Herbal medicine in Jordan with special emphasis on commonly used herbs

To assess the current situation of sales and uses of herbal medicines in Jordan, more than 100 herbalists throughout the country were interviewed. The collected data included the types of herbs present in the market, the recommendations made by the herbalists in the treatment of ailments, the level of education and training of the herbalists, and miscellaneous observations. One hundred and fifty medicinal plant species were present in the local market. Based on their availability in the market and on the herbalists' recommendations, 9 plant species were considered very common and 17 were considered as common. The survey indicated that most of the herbalists were not educated or trained in the field of herbal medicine except for their expertise gained from their predecessor, none were licensed for this particular purpose; several odd or unprecedented recommendations were passed to the customers. This survey emphasizes the necessity of proper handling of herbal medicines that requires proper regulations and licensing. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.