Professional Documents
Culture Documents
M. Younis Haggag
University of Cairo, Facultyof Pharmacy,
Pharmacognosy Department, Kasr El Aini
st., Cairo, EGYPT
&m
La médecine herbale a été utilisée en Egypte depuis longtemps. Les anciens égyptiens ont connu !'importance
de beaucoup de plantesmédicinales et les ontutiliséespour les mêmeraisonspourlesquellesellessont
recement utilisées. La flora égyptienne comprend environ2000 espèces plus certaines nouvelles, introduites et
acclimatisées récemment. Plusieurs plantes ontété étudiées pour leur usage en m6dicine herbalet beaucoup de
travail est accompli pour explorer d'autres espèces. Quelques plantes utilisées en médicine herbal et presentés
au marché égyptien sont aussi inclues.
KEY-WORDS
EGYPT, MEDICINAL PLANTS,USES,HERBAL MEDICINE, RESEARCH PROJECTS
MOTS-CLES
EGYF'TE, PLANTE MEDICINALE,UTILISATION, MBDICINEHERBALE, PROJET DE RECHERCHE
The flora of Egypt includes about 2000 species of plants distributed in its different localities that
vary in type of soil and prevailing climatic and other environmental conditions that hence encourage
the growth of awiderange of plant species. h addition, manyplantehavebeen successfully
introduced and acclimatized in Egypt.
About 300 drugs, mostlyof local origin,can be found in Egyptianmarkettoday. The
accompanying table (Table 1)showsexamples of such herbal drugs, including their local and
scientific names, part(s) used, and mainactive constituents and uses..
Our Pharmacognosy Department, as well as other similar departments in Egyptian Universities
and other Research Centres, have taken on the task of studying both wild and cultivated plants with
view to discovering their chemical constituents, pharmacological action and hence their possible
pharmaceutical USES. The accompanying list shows the names of plants that are studied mainly for
both the Master andPhD. degrees, in Egypt until 1989.
B is noteworthy that h e occurrence of some wild growing plants in Egypt is becoming rare, and
some species are threatened with extinction for a large number of reasons such as over-collection,
land reclamation and the extension of building to manymral areas.
Therefore we are calling in Egypt for establishment of more protected areas to save such species
from extiactioz. Moreover, we have projects aimed ai the collection of seeds of such species U d
carrying out agricultural experiments to find optimum conditions for their cultivation. A study has
recentiy been carried out on squill (Urginea maritima)aná Egyptian henbane (Hyoscyamus muticus)
for this purpose.
Beside native wild species, several medicinal plants are cultivated in Egypt such as liquorice
(Glycyrrhiza glabra), Mentha species, Thymus spp., Salvia sp., rosemary (Rosmarinm oficinalis),
lavander (LavanduZa osficcincclis), basil (Ocimum basilicurn), several Umbelliferous plants such as
fennel (Foeniculum vulgare),anise (Pilnpimlla aniwm), caraway (Carum carvi),cnmir~(Cuininum
cyminum), coriander (Corimdrumsativum), parsley (Petroseiinumcyispum), celery (Apircrr,
gt-aveolens), dill (Anethum grmeolew), ajowan (Carum copticurn) and Ammi vìsnsga and Ammi
majus. Other plants include fenugreek (Trigorzellafoenum-graecum), rosel (Hibiscus sabdaTiffa),
does (Aloefei-ox,A. vem), sema species (Cassia acutìfolia), Sm species ( S a hsafsalf, S. ailm atid
S. tetrasperma), Nigella satìva,Olea europea, Egyptian lupin (Eupinus termis), certain Datum and
Digitalis species , belladonna (Atropa belladonna), marshmallow (Althaea oficinalis), Eucalyptus
spp., Ambrosìa maritima, Cym,bopogon citratus, C.proximus, chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
sunflower (Helianthus annuus), henna (Lawsonia inermis), white and black mustard (Sinapis alba,
S. nigra ), rue (Ruta graveolens),psyllium (Plantago psyllium)and others .
46
CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
c
TABLE1: Some herbaldrugs found in the Egyptian market
Contrace@ive,
cosmetic,
Fruits,
aphrodisiac
Digestive,
cosmeti,
Flowering
anti-
Part used Latin name¿kfamily
Acacia arabicaL.
Leguminosae
Acacia famesiana (L.)Willd.
Leguminosae
Achillea
millefolium L.
Local name
Sant
Fitnah
I Hazanbal
inflammatory Compositae l
Carminative,
general
tonic
Rhizomes Acorns
calamus L. I Qasab
ad-
Araceae dharirah
Hypotensive,
hypoglyce-mic,
Bulbs Allium sativumL. Thawm
anthelmiiltic Liliaceae
cholagogue
Juice
Laxative, Aloe vera L. Sabbar
dermatitis Liliaceae
Emollient,
anticough.
Leaves,
roots Althea officinalisL. Khitmi
h-alvaceae
Antidiabetic,
anti-spasmodic,
Herb Ambrosia maritimaL. Darnsisa
lipotropic Compositae
Spasmolytic, remove-urinary Ammi visnagaL. Wiia
calculi l limbelliferae Baiady
1 Dermatitis, Iecodermia 1 Fruits Ammi majus L.
Umbelliferae
Khella
shytani
Roots tonic
Aphrodisiac, Anacyclus pyrethrumL Asir qush
Compositae
I Cardiotonic
I Kerb
Anastatica hierochuntica
Crucìferae
Kaffmaryam
Dermatitis,
CN
stimulant,
FLheads, Amica montana L. Khaniq
rhizomes antiarterisclerotic Compositae el Fahd
ds FI. Anthelmintic Artmesia cinaBer. Shih balady
Comvositae
ads FI. Anthelmintic Artemisia
herba-alba I Shih
Compositae
Hypoglycemic,
urinary
Fruits,
leaves Balanitesaegyptiaca (L.) Del.
~~
I Haglig
~~
infections Simarubaceae
Laxative,
contraceptive
Roots Bryonia albaL. Haleq el
Cucurbitaceae Shar
Skin diseases,
sun
burns,
Fl.heads, Calendula oficinalis L. Oqhwan
aves emmenagogue Compositae
roots Herb,Haemostatic, Capsella busa-pastoris Kis er Rai
hypotensive,diaphoretic, Cruciferae
Carthamus
tinctorius L. osfur
emmenagogue, Compositae
Cassia
acutifolia Del. Sama makki
Laxative
Legumtnosae shamber
siliqua KharrubL.
Ceratonia
Leguminosae I
Anthelmintic Leaves, Chenopodiumambrosioides L. I Zorbeih
fruits Chenopadiaceae
Tonic, lipotropic, Roots, Cichorium
intybus L. Shìkowah
hypoglycemic, laxative seeds, Compositae
48
CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
1 Kundus
l
Hashishet ed-
dinar
Arar
Khuzami
Henna
Ussab
Kattan
Termis
Antidiabetic, astringent,
haemostatic
Bronchial asthma,
inmunostimulant, diuretic
Antispasmodic, digestive,
galactagogue
Nutrient, antidimhoea
Diuretic, antirheumatic,
emmenagogue.
Carminative, sedative, mild
diuretic, anti-spasmodic
49
CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
1 Labiatae I
50
CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
51
CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
52
CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
53
~~ ~ ~
54
CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
5.5