Review and cross-cultural analysis of medicinal plants traditionally used in Mauritania

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Mauritania has the most detailed and diverse knowledge on traditional plant remedies of medicinal plant use, despite its comparatively limited native flora due to its low population density and severe desert climate. However, the country is at the crossroads of Sub-Saharan African and Arabo-Berber cultures. Despite this, the country's ethnobotanical expertise is severely under documented. METHODS: The study was conducted through an extensive review of ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies, scientific reports, and historical records related to the traditional use of medicinal plants in Mauritania. Data were collected from scientific databases includingGoogle Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Medline, as well as from dissertations, theses, ethnobotanical books, and local folklore records. The search targeted studies published between January 1950 and January 2025, using specific keywords and Boolean operators to ensure comprehensive coverage of the topic. Additional references were identified by examining the bibliographies of selected articles. RESULTS: The first attempt to compile a traditional herbal pharmacopoeia for Mauritania is presented.According to the sources, a total of 133 medicinal and aromatic plants; these plants are used to treat 17 categories of diseases, with the majority addressing digestive group.These plants are used to treat 17 categories of diseases, with the majority addressing digestive disorders (55 plant species) and dermatological disorders (20 species). Notably, the study emphasises apparentcultural differences: the Moors have the best medical knowledge, while the Pulaar, Wolof, and Soninke have distinct ethnobotanical practices that haven't been widely studied. CONCLUSION: This review aims to document, in a single work, the medical ethnobotanical traditions of Mauritania, underscoring the country's medicinal flora and its potential for future pharmacological studies. Targeted field investigations are needed to properly capture the diversity and practical usefulness of traditional plant knowledge. The study underlines also significant gaps in the field ethnobotanical documentation, particularly among certain ethnic groups.