Ethnobotanical survey among the Nubian and south eastern tribes of Egypt

Abstract

This survey was undertaken on four tribes (Ababda, Bisharia, Nubian, and Rashayda) living in Egypt's southern Nile Valley and Eastern Desert to chronicle and evaluate traditional herbal treatments, as well as to examine the links between these tribes based on ethnobotanical use. A total of 180 interviews with Bedouins and herbal healers were undertaken, with 45 informants for each tribe, ranging in age from 18 to 85 years. There were 39 species in total, belonging to 36 genera and 27 families. Fabaceae and Poaceae and Rutaceae were the species-rich families. The used wild species comprised 43.6%, cultivated species (38.5%) and the remaining 17.9% were bought from the herbalist shops. The leaves were the most commonly used part (31%), followed by stems and fruits (22% each). Distinct species included Acacia nilotica, that is used in the treatment of dental discomfort and has a use-value of 33.3 %, and Cymbopogon schoenanthus subsp. proximus, that is used in the treatment of cough and headache and has a use-value of 35% and 30.6%, respectively. A combination of Acacia nilotica and Lawsonia inermis, has a use-value of 22.2 % for the treatment of sore throats. Based on ethnobotanical treatments, the most resemblance was found between the Nubian and Rashayda tribes (55.3%), that the Rashayda' nomads utilized the Nubian markets for the winter, and Nubians were supplied with livestock or handicrafts by the nomads, followed by 46.8% between Ababda and Bisharia that both tribes are shared land, resources, and even reached a historical homogeneous state not only due to land proximity but also through marriage and social relations. The most prevalent ailments were diarrhoea and headache, each had seven different recipes, while cough and dental aches had six. This type of research should be encouraged in order to better understand how the common flora might be used in human healthcare.