Uses of the medicinal plant Asphodelus microcarpus in Algerian traditional medicine and study of some of its active components

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.4632510031

• Palavras-chave: '

• Keywords: Medicinal plant, Ethnobotanical, Phytochemical, Tubers, Asphodelus microcarpus.

• Abstract: Asphodel (Berouag in Arabic) is a spontaneously occurring and relatively less known medicinal plant that has been the subject of a study on ethnobotany and phytochemistry, illuminating the relationship between this plant and human cultures, as well as its active compounds. The ethnobotanical study was conducted in two phases, involving responses from 80 individuals. The initial phase consisted of general inquiries aimed at gaining a better understanding of the participants, followed by questions regarding their familiarity with the studied plant. The obtained results indicate that the respondents represented both genders, various age groups, education levels, and occupations, with the majority residing in urban areas. Interestingly, a large portion of them were not familiar with Asphodel. Among those who were familiar with it, it was noted that they utilize the tubers combined with olive oil for earaches. The subsequent phase of the study focused on phytochemical analyses, employing the powdered form of the dried tubers of Asphodelus microcarpus with various reagents to identify the presence of secondary metabolites, including tannins, saponins, alkaloids, terpenes, and flavonoids. The results demonstrated the presence of saponins, flavonoids, and alkaloids within the studied plant. In conclusion, the studied plant Asphodelus microcarpus is relatively less known and contains some secondary metabolites, which give it many therapeutic properties.