Ethnopharmacognosy of Echinops spinosus L. in North Africa: a mini review

Background: The genus Echinops (Asteraceae family, Echinopeae class) consists of ca. 120 species and is native to Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. In Algeria, this genus is represented by the very common species Echinops spinosus L. also known as tesskra, which is used as a diuretic, hypoglycemic, for stomachic effects, liver disorders, and post-partum care. Objective: The aim of this presentation is to provide an overview of the ethnopharmacognosy studies conducted on E. spinosus in North Africa. Data on ethnomedicinal uses, chemical constituents, and pharmacological activity were systematically compiled. Methods: Several popular search databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Stanford libraries were scrutinised to extract relevant information. The research focused only on English-written papers published between 1980 and 2017. Results: Echinops spinosus L. is traditionally used in North Africa, and it was found that the most ethnomedicinal use reports were from Morocco and Algeria. Promising results have been reported regarding its phytochemistry and pharmacological activity. Forty-three compounds were isolated from different parts of this species. No studies have been conducted to highlight the toxicity and clinical safety of this species. Conclusion: This review highlights the therapeutic potential of E. spinosus used in traditional medicine. Furthermore, clinical trials on standardized preparations are necessary to explore the full safety and efficacy of E. spinosus in North Africa.