Using Traditional Medicinal Plants from Arid and Desert Rangelands as a Potential Treatment for Covid-19 in Southern Tunisia

Rangelands provide good services, including forage for livestock, aromatic and medicinal plants, wildlife habitat, fuel wood, and the watershed. In the arid and desert rangelands of Tunisia, several medicinal plants are used locally in traditional medicine. Many of them have been scientifically investigated and validated. This study aimed to document the different plants used recently to treat and prevent Covid-19 by the rural communities in southern Tunisia. One hundred persons that were ensured to be cured after their infection by Covid-19 were asked to indicate what plants were used to prevent or treat the pandemic disease. It is noteworthy that the selected respondents did not use any other medication than medicinal plants due to the high price of medicament. Additionally, they had not received any Covid-19 vaccinations to date. Five species were harvested from the range lands to be used by the rural population in south Tunisia to treat and prevent Covid- 19. The plants included Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymbra capitata, Peganum harmala, Artemisia herbaalba and Astragalus armatus. These species are medicinally essential when it comes to treating several human diseases. Still, there are no new scientific findings on whether these conclusions are valid. These results can still be the subject of future scientific research.