Diversity and perceptions about side effects of medicinal plants used by herbalists to treat gastrointestinal diseases in Sironko District, Eastern Uganda

BACKGROUND: The escalation of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) illnesses is now a major global threat, with countries like Uganda having a prevalence of over 31 %. Herbal medicines (HM) are widely used to treat GIT illnesses in many low-resource settings including Sironko District in Eastern Uganda, but their safety remains a grave concern because they often contain bioactive phytochemicals that may cause harmful side effects. In Sironko, herbalists commonly rely on indigenous knowledge rather than formal pharmacological training when prescribing HM hence the potential for adverse reactions linked to toxic phytocompounds is substantial, warranting comprehensive scientific investigation. OBJECTIVE: To explore plant species used to treat GIT illnesses and perceptions of their adverse effects in Sironko District, to inform safer herbal medicine use. METHODS: version 9.0.0. RESULTS: , p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: There is a high diversity of plant species used to treat primarily GIT illnesses in Sironko, but many potentially stimulate life-threatening adverse effects such as severe headache and vomiting. These results highlight a need for considerable investment in herbal medicine safety to leverage its optimal use in health promotion and economic development.