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Ethnobotany and Relative Importance of Some Endemic Plant Species at El-Jabal El-Akhdar Region (Libya)
Abstract
2 Abstract: The aim of the present study was to identify endemic plant species among the diverse flora of El-Jabal El-Akhdar ecosystem that are used economically and therapeutically. Current data revealed that the total number of endemic species surveyed in the region was 44 species, belonging to 28 families and 41 genera. The species were traditionally used for medicinal and non-medicinal purposes. Twenty one medicinal uses were recorded for 12 species mentioned in the present study and 7 non-medicinal uses were also mentioned. The therapeutic indications attributed to the species were classified under 8 body systems. The main indications for medicinal plant use were against common colds, asthma, kidney problems, skin inflammations, liver diseases and hypertension. Seven plant species were versatile in relation to their medicinal use, with a Relativ e Importance value over 1, having been indicated for up to seven body systems. The body systems that stood out the most were: the cardiovascular system, the immunity systems and infectious diseases. Most cited plant parts used for medicinal purposes were flowers, leaves and tubers.
... 22 In the northern part of the Cyrenaica region, the Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar (Green Mountain) area is located. 23 N. cyrenaica was listed as one of 44 endemic species valuable as honey-bearing plants in the Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar area. 23 Gomes et al. 6 also mentioned that N. cyrenaica and Nepeta tuberosa attract important pollinators, valuable in honey production. ...
... 23 N. cyrenaica was listed as one of 44 endemic species valuable as honey-bearing plants in the Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar area. 23 Gomes et al. 6 also mentioned that N. cyrenaica and Nepeta tuberosa attract important pollinators, valuable in honey production. ...
... After a literature search, we concluded that this compound was previously found in Prostanthera rotundifolia (Lamiaceae). 54 Interestingly, no flavonoid glycosides were detected in the N. cyrenaica extract, but there are a total of six flavonoid aglycones (22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27). All of them have the structure of methylated flavones, and all six have already been detected in Nepeta species (Table S1). ...
Introduction:
The endemic species Nepeta cyrenaica Quézel & Zaffran, native to northeastern Libya, is valued as an important honey-bearing plant.
Objectives:
This study was aimed to examine the micromorphology, phytochemistry, and bioactivity of in vitro-propagated N. cyrenaica for the first time.
Materials and methods:
The leaf indumentum was examined using light and scanning electron microscopy and further characterised for histochemistry. The chemical composition of essential oil (EO) was performed using GC-MS analysis, while dichloromethane (DCM), methanol (ME), ethanol (ET), and aqueous (AQ) extracts were analysed using qualitative and quantitative LC/MS analyses. The antioxidant activities of EO and extracts were assessed using three parallel assays, while enzyme-inhibiting effects were evaluated against four enzymes.
Results:
The leaves bear various types of glandular trichomes, with lipophilic secretion predominating. The main EO component of EO was 1,8-cineole. A considerable number of phenolics and iridoids were tentatively identified in the ME extract. Quantitative LC/MS analysis confirmed that ferulic acid, rosmarinic acid, and epigallocatechin gallate were present in the highest amount in the extracts, in which three iridoids were also quantified. Although the ME extract contained the highest amount of polyphenolics and iridoids, the DCM extract showed the best overall biological potential. Additionally, EO exerted the strongest acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase inhibition.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrated that the endemic N. cyrenaica can be efficiently grown under in vitro conditions, where it develops various glandular trichomes that are thought to secrete and/or accumulate bioactive compounds with valuable medicinal potential.
... Libya occupies an area of about 1,759,540 km 2 , approximately 94.72% of its land is desert and 5.28% is the Mediterranean coastal strip from the Tunisian to The Egyptian borders (El-Darier & El-Mogaspi, 2009;Boulos, 1972). Although 94.72% of the total area of Libya is desert, the Libyan flora is diverse. ...
... According to the number of species in each genus in the study area, the most represented genera are Limonium represented by 4 species (4.71%) of the total taxa, followed by Euphorbia has 3 species (3.52%) and Lathyrus has 3 species (3.52%) as well, the rest of genera are represented by 2 or 1 species each as presented in Table 2. Endemism: my survey of Wadi Abo Alakmal identified several plants of special interest. Notably, a number of 2 recorded species are considered as endemic to Libya such as Echinops cyreaicus E. A. and Limonium cyrenaicum (Rouy) Brullo, representing 2.66% of total endemic plant in Libya, which is fairly low in comparison of total number of endemic taxa 81 species (Mahklouf & Etayeb, 2018;El-Darier & El-Mogaspi, 2009). While, only one nearendemic taxa was recorded in this research namely; Limonium tubiflorum (Delile) Kuntze, representing 8.33% of total near-endemic taxa in Libya which is 12 species, representing 0.6% of Libyan flora (Saaed et al, 2019). ...
This work was conducted along Wadi Abo Alakmal in north Libya on the Mediterranean coastal region. The aim of the present study is to assess the floristic composition and plant diversity of the Wadi Abo Alakmal basin. The floristic studies carried out in the vegetation season from 2022 to 2024 led to the identification of 85 plant taxa belonging to 66 genera and 27 botanical families. The predominant families are Asteraceae with 14 species (16.47%), followed by Fabaceae 12 species (14.11%) and Amaranthaceae 9 species (10.58%). Furthermore, the most dominant genera were Limonium with 4 species (4.71%) of the recorded species, followed by Euphorbia and Lathyrus 3 species (3.52%) each. Two endemic taxa (Echinops cyreaicus E. A. and Limonium cyrenaicum (Rouy) Brullo) and one near-endemic taxa (Limonium tubiflorum (Delile) Kuntze) have been collected in the present research. Data of the present study revealed that perennials had the highest contribution (49.41%) than annuals (47.05%). In addition, the most frequent life span class was herbs 45 species (52.94%), followed by shrubs 30 species (35.29%) and sub-shrubs 10 species (11.76%). Regarding the life forms spectra, Therophytes had the highest records with 39 species (45.88%), followed by Chamaephytes with 24 species (28.23%) and Phanerophytes with 12 species (14.11%). Furthermore, Chorotype spectrum analysis of the recorded flora has shown that dominance of the Monoregional (55.29%) of the total flora, followed by the Biregional (35.29%) and finally Pluriregional (9.41%). In conclusion, this research shows that even small portion of the Mediterranean cost such as Wadi Abo Alakmal has high species diversity. In addition, this study provide data on floristic diversity for effective implementation of conservation approaches in study area.
Keywords: Chorotype, Flora, Plant diversity, Wadi Abo Alakmal, Tobruk-Libya.
... Libya. The rhizomes are used as food [27]. Arum dioscoridis Sm. ...
... The leaves are boiled in water, which is later discarded and then cooked (like spinach) [28]. The leaves are cooked with wheat, yogurt, flour, and chickpeas, and soured and cooked as a soup [27]. The leaves are also used in soup after prolonged cooking (Izmit) [46]. ...
(1) Background. Although Arum spp. are toxic in their raw state, they are sometimes used as food within their native ranges. (2) Methods. We review the available literature in order to provide an overview of its use and detoxification procedures worldwide. (3) Results. The food use of lords-and-ladies was already mentioned by Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Matthioli, Durante, Gerard, and Sirennius. In the references concerning 19th–21st-century use, seven species were identified: A. cyrenaicum, A. discoridis, A. italicum, A. maculatum, A. orientale, A. palaestinum, and A. rupicola. Past or current culinary use of the plant has been recorded in Morocco, Libya, the United Kingdom, the Scilly Islands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Romania, Ukraine (including Crimea), Czechia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Georgia, Türkiye, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, and Iran. (4) In Europe, rhizomes were used, mainly as a famine food. In SW Asia, the aerial parts remain an important element of local cuisine. Several detoxification procedures are used before consumption, such as prolonged boiling, often involving straining the boiled water and lowering the pH with lemon juice, sumac, citric acid, sorrel leaves, or pomegranate juice. (5) Conclusions. Further studies are needed to assess the safety of Arum use and record traditional local recipes in SW Asia.
... In Libya, the genus Arum is represented by one species, Arum cyrenaicum. Arum cyrenaicum ( commonly known as Renish) is identified and classified as a wild species that is only concentrated in Al Aljabal Al-Akhdar region, northeast Libya [30], due to its unique geography and climate [31]. Local people used Arum cyrenaicum to decorate their gardens and consume its corms as food [30]. ...
... Arum cyrenaicum ( commonly known as Renish) is identified and classified as a wild species that is only concentrated in Al Aljabal Al-Akhdar region, northeast Libya [30], due to its unique geography and climate [31]. Local people used Arum cyrenaicum to decorate their gardens and consume its corms as food [30]. Since 1977, the morphological analysis of Arum cyrenaicum has not been studied [32]. ...
Arum cyrenaicum is a native species found in Al Aljabal Al-Akhdar region, NE Libya. Despite the toxicity of Arum cyrenaicum, Libyans use it extensively for medicinal purposes, garden decoration and in traditional dishes. There is limited research on Arum cyrenaicum. The present review summarizes phytochemical studies of the plant and discusses in detail the pharmacological activities of 7 published findings. To provide information about Arum cyrenaicum, a literature search was conducted on electronic databases and google scholar.
... Libyan flora is consisting of around 2000 plant species and most of them (more than 50%) are occurring in El-Gabal Al-Akhdar area (Cyrenaica district) (Qaiser and A. El-Gadi 1984). During the past years, different studies were conducted to explore the Libyan flora and vegetation cover, especially of wadis (Ali & Jafri 1977;Asker 1998;El-Darier and El-Mogaspi, 2009;El-Barasi, et al., 2003;El shatshat et al., 2009;Alaib et al., 2017;Al-Traboulsil, and Alaib 2021). ...
... Plants form the coverage or grow on the Wadi channel and the banks like Juniperus phoenicea, Cedrus atlantica, Pistacia lentiscus, Arbutus pavarii, Olea europaea, Myrtus communis, Quercus coccifera and Cupressus sempervirens, were also eroded through the water run-off. Due to rich vegetation of Al-Kuf valley (Wadi), and its floristic composition, a number of plants which mentioned as medicinal value (Al-Traboulsil and Alaib 2021), threatened or endemic plants (El-Darier and El-Mogaspi, 2009; AL rishi 2022) are most strongly influenced. Table 2 shows plant species including endemic and medicinal plants which thought to be affected by different degrees of devastation. ...
Cyclones and flooding are massive impacts of climatic changes. In September 2023, Storm Daniel stroked El-Gabal El-Akhdar area, Libya, with windy strong and heavy rain storm (70-80 km/h.) and caused flash floods in several cities and valleys (Wadis). This led to catastrophic influences on different levels including soil and vegetation coverage erosion in the area. The research aims to detect the spatial change of vegetation in Wadi AlKuf before and after the storm through the analysis of space visuals using ArcGIS with applications of The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) technique, and other methods. The results revealed that the study area was strongly affected by the storm and because of the heavy soil erosion, a number of different plant species, which form the natural vegetation on the slopes and wadi channel and banks were gone with water runoff. These plants include the following maquis shrub-land like Juniperus phoenicea, Pistacia lentiscus, Arbutus pavarii, Olea europaea, Myrtus communis, Quercus coccifera, Cupressus sempervirens and others which classified on IUCN red list. According to the calculations of the vegetation index (NDVI) and the mapping that reveals the change in the area of vegetation, the vegetative loss was estimated to reach about 30.75 Km 2 .
... Libyan flora is consisting of around 2000 plant species and most of them (more than 50%) are occurring in El-Gabal Al-Akhdar area (Cyrenaica district) (Qaiser and A. El-Gadi 1984). During the past years, different studies were conducted to explore the Libyan flora and vegetation cover, especially of wadis (Ali & Jafri 1977;Asker 1998;El-Darier and El-Mogaspi, 2009;El-Barasi, et al., 2003;El shatshat et al., 2009;Alaib et al., 2017;Al-Traboulsil, and Alaib 2021). ...
... Plants form the coverage or grow on the Wadi channel and the banks like Juniperus phoenicea, Cedrus atlantica, Pistacia lentiscus, Arbutus pavarii, Olea europaea, Myrtus communis, Quercus coccifera and Cupressus sempervirens, were also eroded through the water run-off. Due to rich vegetation of Al-Kuf valley (Wadi), and its floristic composition, a number of plants which mentioned as medicinal value (Al-Traboulsil and Alaib 2021), threatened or endemic plants (El-Darier and El-Mogaspi, 2009; AL rishi 2022) are most strongly influenced. Table 2 shows plant species including endemic and medicinal plants which thought to be affected by different degrees of devastation. ...
Cyclones and flooding are massive impacts of climatic changes. In September 2023, Storm Daniel stroked El-Gabal El-Akhdar area, Libya, with windy strong and heavy rain storm (70-80 km/h.) and caused flash floods in several cities and valleys (Wadis). This led to catastrophic influences on different levels including soil and vegetation coverage erosion in the area. The research aims to detect the spatial change of vegetation in Wadi AlKuf before and after the storm through the analysis of space visuals using ArcGIS with applications of The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) technique, and other methods. The results revealed that the study area was strongly affected by the storm and because of the heavy soil erosion, a number of different plant species, which form the natural vegetation on the slopes and wadi channel and banks were gone with water runoff. These plants include the following maquis shrub-land like Juniperus phoenicea, Pistacia lentiscus, Arbutus pavarii, Olea europaea, Myrtus communis, Quercus coccifera, Cupressus sempervirens and others which classified on IUCN red list. According to the calculations of the vegetation index (NDVI) and the mapping that reveals the change in the area of vegetation, the vegetative loss was estimated to reach about 30.75 Km 2 .
... Furthermore, these families are cosmopolitan in distribution (Mahklouf et al., 2020), and it was noted that there was a similarity in the results with the previous studies in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar areas such as Al Mansora and Jarjar oma regions (Dahkel, 2014), Boras region (Alzerbi & Alaib., 2017), Al-Agar Valley . The results of the survey showed dominance Therophytes (48%) includes 93 species, followed by Chamaephytes, which has 29 species representing about (15%) then Geophytes represent about (11%) including 21 species, and it was noted that there was a similarity in the results with the previous studies (Dahkel,2014) in Al Mansora and Jarjar oma regions , (Omar et al ., 2020) in Wadi Al-Hamar and (El-Darier & El-Mogaspi, 2009) in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar areas, cold winter in the region may explain why Therophytes were dominant followed by Chamaephytes (Whitaker,1975). study (Mahklouf & Sh-hoob, 2023), also proved that there was a clear positive relationship between Therophytes and the Mediterranean climate because species the Therophytes annual complete their life cycle in a single season and can adapt to high temperatures and the dry summer in The Mediterranean climate which represents the climate of the study area. ...
... Journal of Herbal Medicine xxx (xxxx) (Fig. 3) following the findings of ethnobotanical research carried out in North African countries such as Algeria, Morocco, and Libya. A preponder-ance of Apiaceae, Fabaceae, and Asteraceae plants was found (Salhi et al., 2019;Hamza., 2019;El-Darier and El-Mogaspi, 2009). For the first time, we are revealing that the people in the investigated region have used most of these eight species to treat urinary diseases: Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) ...
... The flowers of A. pavarii are an important economic source of pollen grains and nectar for bees [16]. Locally, the species is used for the treatment of gastritis and renal infections [17,35]. El shatshat and Elshibani [15] found a high content of antioxidants, vitamins A, E, and C, and phenolic compounds in the ripe and unripe fruits of A. pavarii. ...
Climate change is expected to significantly alter and modify the ecological conditions of plant distribution and growth, particularly in the Mediterranean Basin, which is considered one of the hot spots for global warming. Measuring and modeling the response (sensitivity) of wild plants to current and future climate is critical to predicting future biodiversity and ecological values. Arbutus pavarii Pamp. (family Ericaceae) is a narrow endemic Libyan medicinal plant and one of the Red List species according to the IUCN that faces the threats of extinction due to habitat deterioration, overuse, and low reproductive rates. In this study, the species distribution model (SDM) approach was used to model and forecast range shifts in Arbutus pavarii under current and future climate change scenarios at various Shared Socio-economic Pathways SSP1-2.6 (lowest emission scenario) and SSP5-8.5 (highest emission scenario) for the years 2050s and 2070s. The modeling results indicate that the current highly suitable areas of the plant will decrease in the future compared to the low and moderate ones. The distribution range of A. pavarii will increase under lower emission scenarios (SSP1-2.6, 2050s) by 1.12% but under higher emission scenarios (SSP5-8.5, 2070s), the suitability of the habitat will decrease by 1.39%. Given the low reproductive fitness and the anticipated rise in air temperature, A. pavarii is likely to encounter greater challenges in its natural existence and dispersal. Lands with high elevation and precipitation are suitable for its future distribution. We recommend further ecophysiological and tree-ring studies on this species to investigate its growth-climate relationship and performance under drought conditions. The in-situ conservation of A. pavarii as well as its cultivation in the projected high and moderate habitats are recommended. Local community engagement may be beneficial in any conservation program for this species.
Supplementary Information
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-025-02370-2.
... Indeed, other ethnobotanical research has confirmed the significance of these key families in Morocco, 24,25,42 and in the Arab Maghreb. [43][44][45] The results of the ethnobotanical study in the Tangier ...
Plants have been invaluable natural resources for nutrients and therapeutic compounds, playing a vital role in traditional medicine worldwide. In the Tanger-Tétouan region (Tanger-Assilah, Tétouan, Fahs-Anjra, and M’diq-Fnideq), aromatic and medicinal plants are integral to addressing various health issues. However, ethnobotanical knowledge of this region remains underexplored. This study aims to document ethnobotanical knowledge in the Tangier-Tetouan region, northern, Morocco. The surveys were conducted using 765 questionnaires across two campaigns in 2023 and 2024. The study documented the medicinal and aromatic plants used in the region, based on data collected from 760 participants belonging to diverse socio-demographics between November 2023 and September 2024. Using structured questionnaires and analytical metrics, including Frequency of Citation (FC), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), and Use Value (UV), the study identified 171 plant species across 55 botanical families, with Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, and Poaceae being predominant. Commonly used species include Thymus satureioides, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Salvia officinalis. Leaves, fruits, and seeds were the main parts used, primarily for gastrointestinal and respiratory ailments. Traditional remedies were mostly administered orally as decoctions or infusions. Approximately half of the respondents reported satisfaction with the treatments' effectiveness. This research highlights the continued relevance of plant-based remedies and provides a foundation for pharmacological studies to explore bioactive compounds, potentially contributing to pharmaceutical development or offering natural alternatives in modern medicine.
... The obtained results indicated that the honey samples contain most effective compounds had a greater ability to neutralize free radicals [24,26,23]. [52]. This honey has a potent antimicrobial activity against some microorganisms [17,18,19]. ...
In this study, seven honey samples from three different cities of East Libya were collected in order to evaluate their biochemical properties and antioxidant activities. The results show that the proline content ranged from 77.32-222.43 mg/kg. The total phenolic and total flavonoid contents ranged from 62.75-156.30 mg/100 g and from 13.94-78.31 mg/100 g, respectively. While the carotenoids content ranged from 1.0 to 7.38 mg/kg. The antioxidant activities of Libyan honey samples were also investigated based on free-radical scavenging and ferric reducing power activity. The results indicating that Libyan honey has a high antioxidant potential. The data of antioxidant activities were subjected to correlation using Pearson`s correlation coefficient. The results show the antioxidant activities of Libyan honey samples were significantly correlated with their biochemical properties analyzed in this study.
... Furthermore, these families are cosmopolitan in distribution (Mahklouf et al., 2020), and it was noted that there was a similarity in the results with the previous studies in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar areas such as Al Mansora and Jarjar oma regions (Dahkel, 2014), Boras region (Alzerbi & Alaib., 2017), Al-Agar Valley . The results of the survey showed dominance Therophytes (48%) includes 93 species, followed by Chamaephytes, which has 29 species representing about (15%) then Geophytes represent about (11%) including 21 species, and it was noted that there was a similarity in the results with the previous studies (Dahkel,2014) in Al Mansora and Jarjar oma regions , (Omar et al ., 2020) in Wadi Al-Hamar and (El-Darier & El-Mogaspi, 2009) in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar areas, cold winter in the region may explain why Therophytes were dominant followed by Chamaephytes (Whitaker,1975). study (Mahklouf & Sh-hoob, 2023), also proved that there was a clear positive relationship between Therophytes and the Mediterranean climate because species the Therophytes annual complete their life cycle in a single season and can adapt to high temperatures and the dry summer in The Mediterranean climate which represents the climate of the study area. ...
The main objective of this study was to survey plants on the campus of Apollo,
located in the Shahat area. The vegetation sampling was carried out between
November 2021 to May 2023 with several field trips to the study area, and make a
preliminary list dealing with the floristic composition. 194 species belonging to 160
genera and 57 families were recorded, identified in the Herbarium and arranged using
the Engler system. Pteridophyta were represented by one species one family, and 4
species 3 families of Gymnosperms, while the remaining 53 families belong to
Angiosperms, Dicotyledon were represented by 43 families 154 species and
Monocotyledon 10 families 35 species. The most dominant families were Asteraceae
(14%), Poaceae family (11%), followed by Fabaceae family (9%). As for life forms,
they were classified according to Raunkiaer and were the most dominant as
Therophytes (48%), Chamaephytes (15%), and Geophytes (11%).
... It is also used for respiratory and infection problems (Mohamed and Hmeyada 2009;Yebouk et al. 2020). In Libya, the fruits and leaves in decoction or in powder form are used for jaundice (El-Darier and El-Mogaspi 2009). ...
... The Mediterranean flora includes numerous aromatic and diverse medicinal plants that have long been an integral part of local culture, representing a wide range of ecological contexts [7,8]. Among the plants that are traditionally used in the Mediterranean Basin, species from the Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, and Apiaceae families are the most prevalent. ...
This study explores the effects of the Mediterranean diet, herbal remedies, and their phytochemicals on various gastrointestinal conditions and reviews the global use of medicinal plants for common digestive problems. The review highlights key plants and their mechanisms of action and summarizes the latest findings on how plant-based products influence the digestive system and how they work. We searched various sources of literature and databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, and MedlinePlus. Our focus was on gathering relevant papers published between 2013 and August 2023. Certain plants exhibit potential in preventing or treating digestive diseases and cancers. Notable examples include Curcuma longa, Zingiber officinale, Aloe vera, Calendula officinalis, Lavandula angustifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis, Ginkgo biloba, Cynodon dactylon, and Vaccinium myrtillus. The phytochemical analysis of the plants showed that compounds such as quercetin, anthocyanins, curcumin, phenolics, isoflavones glycosides, flavonoids, and saponins constitute the main active substances within these plants. These natural remedies have the potential to enhance the digestive system and alleviate pain and discomfort in patients. However, further research is imperative to comprehensively evaluate the benefits and safety of herbal medicines to use their active ingredients for the development of natural and effective drugs.
... The preliminary phytochemical analysis of Arbutus pavarii leaves and flowers extracts showed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, tannins, and reducing sugars [13]. It is known to contain important antioxidant components such as flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, simple phenolics [14,15]. Over the past few years, Hepatoprotective effects of the extracts were examined using mice pretreated orally with 200 and 400 mg/kg bw of flavonoids extracted from Arbutus pavarii leaves and flowers as well as their combination [16]. ...
... The preliminary phytochemical analysis of Arbutus pavarii leaves and flowers extracts showed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, tannins, and reducing sugars [13]. It is known to contain important antioxidant components such as flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, simple phenolics [14,15]. Over the past few years, Hepatoprotective effects of the extracts were examined using mice pretreated orally with 200 and 400 mg/kg bw of flavonoids extracted from Arbutus pavarii leaves and flowers as well as their combination [16]. ...
The primary aim of the current study was to evaluate and compare antioxidant activity in leaves and flowers extracts of arbutus pavarii. For the purpose, the antioxidant potential of crude methanol extracts of arbutus pavarii was screened in vitro using reducing power, phosphor molybdenum assay, and radical scavenging activity by employing DPPH, NO, .OH methods as well as ferric thiocyanate (FTC) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) tests to confirm the antioxidant potential of these extracts. Resultantly, it was confirmed that the leaves extract (LE) has displayed higher reducing ability compared with flowers extract (FE). The maximum antioxidant activity was found it in leaves methanol extract (199.38±12.73 mg of ascorbic acid/g of dry weight). The Methanolic LE was able to reduce the DPPH concentration with an IC50 of 1.09 ± mg/mL, which was noticeable stronger (P < 0.01) than that of the positive control (ascorbic acid), (IC50 = 0.01 ± 1.6 mg/mL) and FE (IC50= 1.25 ± mg/mL) as well. The LE showed slightly inhibited .OH radical (IC50, 0.78 mg/mL) compared with FE (IC50, 0.91 mg/ml). The obtained results of this investigation indicated the usefulness of utilization of arbutus pavarii leaves as a reliable source of antioxidants for nutritive and industrial purposes.
... Some important plant families are Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae and Abiaceae (El-Mokasabi et al., 2018) [18] . At present, there is an imminent threat of genetic damage of the medicinal species in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar due to over grazing, over-exploitation for traditional medicine, over cultivation, recurrent drought conditions and dangers (El-Darier and El-Mogaspi, 2009 [17] ; Almajdoub et al., 2019) [4] . The genus Salvia L. is the largest genus in the Lamiaceae, symbolizes a vast and broad-based collection of nearly 1000 species worldwide of which 36 were found in Europe (as cited in Alimpić et al., 2015 [2] ; Shehu and Zekaj, 2018) [42] and 10 in Libya (Jafri and El-Gadi, 1985) [22] . ...
... It is used in honey production, as food due, as ornament trees and in medicine for treatment of gastritis, renal infections and cancer aliments (7). The plant specis is recorded among of the endemic medicinal species (8). Juniperus phoenicea L It is a small tree, native to the northern lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea from Portugal to Palestine. ...
Phenolics and fatty acids of some medicinal plants (Juniperus phoenicea and Arbutus pavarii) growing at Al - Jabal Al - Akhder region (Libya) was carried out on the fruits and leaves. The analysis were applied on selected plants. The data showed high content of phenolic compounds in most of the studied leaves comparing with fruits ones, the higher levels were recorded for the compound of 3,5,Di caffeoly guinic acid in the A.pavarii leaves (0.1325 mg/g). The contents of saturated fatty acids recorded high levels in leaves of J. phoenicea (0.157mg/g), while the low levels were recorded in leaves of A.pavarii (0.079 mg/g), for the mono un saturated fatty acids the high concentrations recorded in leaves of A.pavarii (0.065mg/g), on the other side the low concentration was recorded in leaves of J. phoenicea (0.025mg/g). Whereas fruits of A.pavarii don't contain on mono un-saturated fatty acids. While the high contents of poly un-saturated fatty acids were recorded in fruits of J. phoenicea (0.045mg/g) and the low contents recorded in leaves of J. phoenicea (0.014mg/g). Whereas fruits of A.pavarii don't contain on poly un-saturated fatty acids. Generally the olic acid recorded high values of un-saturated fatty acids in leaves of A.pavarii (0.065mg/g).
AL-Jabal AL-Akhdar region is very rich in diversity in plants, and studies are still few in AL-Jabal AL-Akhdar. This study was 2021/2022, conducted for four seasons. An inventory of the plants of this region was made entirely, and the medicinal plants were counted in the study area. The results indicated the presence of a total of 70 medicinal plant species belonging to 45 families and 67 genera and 68 species. Gymnosperms were represented by only 3 families, 3 genera, and 3 species, 1 sup species. Angiosperms composed the most dominant botanical group with 41 families. Dicotyledons were the most presented group of the angiosperms with 35 families, 7 genera and 58 species, and 1 sup species, whereas Monocotyledons comprised a far less diverse group of medicinal plants in the area study with only 6 families, 7 genera and 7 sup species, pteridophyta, 1 family, 1 genus,1 species. Asteraceae and Lamiaceae attained the highest number of genera recorded in the study area with 5 genera and 5 species, followed by Fabaceae with 4 genera, 5 genera and 5 species, followed by Fabaceae with 4 genera and 4 species. Our results revealed that the most represented life forms of the medicinal plants in Shahat were Therophytes (Th) (36%) 24 species, Phanerophytes (Ph) (18%) 12 species, Chamaephytes (Ch) (16%) 11 species, followed by Geophytes (G) (10%) 7 species, Heleophytes (H) and Nano-phanerophytes (7%) 5 species, as for Hemicryptophytes, Hydrophytes and Linaes the percentage of their presence was very simple (2%), It is represented by one type for each of them. Also on the list is an endemic and endangered medicinal plant. Cyclamen rohlfsianum Aschers, belonging to the family Primulaceae.
Cyclamen rohlfsianum is an endemic plant species to Al-jabal al-Akhdar, Libya. Lately, it got some attention in term of it's antimic-robial activity and use to treat the infections that cause by bacteria and candida. This study investigated the antibacterial activity of Cyclamen rohlfsianum tuber extracts against four species of human pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter sp., and Escherichia coli) using disc diffusion method. Four solvents were used in the extraction process; which were hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and ethanol. The obtained results from all tuber extracts at concentration 0.01 mg/ml showed clear antibacterial activity against both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Ethanol tuber extract was the most effective against both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa (with inhibition zone 0.8 mm and 0.7 mm in diameter; respectively) compared to hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate tuber extracts. On the other hand, only chloroform plant extract inhibited the growth of Enterobacter sp. (with inhibition zone 0.5 mm in diameter). In addition, hexane and chloroform plant extract showed antibacterial activity against E. coli (with inhibition zone 0.3 and 0.5 mm in diameter, respectively) while the other applied plant extracts had no inhibitory activity against this bacterium. The study confirmed the efficacy of Cyclamen rohlfsianum tuber extracts as natural antibacterial and suggested that they may be used as a therapy to treat infectious diseases caused by the bacteria under study.
The objectives of this study were to assess distribution patterns of plant species richness, plant diversity and vegetation structure in relation to environmental factors along elevation gradient in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, Libya. For each species, its growth form, chorological affinities, degree of occurrence, endemism status and originality were provided. A total of 534 taxa were generated from 70 families of the flowering plants, and 3 of the non-flowering plants were identified. The native flora of the study area was counted for 80.2% of the total indigenous taxa (465). The hump-shaped pattern of plant species richness was obtained, with the highest species richness at the mid-elevations, and the both ends of the gradient have the lowest. The annuals (300 species, 56.2%) and non-succulent perennial herbs (165 species, 30.9%) were the most dominant growth forms of the total species composition. Along the elevation gradient, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, Lamiaceae and Apiaceae were the dominant families with the highest numbers of species. This investigation recorded 31 endemic taxa, comprising 25 dicots and 6 monocots, primarily of Mediterranean origin, with most belonging to the Asteraceae and Lamiaceae families. Mediterranean chorotype was the dominant, whether pure (mono-), or combined with one (bi- and pluri-regional) or more (pluri-regional). Application of cluster analysis on the vegetation data yielded four cluster groups; each was linked to an elevation level. It emphasized the importance of establishing conservation strategies to minimize human disturbance and safeguard relic habitats of Juniperus phoenicea L. at its southern distribution limits in Africa, underlining the proactive management required for species preservation. The application of Redundancy Analysis revealed that Shannon diversity index, pH and Fe were the determinant soil factor in the mid-elevation levels (L2 and L3) whereas altitude, fine sand, HCO3, OM, and soil contents of Na, SO4 and Cl for the extreme levels (L1 and L4).
The aim of this study is to identify the medicinal virtues of aromatic and medicinal plants (AMPs) used in traditional phytotherapy by the local population, this ethnobotanical study was carried out among the population in the Midelt province (Morocco) based on questionnaires and ethnobotanical surveys conducted during four months of fieldwork from May 2022 to the end of August 2022. The first part concerns the informant and the second concerns the species used in the disease treatment. A total of 100 people, 68 women and 32 men were interviewed and only herbalists and traditional therapists were selected for this study. The ages of population ranged between 20 and more than 60 years, of which illiterate women dominate with a percentage of 50 % and men with a higher level of education dominate with a percentage of 43.75 %. This survey yielded 66 plant species grouped into 30 different families, of which the Lamiaceae genus was the most abundant. Treatments were mostly prepared by decoction with a percentage of 46.17%. Plant species were used absolutely in the treatment of gastrointestinal infections with a percentage of 25.42% followed by respiratory infections (13.13%) using exclusively the by oral administration (58.95%). These promising results constitute a crucial reference for the studied region and for the national medicinal flora and therefore a database to research of new natural substances. Keywords: Aromatic and medicinal plants, Ethnobotanical surveys, Phytotherapy, Traditional medicine.
AL-Jabal AL-Akhdar region is very rich in diversity in plants, and studies are still few in AL-Jabal
AL-Akhdar. This study was 2021/2022, conducted for four seasons. An inventory of the plants
of this region was made entirely, and the medicinal plants were counted in the study area. The
results indicated the presence of a total of 70 medicinal plant species belonging to 45 families
and 67 genera and 68 species. Gymnosperms were represented by only 3 families, 3 genera, and
3 species, 1 sup species. Angiosperms composed the most dominant botanical group with 41
families. Dicotyledons were the most presented group of the angiosperms with 35 families, 7
genera and 58 species, and 1 sup species, whereas Monocotyledons comprised a far less diverse
group of medicinal plants in the area study with only 6 families, 7 genera and 7 sup species,
pteridophyta, 1 family, 1 genus,1 species. Asteraceae and Lamiaceae attained the highest number
of genera recorded in the study area with 5 genera and 5 species, followed by Fabaceae with 4
genera, 5 genera and 5 species, followed by Fabaceae with 4 genera and 4 species. Our results
revealed that the most represented life forms of the medicinal plants in Shahat were Thero�phytes (Th) (36%) 24 species, Phanerophytes (Ph) (18%) 12 species, Chamaephytes (Ch)
(16%) 11 species, followed by Geophytes (G) (10%) 7 species, Heleophytes (H) and Nano-phan�erophytes (7%) 5 species, as for Hemicryptophytes, Hydrophytes and Linaes the percentage of
their presence was very simple (2%), It is represented by one type for each of them. Also on the
list is an endemic and endangered medicinal plant. Cyclamen rohlfsianum Aschers, belonging to
the family Primulaceae.
Salvia fruitcosa Mill. (Syn. S. triloba L.) is one of the most used medicinal plant in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, Libya. Plant materials were collected from three different sites (Alwasita, Sidi Khaled and Wadi Al-kuf) of Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar area during spring season of the year (2022). Essential oils (EOs) were isolated from fresh aerial parts of the plant species growing wild by hydrodistillation. The chemical composition of EOs has been carried out by Gas Chromatography and GC Mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Chemical and physical properties of soil samples from the three locations were estimated. One-way ANOVA method was conducted to analyze the obtained data using with Least Significant Difference (LSD) test. The results indicated that oil percentages obtained from the altitudes of Alwasita (360 m), Sidi Khaled (385 m) and Wadi Al-kuf (600 m) were (2.24%, 2.00%, and 1.55%, respectively), so that Alwasita area revealed the greatest quantity, and Wadi Al-kuf area represented the smallest quantity. EOs percentage and the main components of EOs from different regions were compared. As the results of the analyses 13 major components were determined, 1,8-cineole was the most abundant constituent among them. All these components differed significatly at the three different altitudes. Sand, pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, Mg ++ and K + contents were highest in lower altitude (ALwasita area). As the altitude increased, silt, clay, HCO3-, Cl-, Ca ++ and Na+ showed a statistically significant increase. The range of soil pH (7.38-8.34) has a positive effect on oil yields. To improve the production of the essence of the plant species, it is recommended that this species to be cultivated in areas with alkaline soils and low altitude. In conclusion, altitude and soil properties are important factors that should be considered as they affected the yield, composition and biology of the plant extracts.
Salvia fruitcosa Mill. (Syn. S. triloba L.) is one of the most used medicinal plant in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, Libya. Plant materials were collected from three different sites (Alwasita, Sidi Khaled and Wadi Al-kuf) of Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar area during spring season of the year (2022). Essential oils (EOs) were isolated from fresh aerial parts of the plant species growing wild by hydrodistillation. The chemical composition of EOs has been carried out by Gas Chromatography and GC Mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Chemical and physical properties of soil samples from the three locations were estimated. One-way ANOVA method was conducted to analyze the obtained data using with Least Significant Difference (LSD) test. The results indicated that oil percentages obtained from the altitudes of Alwasita (360 m), Sidi Khaled (385 m) and Wadi Al-kuf (600 m) were (2.24%, 2.00%, and 1.55%, respectively), so that Alwasita area revealed the greatest quantity, and Wadi Al-kuf area represented the smallest quantity. EOs percentage and the main components of EOs from different regions were compared. As the results of the analyses 13 major components were determined, 1,8-cineole was the most abundant constituent among them. All these components differed significatly at the three different altitudes. Sand, pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, Mg ++ and K + contents were highest in lower altitude (ALwasita area). As the altitude increased, silt, clay, HCO3-, Cl-, Ca ++ and Na+ showed a statistically significant increase. The range of soil pH (7.38-8.34) has a positive effect on oil yields. To improve the production of the essence of the plant species, it is recommended that this species to be cultivated in areas with alkaline soils and low altitude. In conclusion, altitude and soil properties are important factors that should be considered as they affected the yield, composition and biology of the plant extracts.
Background: Endemic species are important components in the flora of most world regions. Most of these species have become threatened and exposed to extinction within the last few years. The present study aims to evaluate the ecosystem services offered by the endemic plant taxa in Egypt and the threats that affect them. Twenty-five field visits were conducted during summer 2018 to spring 2022 to several locations all over Egypt.
In each location, the main habitats, national distribution, abundance, goods and threats were recorded.
Results: Egypt has 41 endemic taxa belonging to 36 genera and 20 families inhabiting 10 main habitats. Rocky surfaces and sandy formations have the highest number of endemic species. The relation between the number of endemic taxa and the abundance categories indicated that 2 taxa are rare (4.9% of the total taxa), while the remaining were very rare (95%). The most represented offered good was the medicinal uses (32 taxa = 78%), while fuel plants were only represented by 2 taxa (2 taxa = 4.9%). Besides, 14 taxa (34.1% of the total studied taxa) have at least 1 environmental service. Soil fertility (7 taxa = 50%) was the most represented, followed by sand accumulations (6 taxa out of 14 taxa = 43%), while shading plant was the least (1 taxon = 7.1%) (Rosa arabica). The most represented threat is over-cutting and over-collecting (38 taxa = 92.7%), while mining and quarrying is the least represented (4 taxa = 9.8%).
Conclusions: The potential and actual goods, services and threats of the endemic taxa were assessed as follows; field observation, information collected from local inhabitants and herbalists, and a literature review. The present study recommended planning a strategy about the importance, threats and conservation of endemic taxa in Egypt that would help in the protection and rescue of these plants and increase awareness about the importance of these plants.
Keywords: ecosystem services, Egyptian flora, endemism, ethnobotanical importance, goods, threats
Abstract:
The study was conducted in Lamlka valley, northeast of of Al-Marj city, which is one of the
valleys of Al-Jabal Al- Akhdare area which have a natural vegetation cover of trees, shrubs
and grasses . The study aims are to explore the state of vegetation cover in terms of diversity,
distribution, and abslute density and relative density.
تعد منطقة الجبل الأخضر من أهم المناطق الليبية من الناحية البيئية على الرغم من صغر مساحتها ( 1% من مساحة ليبيا) لما تتميز به من تنوع
نباتي كبير، حيث تحتوي المنطقة على نصف الأنواع النباتية المسجلة في ليبيا. أشارت معظم الدراسات إلى أن الغطاء النباتي في المنطقة يتعرض
لتدهور شديد بفعل النشاطات البشرية غير الرشيدة والتغيرات المناخية. أجريت هذه الدراسة لتقييم وتخريط التغير الحاصل للغطاء النباتي بمنطقة
و +Landsat7 ETM 2016 باستخدام تقنية الاستشعار عن بعد. استخدمت صورتين للقمر الصناعي - الجبل الأخضر بين عامي 2002
لتحقيق الهدف من Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) تم توظيف مؤشر التباين الخضري Landsat8 -TIRS
Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI) الدراسة، كما تم اختبار مدى ملاءمة مؤشر الغطاء النباتي المعدل للتربة
للظروف المحلية. تم تصنيف منطقة الدراسة إلى أربع مستويات من تدهور الغطاء النباتي (طفيف – متوسط – شديد – شديد جداً). أظهرت النتائج
الذي NDVI تغيرا واضحا في حجم وكثافته وانتشار وتوزيع الغطاء النباتي في المدة ما بين عامي 2002 و 2016 بالرغم من تقارب مدى قيم
0.495 في سنة 2016 . بلغت نسبة التغير السلبي في الغطاء النباتي بين عامي – 0.571 في سنة 2002 وبين - 0.251 – تراوح بين - 0.250
29.13 ٪ (حوالي 2000 كم 2)، بينما بلغت نسبة التغيرات الإيجابية 01.33 ٪ (حوالي 100 كم 2 ) وتبقى حوالي 70 % من 2002 و 2016
حيث تزيد المساحات العارية التي NDVI المساحة الكلية بدون تغيير. بينت النتائج تأثيرا واضحا لزيادة مستوى تدهور الغطاء النباتي على قيم
الذي ربما يكون الخيار الأفضل في حالة MSAVI تسبب سطوعا ناجما عن الانعكاسات بسبب لون التربة. وهذا ما لم يؤثر على قيم مؤشر
لدراسة الاتجاهات المستقبلية لتغيرات MSAVI و NDVI الغطاء النباتي المتفرق كما هو الحال في منطقة الدراسة. يمكن استخدام مؤشري
الغطاء الأرضي ولتحديد العوامل الفعالة على الغطاء النباتي من أجل فهم أفضل للمخططين وصناع القرار بشأن هذه القضية على المستوى
المحلي
The intellectual property rights debate focuses on the flow of germplasm from developing tropical countries to developed temperate nations. Few investigators have addressed the converse. We discuss the abundance and importance of introduced plants in pharmacopoeias of northern South America. Introduced species commonly are employed as medicines throughout the region and include at least 216 Eurasian, North American, African, and Pacific species. Among the Shuar of lowland Ecuador, four introduced plants (Citrus aurantium, Cymbopogon citratus, Saccharum officinarum, and Zingiber officinale) are included in their most commonly prescribed remedies. The widespread use of introduced plants is due, in part, to the medicinal value of plants whose primary use is for food (e.g., Musa X paradisiacal Similarly, many introduced ornamentals also have therapeutic value (e.g., Hedychium coronarium). Other species have been introduced specifically as medicines (e.g., Aloe vera). Restrictions on the flow of germplasm and plant knowledge may protect the economic interests of governments and national industry. If applied bilaterally, however, constraints on the movement of plants will limit the continued evolution of traditional medicinal systems in areas where they are most needed.
To investigate, by means of household surveys, the use of medicinal plants and pharmaceuticals in Apillapampa, a large Andean community of Quechua peasants, and in six small communities of Yuracaré-Trinitario "slash-and-burn" cultivators of the National Park Isiboro-Secure (the NPIS) in the Bolivian Amazon.
A total of 12% of households in Apillapampa and nearly all households in the NPIS were interviewed about their use of medicinal plants and pharmaceuticals for treating illnesses. Informants were also asked to name any medicinal plants they knew.
In spite of the presence of a primary health care service (PHC) with medical doctor in Apillapampa, an equal number of informants used medicinal plants and pharmaceuticals. In the NPIS, the prevalent use of medicinal plants or pharmaceuticals in any community depended on the distance of the community from the nearest village and from a PHC with medical doctor (r = 0.85 and r = -0.96; both P = 0.05. The NPIS communities' knowledge of plants expressed as the average number of medicinal plants mentioned correlated positively and negatively with distance from the nearest village and use of pharmaceuticals, respectively (r= 0.95, P < 0.005 and r = -0.90, P < 0.05, respectively).
The cultural importance of traditional medicine and the physical isolation of communities, both in general and from PHCs, are factors that influence the use of and knowledge about medicinal plants.
A short account on the geography and climate of Libya is given. The estimated number of epithets in the Libyan flora is 1,600 species and 600 infraspecific epithets. The history of botanical exploration in Libya is chronologically dealt with. Important collections and their contributors from 1703 till the present time are mentioned. A comprehensive bibliography on the natural history of Libya is given. It includes 791 references covering studies dealing with flora and vegetation and such related topics as forestry, horticulture, climatology, geography and travels. Literature on cryptogams is excluded. The accumulation of this bibliography will be a step towards preparing a flora of Libya.