Traditional remedies have been employed for the treatment and management of various ailments since the beginning of human civilization. Launaea Cass. is a small genus of the family Asteraceae (tribe Lactuceae, subtribe Sonchinae), consisting of 54 species, of which 9 are presented in the flora of Algeria and is mainly distributed in the South Mediterranean, Africa and SW Asia. Plants in the Launaea genus have been used ethnobotanically as bitter stomachic, for treating diarrhea, gastrointestinal tracts, as anti-inflammatory, for skin diseases, treatment of infected wounds, hepatic pains, children fever, as soporific, lactagogue, diuretic and as insecticidal. The aim of this review is to present as much information as was established from the available scientific literature. The review covers the ethnopharmacological, biological activity related and phytochemical information on the species from genus Launaea, especially those growing in Algerian Sahara and used as medicinal plants.
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