Abstract

Study was conducted from July, 2011 to March, 2012 to explore and enumerate the medicinal uses of some plants in folkloric medicine of Hoggar (Algerian Sahara). Semi-structured questionnaires were used to conduct interviews with traditional healers, herb sellers and other knowledgeable individuals on use of medicinal plants. The informants (100) consist of 63% females and 37% males of which 6% were traditional healers, 6% herb sellers, and 7% tourist guides while the others were knowledgeable individuals on medicinal plant utilization. A total of 31 plant genera belonging to 15 different families were recorded where Lamiaceae 19 (35%), Astéraceae 16 (12%), and Zygophylaceae 12 (90%) were the important families. This study provides preliminary data for further phytochemical investigation of wild plants with therapeutic potentials. Little data presented on the common usage of plants in Algeria Sahara, not only those elements of credibility to be attributed to the plants cited, also illustrated some endemic interesting plants were traditionally used for curing various health disorders in Tamanrasset (Hoggar).

Key words: Algeria, Hoggar, ethnomedicinal use, medicinal plants, Tamanrasset.