Supply and Consumption Methods of Medicinal Plants in Mazar-e-Sharif City, Afghanistan

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##

Sayed Esmail Emran
Sayed Abull Hassan Hosainy
Shah Mahmood Faqiri

Abstract

Background: Balkh province is located in the northern part of Afghanistan, which is rich in medicine plant diversity. The large number of medicinal plant shops (Attari) in the center of Mazar-e-Sharif city indicates that the citizens of Balkh province are familiar with medicinal plants and their uses. In this study, an attempt has been made to investigate the socioeconomic characteristics, medicinal plant distribution patterns, consumption methods, and types of medicinal plants in the Mazar-e-Sharif city Attaris.
Materials and Methods: The study focused on 102 Attaris in the research area, research factors such as the age of medicinal plant sellers, monthly income, education level, marital status, number of people working in Attaris, and work experience of Attaris were studied.
Findings: The results revealed that the average age of people in Attaris is 49 years with a work experience of about 15 years, and only 3% have an education related to medicinal plants. About 20 % of medicinal plant sellers had a university education but not related to medicinal plants science, about 17 % had a diploma, 30 % had a high school education and the remaining 12 % had primary education. Unbelievably, about 50 % of consumers were rich people and the remaining 50 % of the clients were low-income. People visited Attari's to heal their digestive system disorders are the most common health issues, followed by issues with the kidneys, bladder, and urinary system, respiratory conditions, skin and wound issues, hypertension and cardiovascular conditions, liver issues, diabetes, typhoid, pain, helminthiasis, anorexia, gynecological complaints, sexual dysfunction, weakness, fever, and obesity. Lemon balm, Common jujube, Starflower, Black pepper, Cumin, and Turmeric were the high-selling medicinal plants offered in Mazar-e-Sharif Attaris'.
Conclusion: A large number of medicinal plant shops (Attaris) in the center of Mazar-e-Sharif city indicates that the citizens of Balkh province are familiar with medicinal plants and their uses. However, unfavorable economic situation of some people who referred Attaris showed that the existence of traditional medicine systems (Attaris) is considered to be one of the urgent needs of the Mazar-e-Sharif.

Keywords

Medicinal plant, Mazar-e-Sharif, Poverty, Traditional medicine, Side effects, Attari

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##

How to Cite
Emran, S. E., Hosainy, S. A. H., & Faqiri, S. M. (2023). Supply and Consumption Methods of Medicinal Plants in Mazar-e-Sharif City, Afghanistan. NUIJB, 2(02), 61–70. Retrieved from https://nuijb.nu.edu.af/index.php/nuijb/article/view/44

References

  1. Ajazuddin, & Saraf, S. (2012). Legal regulations of complementary and alternative medicines in different countries. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 6 (12), 154-160.
  2. Chan, M. (2015, August 19). WHO Director-General addresses traditional medicine forum. WHO. Archived from the original on August 22, 2015.
  3. El-Mawla, A.M.A.A., Albarrag, A.A., & Abdallah, M.A. (2013). Herbal medicine use in a group Taif children, Saudi Arabia -ScopeMed.org - index for medical articles. Spatula DD, 3(2), 41-44.
  4. Fonnegra F.G. (2007). Plantas Medicinales Aprobadas en Colombia. University of Antioquia; Antioquia, Colombia.
  5. Grover J.K., Yadav S., & Vats V. (2002). Medicinal plants of India with anti-diabetic potential. J. Ethnopharmacol., 81, 81–100. doi: 10.1016/S0378-8741(02)00059-4.
  6. Hossaini, S.A., Abrasji, Gh., & Hossaini, S.A. (2008). Medicinal plants of Golestan province. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 24:472-498.
  7. Hosseini, Z., Feizi, H., & Moradi R. (2017). Assessing supply and demand of medicinal plants in Shiraz apothecaries. Journal of Islamic and Iranian Traditional Medicine, 8:123-132.
  8. Marinelli J. (Ed.). (2005). Plant: The Ultimate Visual Reference to Plants and Flowers of the World. DK Publishing Inc.
  9. National Statistic and Information Authority (NSIA). (2021, April). Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2021–22" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  10. Mojab, F., Mossadegh, M., & Moghimi, A. (2003). Investigating the reason for patients to refer to perfumers and herbal products delivered to them in perfumeries in Semnan province for one year. Pajouhandeh, 8(4), 9-15.
  11. Pelt, J. M. (1967). Apercu sur la vegetation et la flore d’Afghanistan. Bulletin de la Socie’te de’ Philomatique de Strasbourg, Fr. 13(2), 227-232.
  12. Shafique, Y., Jacques, F., Dominique, N., Guy, M., Francois, M., & Jean, M. P. (1987). Repertory of Drugs and Medicinal Plants Used in Traditional Medicine of Afghanistan. J. Ethnopharmacol 20: 245-90.
  13. Shah, S. M., & Hussain, F. (2021). Weed diversity in Maize fields of Mastuj valley, Hindukush range, Pakistan. Pure and Applied Biology, 5(4), 1044-1050.
  14. Steenhuysen, J. (2007). Mother Nature Still A Rich Source Of New Drugs. Reuters Limited.
  15. The State of Afghan Cities Report 2015". Archived from the original on 31 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  16. The United Nations Human Settlements Programme. (2015). State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-II). https://unhabitat.org/soac2015_volume2
  17. Traditional medicine. (2003). Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/2003/fs13%204/en/
  18. Vickers, A., Zollman, C., & Lee R. (2001). Herbal medicine. Western Journal of Medicine, 175(2), 125-128.
  19. Wang, J., et al. (2006). Platensimycin is a selective FabF inhibitor with potent antibiotic properties. Nature, 441, 358-361.

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.