ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED FOR DIABETES TREATMENT IN THE REGION OF SIDI BEL ABBES IN ALGERIA.

Diabetes stands as a profoundly critical public health concern. In light of this, the primary objectives of the present study were twofold: firstly, to identify the plants employed in the treatment of diabetes, and secondly, to characterize the therapeutic applications of these plants based on the ethnobotanical data collected at the population level within the Sidi Bel Abbes region. This ethnobotanical survey was conducted using questionnaire sheets, ensuring the inclusion of a representative sample from the population, consisting of 511 respondents of both genders. The findings of the ethnobotanical study indicated that female exhibit a substantially higher usage of medicinal plants compared to male, particularly among brides. Additionally, it was observed that older female, specifically those aged over 60 years, who often have limited literacy, were the most frequent users of traditional medicine. A total of fifty plants were identified for their use in diabetes treatment. Among these, leaves, seeds, and stems emerge as the most commonly employed plants parts. Regarding the methods of preparation, decoction and infusion were the predominant modes of use. The floristic investigation revealed that the recorded species belong to 29 distinct botanical families. The Lauraceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Rosaceae families were the most frequently utilized for medicinal purposes in the treatment of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]