Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 12 No. 4 (2025)

Insights into Iraqi pharmacists’ perspectives, awareness and use of herbal medicines

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.10224
Submitted
24 June 2025
Published
10-09-2025 — Updated on 01-10-2025
Versions

Abstract

With the rising use of herbal remedies and a lack of dependable information available to consumers, pharmacists play a critical role in offering accurate and informed advice on these products’ potential benefits and risks. This study sought to assess the knowledge, perceptions and professional behaviours of community pharmacists concerning herbal medicines. It also aimed to examine how pharmacists influence patient decisions about herbal product use and to pinpoint areas in need of professional development. A structured and anonymous questionnaire was distributed through email, social media and in-person methods. The survey encompassed demographic details, assessments of pharmacists' views and routines related to herbal medicine, the impact of their educational background on confidence levels and a 10 question quiz measuring factual knowledge. Data analysis was conducted using Qualtrics and Excel. Out of 156 community pharmacists surveyed, 42.9 % reported feeling confident in counselling patients about herbal products. Only 22.4 % regularly asked patients about their use of herbal medicines and 28.2 % recorded this information in their documentation. A small proportion (5.1 %) stated they never discussed potential adverse effects, while 9 % consistently addressed possible interactions between herbal and conventional medications. The mean knowledge score was 5.63 out of 10, indicating room for improvement in pharmacist preparedness regarding herbal medicine. The findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen pharmacists education on herbal medicines and ensure access to reliable resources. Enhancing these areas will improve patient safety and counselling quality.

References

  1. 1. Bent S. Herbal medicine in the United States: review of efficacy, safety and regulation: grand rounds at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center. J Gen Intern Med. 2008;23(6):854-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-008-0632-y
  2. 2. Sarker SD. Pharmacognosy in modern pharmacy curricula. Pharmacogn Mag. 2012;8(30):91-2. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-1296.96545
  3. 3. Kuesten C, Hu C. Functional foods and dietary supplements. In: Meiselman HL, editor. Handbook of Eating and Drinking: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Cham: Springer; 2020:915-39. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14504-0_153
  4. 4. Asher GN, Corbett AH, Hawke RL. Common herbal dietary supplement–drug interactions. Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(2):101-7. https://doi.org/10.4236/health.2012.411168
  5. 5. Glisson JK, Rogers HE, Abourashed EA, Ogletree R, Hufford CD, Khan I. Clinic at the health food store? Employee recommendations and product analysis. Pharmacotherapy. 2003;23(1):64-72. https://doi.org/10.1592/phco.23.1.64.31912
  6. 6. Clarke TC, Black LI, Stussman BJ, Barnes PM, Nahin RL. Trends in the use of complementary health approaches among adults: United States, 2002–2012. Natl Health Stat Report. 2015;(79):1-16. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:27598
  7. 7. Ward BW, Schiller JS, Goodman RA. Multiple chronic conditions among US adults: a 2012 update. Prev Chronic Dis. 2014;11:E62. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.130389
  8. 8. Dolovich L, Austin Z, Chang F, et al. Pharmacy in the 21st century: enhancing the impact of the profession of pharmacy on people’s lives in the context of health care trends, evidence and policies. Can Pharm J (Ott). 2018;152(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/1715163518815717
  9. 9. Heinrich M, Williamson EM, Gibbons S, Barnes J. Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy. 2nd ed. London: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2012.
  10. 10. Ung COL, Harnett J, Hu H. Community pharmacist’s responsibilities with regards to traditional/complementary medicine products: a systematic literature review. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2017;13(4):686-716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2016.09.003
  11. 11. Cramer H, Sibbritt D, Adams J, Lauche R, Vickers A. The role of pharmacists in complementary and integrative medicine: a systematic review. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2021;17(3):501-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.04.011
  12. 12. Shen J, Wang Y, Fan T. Herbal medicine education in pharmacy curricula: a global perspective. Pharm Educ. 2018;18(4):221-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pe.2018.03.004
  13. 13. Abdullah MA, Ismail N, Chong WW. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of community pharmacists in Malaysia towards complementary and alternative medicine: a cross sectional study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2454-4
  14. 14. Fasinu PS, Phillips S, Elferink C, Rapoport H. Herbal medicine education in pharmacy programs in Germany and Canada: a comparative analysis. J Herb Med. 2016;6(2):72-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hermed.2016.02.003
  15. 15. Kim JY, Lee J, Kim H. Availability and use of evidence-based resources for herbal medicine by community pharmacists in South Korea. BMC Health Serv Res. 2020;20(1):789. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05614-3

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.