Abstract
A substantial proportion of Arabic populations use herbal remedies for several reasons that vary from trivial medical conditions such as mild gastrointestinal disturbances to chronic serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Many studies were conducted in Arab populations to determine the types and prevalence of herbal remedy use. These studies focused on patterns of herbal remedy use for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, skin diseases, oral diseases, cancer, renal disease, among others. They also investigated certain vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children. However, the therapeutic efficacy and safety profile for some herbal remedies were not supported by scientific evidence. More research is needed to cover the deficiency in knowledge on the patterns of herbal remedy use in Arab countries as many of them rarely conduct relevant research. Furthermore, some studies are not available in English, making it difficult for the scientific community to access and interpret the data. Other unreported findings are represented by the lack documentation of the side effects caused by herbal remedies used either alone or in conjunction with other prescribed drugs. This chapter discusses the prevalence and types of herbal remedies used by Arab populations for the treatment of chronic diseases. It also discusses how vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and children in the Arab world, utilize herbal remedies. We hope that the defects in our knowledge related to the use of herbal remedies and the measures needed to monitor and regulate its safe use are addressed.
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Dar-Odeh, N., Abu-Hammad, O. (2021). Herbal Remedies Use in Arab Societies. In: Laher, I. (eds) Handbook of Healthcare in the Arab World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74365-3_197-1
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