Prevalence and patterns of usage of medicinal plants for gastrointestinal and dermatological disorders among the public in Saudi Arabia

Context: Medicinal plants represent a primary source of health care for a multitude of commonly encountered disorders. Herbal medicine is widely practiced in Saudi Arabia, which is home to various species of medicinal plants. Aims: To investigate the prevalence, attitudes, and patterns of medicinal plants usage among Saudi public and identify the medicinal plants used to manage various gastrointestinal and dermatological disorders. Methods: The study was conducted through an online survey, and a total of 944 complete responses were received. Results: Most participants believe in the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants (90.7%), use them in their daily life (68.4%), use them for their young children (51.8%), report no usage complications (70.2%), and indicate culture as the basis of usage (56.7%). The main reported complications were allergies, diarrhea, dizziness, rash, and vomiting. The distribution of responses varied across attitudes and by demographic factors, with female gender, older age, and countryside residence associated with overall more positive attitudes or prevalent usage. A total of 182 different medicinal plants were reported by the participants for twelve common gastrointestinal and dermatological conditions, including constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, flatulence or poor appetite, hemorrhoids, ulcers, mouth infections, nausea and vomiting, acne, boils, eczema, burns, and wounds. The number of reported medicinal plants for each indication ranged from 43 to 68, and their frequencies were calculated. Conclusions: Traditional herbal medicine is highly accepted and prevalent among the Saudi public, with a wide variety of medicinal plants used for various gastrointestinal and dermatological disorders.