Ethnobotanical knowledge and phenolic profiles of plants used for hypertension management in the Algerian steppe, North Africa

Abstract

This study explores ethnobotanical practices in the Algerian steppe, focusing on medicinal plants traditionally used to manage hypertension and their phenolic profiles. A survey based on a semi-structured questionnaire was carried out with 250 herbalists to collect socio-demographic and botanical data, and the phenolic profiles of medicinal plants were analyzed. The survey identified 35 plant species distributed across 19 botanical families, with Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, and Apiaceae being the most dominant. The six most frequently cited species were Allium sativum, Thymus algeriensis, Laurus nobilis, Curcuma longa, Coriandrum sativum, and Moringa oleifera. Plant parts used included aerial parts, leaves, seeds, and flowers, with decoction and infusion as primary preparation methods. Phytochemical profiling by HPLC detected 37 phenolic compounds across the six selected species. Allium sativum showed the highest content (56.70 µg/g DW), mainly composed of rhamnetin and sinapic acid. Thymus algeriensis and Laurus nobilis were rich in flavonoids such as kaempferol, catechin, and rutin. Curcuma longa displayed curcuminoids, Coriandrum sativum contained chlorogenic acid, while Moringa oleifera contained chlorogenic acid, catechin, and rutin, revealing distinct species-specific phenolic profiles. These findings emphasize the importance of ethnopharmacological knowledge in hypertension management and offer a scientific basis for future pharmacological and clinical investigations.