Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal wild plants in the Shouf Biosphere Reserve, Lebanon.

BACKGROUND: Medicinal plants and associated traditional knowledge play a vital role in supporting the livelihoods and resilience of indigenous communities. This ethnobotanical survey aims to identify medicinal plants used by the local communities of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve of Lebanon (SBR) and document the associated traditional knowledge. METHODOLOGY: Focus groups and personal interviews with 133 informants of community members of 22 villages of SBR were performed during 2019-2022. Informants were selected using purposive sampling techniques based on their knowledge of medicinal plants and experience in traditional herbal medicine. Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire through field visits. RESULTS: Informants were equally represented by females and males and had different demographic characteristics, and the main source of knowledge was ancestral. A total of 184 medicinal plant species belonging to 57 families were documented. The predominant families were Asteraceae (31 spp.), Lamiaceae (14 spp.), and Rosaceae (14 spp.). Leaves (23%) were the plant part most used. Decoction (45%) was the predominant preparation method, while internal (oral) use (47%) was the most frequent administration mean. Berberis libanotica, Dittrichia viscosa, and Daucus carota achieved the highest scores of frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC), use value (UV), and fidelity level (FL). Furthermore, diseases and ailments of gastrointestinal tract were the category most treated. CONCLUSIONS: Findings revealed a rich and diverse list of medicinal plants with associated traditional knowledge still actively used to treat a wide range of diseases. Future phytochemical and pharmacological studies are recommended to determine the efficacy and safety of plant species used. The management body of the SBR and all related authorities are invited to continue their conservation efforts to protect such rich biocultural heritage.

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Ruta chalepensis L. growing wild in Lebanon.

The essential oils (EOs) isolated from the fresh aerial parts of Ruta chalepensis L. collected in North Lebanon were obtained by solvent-free microwave extraction (Milestone®), yielding 0.12% EO from both the leaves and a mixture of stems and leaves. The EOs were characterized by GC/MS analysis, and 27 components were identified, which were primarily ketones (88.0-93.2%). The main components were nonan-2-one and undecan-2-one. The antimicrobial activity of the EOs against a Gram-positive and a Gram-negative bacterium, a yeast, and a dermatophyte was evaluated using the broth-microdilution technique and expressed as minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The EOs revealed moderate in vitro antifungal activity against Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans.