Affiliation:
1. Laboratory of Natural Bio-Resources, Faculty of Nature and Life
Sciences, Hassiba Benbouali University of Chlef, Algeria
2. El Wachncharissi University of Tissemsilt, Algeria
Abstract
AbstractDepression is a mood disorder associated with cognitive decline. To
self-medicate, people use medicinal herbs to limit the side effects associated
with taking antidepressants, such as addiction, hallucinations, and dizziness.
Current research consists of ethnobotanical studies of medicinal plants used to
improve depression-related mood disorders, and the socio-economic profiles of
people with depression (gender, age, education level…) and information about the
listed antidepressant plants (common name, part used…). 129 individuals
belonging to some regions of Algeria answered our questionnaire among which 82%
are women and 98% are academics. The informants cited 44 species (Mentha
spicata with a relative frequency of citation (RFC) =0.69, Chamomilla
nobilis RFC=0.49, Aloysia citrodora RFC=0.19, Lavandula
officinalis, Melissa officinalis RFC=0.17, Foeniculum
vulgare RFC=0.1, Pimpinella anisum RFC=0.09 and Hypericum
perforatum RFC=0.07…) belonging to 25 botanical families represented
mainly by the Lamiaceae family (38%). Infusion remains the most common method of
preparation, and the leaves are the most used part. These plants modulated the
depressive state of informants in a similar way to synthetic antidepressants.
These plants deserve to be studied for the development of new herbal drugs with
acceptable side effects.