Traditional healing in the desert: Camel urine therapies among communities in southern regions of Morocco

Camel urine (CU) is emerging as a widely explored traditional remedy, with deep historical roots that date back centuries [ 1 ] particularly in southern Morocco, where its therapeutic applications for various illnesses continue to gain momentum in Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra and Guelmim-Oued Noun regions. To better understand this heritage, we conducted a field-based ethnopharmacological study documenting local knowledge and therapeutic customs of 400 traditional practitioners. Our findings reveal that CU is primarily sourced from virgin (46.7%) and pregnant (51.6%) female camels, across various age groups and collected throughout both dry and rainy seasons (57.5%). For treating major health conditions such as cancer, liver disorders, gastric ulcers, diabetes, and tuberculosis, which together represent 69% of reported uses. The typical regimen involves drinking a teacup of fresh urine (70.6%) on an empty stomach (91.1%) once daily (87.1%), usually four times a week (56%). In cases of skin-related ailments, topical use was reported, ranging from one to three teaspoons. Mild adverse effects mostly digestive and transient were noted in 13.8% of cases, with symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, and dry mouth typically lasting just a few hours. These insights confirm that CU continues to play a key role in local medicine and highlight its potential as a source of bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical innovation, skincare formulations, and the development of novel functional food products with promising economic impact. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany