Valorisation des plantes médicinales à activité anthelminthique dans la région de Sétif

Abstract

Digestive helminthiases represent a major public health problem, exacerbated by the emergence of resistance to synthetic antiparasitic drugs. This work is structured around a dual approach, both ethnobotanical and experimental, aiming to promote the traditional pharmacopoeia of the Setif wilaya against parasitic worms. The ethnobotanical survey, conducted among 31 herbalists/vendors and 100 health professionals between April and June 2026, revealed a wide diversity of traditionally used medicinal plants, with a marked predominance of the species Anacyclus pyrethrum (58.1%). On the experimental level, 10% aqueous extracts were prepared from a selection of common medicinal plants (notably Salvia rosmarinus, Nigella sativa, Punica granatum, etc.). Quantitative assays demonstrated that these extracts are rich in total phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Furthermore, the in vitro evaluation of the antioxidant activity using the DPPH free radical scavenging assay revealed a strong anti-radical potential of the aqueous extracts compared to the BHT standard. These results scientifically validate the interest of herbal medicine as a promising alternative or complementary therapeutic approach in the fight against intestinal parasitoses.