Cross-cultural comparison of antidiabetic medicinal plants used in Algeria and Morocco

Introduction

Diabetes is a chronic endocrine disease of global concern. The aim of this study is to provide a comparative analysis of ethnomedical practice used for diabetes management in Algeria and Morocco, offering a scientific basis for the development of alternative therapies and innovative drug discovery.

Methods

Ethnomedical information was normalised from quantitative ethnobotanical studies. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compare regional data, complemented by hierarchical ascending classification (HAC) to identify similarity in plant use, plant parts, and preparation methods.

Results

A total of 225 species (68 families) in Algeria and 222 species (64 families) in Morocco were identified, with 95 species common to both countries (around 30%). PCA revealed interregional variabilities of 42.60% (Algeria) and 43.43% (Morocco). HAC subdivided the heterogeneous dataset into homogeneous groups based on plant usage, plant parts, and preparation modes. These groupings reflect both a shared ethnomedicinal heritage and region-specific adaptations, highlighting the balance between redundancy and divergence within the phytotherapeutic practice, which underpins its stability and therapeutic diversity.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that ethnobotanical knowledge is a dynamic and valuable resource, transcending cultural boundaries and providing a robust foundation for the discovery of novel antidiabetic formulations. The nuanced balance between common frameworks and unique phytotherapeutic specificities supports the development of complementary or synergistic therapies.