Global Advanced Research Journal of Agricultural Science (GARJAS) ISSN: 2315-5094
January 2016 Vol. 5(1): pp. 001-007
Copyright © 2016 Global Advanced Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The use of herbal and medicinal plants for the treatment of dyslipidemia seen by herbalists and dyslipidemic patients in the Nabeul region of Tunisia's Cap Bon

Fethi Ben Slama¹, Hana Hcheichi ², Rachid Chemli ², Omrane Belhadj ³, Hajer Skhiri Ounallah¹

¹National Institute of Public Health 

²Department of Herbal Medicine Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir

³Biochemistry laboratory and techno biology. Faculty of Sciences of Tunis 

Email: benslamafethi@yahoo.fr

Accepted 13 January, 2016

Abstract

Introduction: The dyslipidemia is one of the most common problems of public health. The pharmacology only has not always demonstrated absolute efficiency in the support of this disease and it has proved that certain complementary measures were useful to take between other dietetic and phytotherapy. Material and methods: For the purpose of assessing the perception of hyperlipimiant subjects in relation to the use of phytotherapy and dietetics in the support of their illness a survery was conducted over 150 patients taken at random during the consultation at the clinic El haouaria in the gouvernrate of Nabeul to assess the knowledge on plants lipid lowering drugs and their places in the food habits from dyslipidimiques and 15 traditional healers in the souk El balgha in Nabeul in order to gather the knowledge concerning the plants which are frequently recommended in the treatment. Results: The majority of investigated hyperlipimiant subjects were aged women mostly illiterate ones. The survey has enabled us to select a dozen medicinal plants to treat dyslipidemia, but sometimes within bad practices of traditional medicine because of the insufficient knowledge of the sick and the herbalists. Among the plants used by dyslipidemic surveyed   to treat their disease we quote garlic, apples and fenugreek. The majority approve the importance of diet in the treatment. Discussion: Respondents patients showed interest in diet and herbal medicine. Moreover, we believe that this attitude is adopted firstly because of too high cost of drugs to a population with low socioeconomic level or average and secondly these patients have disgusted the long-term use of drugs. The plants are prescribed in the same way to all dyslipidemic patients, regardless of the type of dyslipidemia presented by the patient. It can result a product of delay elimination and accumulation in the body leading to the occurrence of side effects. Conclusion:  The phototherapy occupies an important place in the region of El Haouaria. This traditional medicine offers us several perspectives, and opens the way for research that can be promising. It is an invaluable and inexhaustible source of information that must be exploited. Traditional herbalists should be trained to avoid possible toxicities from prescribed plants.

Keywords: Herbal medicine, diet, dyslipidemia, traditional medicine.