtained for epilepsy (1 142 use reports, 21 species). These data correspond to those of other ethnopharmacological studies [12, 24, 32–36], which revealed that these pathologies are well-known and treated in the traditional medicine of many countries. The informant consensus values also indicated that the people share the knowledge of the most important medicinal plant species to treat the most frequently encountered neurological diseases in the study area. The agreement information reflects the homogeneity of information provided by different indigenous people regarding medicinal species used to treat a category of ailments. High agreement information is correlated to

The analyses of results revealed that leaf is the most frequently used part of the plants (44.3%), followed by bark (11.5%), aerial parts (10.3%). The selection of leaves was due to its natural availability, easy gathering, and simplicity in herbal remedy preparation. Besides, the leaves are the seat of the photosynthesis and sometimes the storage of the secondary metabolites responsible for the biological properties of the plant. Similar findings indicated leaf as a major dominant plant part in Morocco [22, 38–41] or Africa [36, 42–44] for herbal medicine preparation. In the Rif, infusion remains the most dominant method of preparation (41.6%), (53.4%), followed by cataplasm (24.4%), and decoction (22.2%). Infusion is the most common preparation method that is used by traditional healers in other ethnobotanical studies at national and international scales [22–24, 45–48]. These results show that the local population believes in infusion mode and found it suitable for heating the body and disinfecting the plants [49]. On the other hand, the decoction allows collection the most for the active ingredient and attenuates or

In our study, 68% of the population acquired knowledge about the medicinal use of plants as a remedy for neurological diseases through others' experiences. This reflects the relative transmission of traditional practices from a generation to the next one; the environment and others' experience remain therefore the most effec-

The strength of this study is to discover and assess the knowledge and use of medicinal plants in the treatment of neurological diseases in the Rif region of

The present study revealed a very rich indigenous knowledge in terms of traditional herbal medicine used by indigenous people in the study area. The identified natural products used in Rif's communities are a potential source of a novel class of drugs for the treatment of neurological disorders. Based on results, plants scoring high use values should be further tested for their phytochemical

tive means to transmit knowledge about medicinal purposes of plants.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97175*

### *Neurological Phytotherapy by Indigenous People of Rif, Morocco DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97175*

*Therapy Approaches in Neurological Disorders*

cataplasm (24.4%), and decoction (22.2%).

*Medicinal plants are used to treat different disease categories.*

were collected as both wild and cultivated.

**3.7 Source of medicinal plants**

**4. Discussion**

**Table 3.**

Lamiaceae [11, 20–24].

practicing 3 different types of preparation methods. The results showed that the majority of remedies (53.4%) were prepared from infusion (42.12%), followed by

**Categories Number of taxa Number of citations** Epilepsy (EL) 21 1 142 Headache (HC) 20 950 Sciatica (SC) 9 389 Meningitis (MG) 6 210

Most of the medicinal plant species recorded in this study grow wild in that region. These species are generally collected at high-mountainous elevation in the highlands surrounding the Rif. Thirteen species (31%) were collected in the wild, 10 plants were cultivated (23.8%), 5 taxa were introduced (11.9%) and 14 (33.3%)

Popular medicine practice in the Rif region is diversified and rich. The floristic analysis showed that a total of 42 medicinal species belonging to 37 genera and 23 botanical families were commonly utilized by local people in the therapy of cystitis. The botanical family Lamiaceae was described by the most important number of medicinal plants (6 species). The dominance of Lamiaceae might reflect a rich bioactive ingredient and a wide variety of phytochemical compounds in the species taxa belonging to this family. Scientific studies on these plant families could provide insights into their rich phytoconstituents and understandings of the pharmacological actions of their active compounds. These results are in general agreement with ethnomedicinal inventories which indicated that the most prominent family was

The most commonly used plant species were *Marrubium vulgare* L. the most common significant (29.4%) followed by *Allium cepa* L. (23.1%), *Matricaria chamomilla* L. (21.2%), *Linum usitatissimum* L. (20.5%), and *Rosmarinus officinalis* L. (19.8%). According to many authors, all these plants have phytochemical components with effects on the nervous system [25]. They contain flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins terpenoids, steroids, and cardiac glycosides. These chemical constituents were considered as the main bioactive compounds of medicinal plants [26]. These chemical contents could be responsible for the traditional use of this plant. Indeed, alkaloids are the most known molecules possessing psychoactive properties [27]. Likewise, some flavonoids, terpenoids, and steroids were quoted to have a psychoactive effect [28, 29]. These chemical constituents intervene to disturb neurotransmitter activities. Moreover, our investigations showed that medicinal plant species that were used by a single or few informants tend to have lower use values than the more prevalent species as shown in **Table 2**. This can imply that some medicinal plant knowledge was maintained and used by a specific traditional healer of Rif's people. However, Tardio et al. [30] stated that a plant with a low use value could be a very important plant for a few people. Therefore, the study of

**130**

culturally important medicinal plants could provide a deeper understanding of the study area of traditional medicinal practice [31].

The medicinal plants that are widely used by the people of Rif have higher use values than those that are less popular. The highest value of use indicates that plant species are mostly preferred for the study population to treat a given disease. There are 28 plant species highly cited for neurological disorders that should be taken into further consideration through phytochemical, pharmaceutical, and biological studies to evaluate more data regarding their efficacy and authenticity. The present study showed a high degree of agreement among interviewees especially in the categories of epilepsy problems and headache problems.

The reported ailments were grouped into 4 categories based on the information gathered from the interviews. The highest use value was obtained for epilepsy (1 142 use reports, 21 species). These data correspond to those of other ethnopharmacological studies [12, 24, 32–36], which revealed that these pathologies are well-known and treated in the traditional medicine of many countries. The informant consensus values also indicated that the people share the knowledge of the most important medicinal plant species to treat the most frequently encountered neurological diseases in the study area. The agreement information reflects the homogeneity of information provided by different indigenous people regarding medicinal species used to treat a category of ailments. High agreement information is correlated to species that could be efficient in treating a particular ailment [37].

The analyses of results revealed that leaf is the most frequently used part of the plants (44.3%), followed by bark (11.5%), aerial parts (10.3%). The selection of leaves was due to its natural availability, easy gathering, and simplicity in herbal remedy preparation. Besides, the leaves are the seat of the photosynthesis and sometimes the storage of the secondary metabolites responsible for the biological properties of the plant. Similar findings indicated leaf as a major dominant plant part in Morocco [22, 38–41] or Africa [36, 42–44] for herbal medicine preparation.

In the Rif, infusion remains the most dominant method of preparation (41.6%), (53.4%), followed by cataplasm (24.4%), and decoction (22.2%). Infusion is the most common preparation method that is used by traditional healers in other ethnobotanical studies at national and international scales [22–24, 45–48]. These results show that the local population believes in infusion mode and found it suitable for heating the body and disinfecting the plants [49]. On the other hand, the decoction allows collection the most for the active ingredient and attenuates or cancels the toxic effect of certain recipes.

In our study, 68% of the population acquired knowledge about the medicinal use of plants as a remedy for neurological diseases through others' experiences. This reflects the relative transmission of traditional practices from a generation to the next one; the environment and others' experience remain therefore the most effective means to transmit knowledge about medicinal purposes of plants.

The strength of this study is to discover and assess the knowledge and use of medicinal plants in the treatment of neurological diseases in the Rif region of northern Morocco.

### **5. Conclusion**

The present study revealed a very rich indigenous knowledge in terms of traditional herbal medicine used by indigenous people in the study area. The identified natural products used in Rif's communities are a potential source of a novel class of drugs for the treatment of neurological disorders. Based on results, plants scoring high use values should be further tested for their phytochemical

and pharmacological investigation. It is important to promote clarity of the general indigenous public, particularly the practitioners of traditional medicine, on the causes, symptoms, and possibilities of treatments for neurological diseases. Therefore, protection measures should be adopted for the conservation of multipurpose and other medicinal plant species. The young generation should be mobilized toward learning ethnomedicinal practices before its extinction.
