Traditional medicines and their common uses in central region of Syria: Hama and Homs – an ethnomedicinal survey

Abstract

Context

Since ancient times, traditional Arabic medicine (TAM) has been used to treat various diseases in Syria. They are cost-effective with fewer side effects and are more suitable for long-term use compared with chemically synthesized medicines. In addition, the scientific importance is manifested, as this survey proceeds, for the purposes of verifying and documenting these traditional medicines and their common uses.

Objective

We conducted ethnobotanical and ethnomedicine research on plants traditionally used to treat various diseases in central region of Syria.

Methods

Information was collected from 2019 to 2021 from the cities of Homs and Hama and their villages, which are two governorates located in central Syria, after interviews with traditional practitioners called Attarin, and many other people. Plant specimens were collected according to different references concerning medicinal plants of Syria, to document the traditional uses of plants at least two of the traditional healers and three other people were asked.

Results

In this survey, we listed 76 medicinal plants belonging to 39 families in alphabetical order with the parts used and the method of preparation according to their therapeutic use, which are used to treat 106 ailments.

Conclusions

Many of the uses of medicinal plants mentioned in this survey are still under study. There is no doubt that this study will provide new data that could contribute to further pharmacological discoveries by identifying the active ingredients and their mechanism of effect by doing additional pharmacological work to confirm the alleged biological activities of these plants.

Keywords:

• Traditional Arabic medicine (TAM)
• herbal medicine
• Mediterranean
• phytotherapy
• medicinal plants
• folk uses
• ethnobotanical
• ethnopharmacology

Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to Mr. Besher Yazji, Mr. Fares Kallas and Dr. M. Yasaar Abdeen president of Damascus University, and Dr. Jameela Hasian, Dr. Mays Khazem, Dr. Rasha El-Khateeb at Damascus University – Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Haifa Al-Ali, Dr. Aoula Moustapha at Al Baath University – Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Fawaz Shehneh, Dr. Adawia Kitaz at Aleppo University – Faculty of Pharmacy, and Dr. Ahmad Karaali at Tishreen University – Higher Institute of Marine Research, and to Mr. Fawaz Saleh and Dr. Nasser Thallaj Mr. Hisham Jabaji at Al Rasheed Private University, and Dr. Emad Kadi (God rest his soul), Dr. Abdel Aleem Bello, Dr. Bayan Tiba, Dr. Jalal Fandi the taxonomic specialists. Their thanks are also extended to The Syria Trust for Development (Mr. Shadi Alelshi, Mrs. Areen Al-Ali, Mr. Eid Jabbour, Mr. Rafed Al-Ali, Mr. Saleh Moriebi, and ‘Mashrouie’ team) and Mr. Waseem Jahjah, Mr. Houssam Akel, the Syrian Scientific Society for Herbal Medicines and Complementary Medicines and Nutrition Chemist; Hisham Kasem, for making this work possible. The authors are also thankful to the informants in this study for their valuable help in the documentation of indigenous ethnopharmacological knowledge, and Mr. Muaz Barakat for editing the text.

Author contributions

C.H.: Data collection, methodology, investigation, compiled the literature sources, data analysis, evaluation, and interpretation, realisation manuscript, helped in data, and made a substantial contribution to data analysis. A.N.: Evaluation the clinical data, performed data analysis and drafted the manuscript. M.I.H.A.: Review & editing, designed the research and identification of plant species. All contributors understand and accepted the final document.

Consent for publication: The study has a consent for publication by the Faculty of Pharmacy – University of Damascus on 10/1/2021.

Disclosure statement

We declare that there is no conflict of interest with any business organization concerning the study.

Data availability statement

Supplementary materials related to this article may be obtained from the authors upon request.