Plants used in Iraqi traditional medicine ……. Zanco J. Med. Sci., Vol. 18, No.

(3), 2014
http://dx.doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2014.0038

Plants used in Iraqi traditional medicine in

Erbil - Kurdistan region

Received: 15/4/2013 Accepted: 15/1/2014

Alaadin Naqishbandi *

Abstract
Background and objective: Herbal medicine is a traditional or folk medicine practice
based on the use of plants’ seeds, berries, roots, leaves, barks, flowers and plant extracts
for medicinal purposes. This survey highlights the traditional phytotherapy practices by
traditional healers of Erbil-Kurdistan region in the treatment of various disorders.
Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to collect information from traditional
healers on the use of medicinal plants in Erbil-Kurdistan region. The indigenous knowledge
of local traditional healers and the native plants used for medicinal purposes were collected
through questionnaire and personal interviews.
Results: The investigation revealed that the traditional healers were not professionally
authorized and 32 plants belonging to 23 families were used to treat various diseases in
traditional medicine. The plants reported have been identified and presented in a table with
the vernacular names, useful parts, dosage preparations and medicinal uses.
Conclusion: Many recorded species of plants are used in Erbil- Kurdistan region in
traditional medicine but lack phyto-therapeutic evidence. Most indigenous plants remain to
be studied which may yield many exciting data for further investigation.
Keywords: Survey, medicinal plants, Erbil, Kurdistan.

Introduction from June 1st, 2011 to June 1st, 2012.

Herbal medicine is a traditional or folk The Survey included 10 traditional healers
medicine practice based on the use of in Erbil, Kurdistan region, Iraq. The
plants’ seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, formulary of the survey included two lists
flowers and plant extracts for medicinal of questionnaires.7 The first one included
purposes.1 Plants are important sources information about the traditional healers
of medicine for thousands of years and including the address, age, sex, duration of
are the most important source of life practicing herbal medicine and educational
saving drugs for majority of the worlds’ level. The second questionnaire included
population.2 Herbal remedies are widely information about using medicinal plants by
used for the treatment and prevention of traditional healers including plant botanical
various diseases that contain highly and vernacular name, part used, form
active pharmacological compounds.3 The of use and therapeutical use. Anonymity
knowledge about medicinal plant among of the participants was ensured. After
the people of Iraq is based on hundreds compilation of all the data, plant materials
of years of belief, observations, and a rich were collected. Determination of the
medicinal history.4-6 This survey highlights botanical names of the plants was done
the phytotherapy practices by traditional in collaboration with Biology Department,
medicine in the treatment of various College of Education, Salahaddin Univer-
disorders in Erbil-Kurdistan region. sity. A voucher specimen of each plant
has been deposited at the Department
Methods
of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy,
The study was performed during the period Hawler Medical University.
* Department of pharmaceutcal, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.
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Plants used in Iraqi traditional medicine ……. Zanco J. Med. Sci., Vol. 18, No. (3), 2014
http://dx.doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2014.0038

Results of herbal medicine. The educational level

The traditional healers participated in this of the traditional healers varied as
survey were males between 34 and 46 Bachelor of art holders, diploma from
years old. The duration of their experience institute for preparation of imams and
as traditional healers using medicinal preachers, and primary school certificate
plants varied between 10 and 25 years. holders. Furthermore, no traditional healer
Neither any one of the traditional healers location in which they were practicing
was found to be graduated from special- herbal treatment was authorized by an
ized academic institutions of herbal official health authority. Additionally, the
medicine nor having participated in training information collected in the questionnaire
courses prepared by authorized institutions about dispensing herbal drugs were
recorded and tabulated (Table 1).
Table 1: Plants used in traditional medicine in Erbil- Kurdistan region
Botanical and Vernacular Names Part used Preparation Medicinal Indications

Adiantum capillus- veneris LE Decoction Nephritis, Renal stone, Allergy, Preventing

(Adiantaceae), Kaetaran hair loss, Hypertension
Allium cepa (Liliaceae), Pewaz BU Decoction Antioxidant, Enhancing immune defense,
Reduce risk of infection
Allium sativum (Liliaceae), Seer BU Decoction Hypertension , Hypercholesterolemia,
Common cold, Antibacterial, Anticancer,
Enhancing immunity
Andropogon sorghum(Gramineae ), Cornsilk Decoction Cystitis, Nephritis
Reshale Ganmashame

Anethum graveolens LE Decoction, Hypercholesterolemia

(Umbelliferae), Shweet Powdered in
capsule
Anthemis nobilis FL Infusion, Common cold, Antitussive, Reducing body
(Asteraceae), Gula Hajela Inhalation, temperature, Bronchitis, sinusitis, Sore
soap throat, Hair tonic, Cleaning and opening
pores of skin, healing of wounds, Acne
Artemisia campestris AP Decoction, Hypercholesterolemia, Hypoglycemic Tonic
(Compositae), Sheeh powdered in for body, Analgesic Anthelmintic
capsule
Calendula officinalis LE Decoction Peptic ulcer, Appetizer, Regulation of
(Asteraceae), Hamish Baha menstrual cycle
Cassia acutifolia LE Infusion Hemorrhoid, Laxative
(Fabaceae), Senamake
Cichorium intybus AP Decoction Blood purification, Hypercholesterolemia,
(Compositae), Jakjaka Hypoglycemic, Hypertension, Allergy, UTI
Cinnamomum zeylanicum BA Decoction Antibacterial , General tonic, Diuretic, Renal
(Lauracae), Darjeen failure, Anemia, Sexual tonic for men
Citrus aurantifolia FR Decoction Tonic , Useful for kidney, liver, spleen and
(Rutaceae), Lemo Basre heart diseases, Diuretic
Citrus limonum FR Decoction Renal stone
(Rotaceae), Lemo
Commiphora myrrha Gum Decoction Peptic ulcer, Laxative
(Burseraceae), Bneshta tal
Corcus sativus FL Infusion Dyspepsia, Delaying menstrual cycle,
(Iridaceae), Zafaran Arthritis

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http://dx.doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2014.0038

Table (1) Continued

Botanical and Vernacular Names Part used Preparation Medicinal Indications

Coriandrum sativum FR Decoction GIT and UT diseases

(Umbeliferae), Kazbara
Cuminum cyminum SD Decoction, Colitis, Regulating of menstrual cycle,
(Apiaceae), Zeera Powdered in Hairsutism, Promote lactation, Carminative
capsules
Cyperus rotundus RO Decoction, Flatulence, Nausea and vomiting,
(Cyperaceae), Sotka ointment Regulating hormones (prolactin), Tonic,
Hypoglycemic, Diuretic, Hemorrhoid and
anal fissure
Dianthus caryophyllus AP Decoction General tonic, Sexual tonic,
(Myrtacea), Karanfl Local anesthetic
Eurca sativa AP Decoction, Hypoglycemic, Skin diseases,
(Brassicaceae), Jarjer ointment Prevent baldness
Glycyrrhiza glabra RO Decoction Rheumatic disorder, Allergy, Dyspepsia,
(Fabaceae), Balak Peptic ulcer, General tonic,
Cough and bronchitis, Hypoglycemia,
Laxative, Asthma
Lavender angustifolia FL Infusion Asthma, bronchitis, indigestion,
(Lamiaceae), Khuzame Hypertension, Hypercholesterolemia
Nigella sativa SD Decoction Repelling gases, Antibacterial, Antiviral,
(Ranunculaceae), Rashka Sexual tonic, Enhance memory, Tonic, Al-
lergy, Enhance immune system,
Bronchitis, asthma
Pimpinella anisum SD Decoction Flu, cough, Diuretic, Analgesic,
(Umbelliferae), Yansun Indigestion , flatulence, Anxiety
Punica granatum FP Decoction Inflammation of oral cavity, Inflammation of
(Punicaceae), Hanar skin, Peptic ulcer, Antifungal
Quercus persica FR Decoction General tonic, Constipation , Colitis, Severe
(Fagaceae), Baru diarrhea , Gastritis, Hemorrhoid
Rheum ribes RO Powdered in Hypertension, hypoglycemic
(Polygonaceae), Rewas capsule

Rubia tinctorium RO Decoction Diuretic, Tonic for the hair, Liver and
(Rubiaceae), Fua urinary tract diseases
Salvia officinalis FL Decoction Regulate menstrual cycle, Hypoglycemic,
( Lamiaceae), Gula Mariam Hypercholesterolemia, Flatulence,
Antibacterial, Fever
Thymus vulgaris LE Infusion Gingivitis, Dyspepsia, Appetizer, Abdominal
(Lamiaceae), Jatra cramps, Antifungal, Anthelmintic, Expecto-
rant, Tonic, Enhance immune system, Cys-
titis and nephritis
Trigonella foenum-graecum SD Decoction, Inflammation of skin, Irritable bowel
(Leguminosae), Shmle ointment Appetizer, Hypoglycemic, Diuretic,
Stimulate lactation, Sexual tonic in women,
UTI , Renal stone
Zingiber officinale RH Decoction, Hypercholesterolemia, Sexual tonic,
( Zingiberaceae), Zanjafel ointment Regulate blood circulation, Hemorrhoid
Stomach and respiratory problems

AP, aerial part; LE, leave; FL, flower; FR, fruit; SD, seed; RH, rhizome; RO, root; BU,
bulb; BA, bark
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Plants used in Iraqi traditional medicine ……. Zanco J. Med. Sci., Vol. 18, No. (3), 2014
http://dx.doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2014.0038

Discussion Conclusion
The survey work has yielded 32 plants There are medicinal plant remedies to treat
belonging to 23 families which are used a wide range of illnesses, as curatives or
by the traditional healers as medicinal palliatives to many health problems. Many
plants in Erbil-Kurdistan region. The study recorded species of plants are used in Erbil
revealed that the educational levels of the - Kurdistan region in traditional medicine
herbal practitioners were variable, most of but lack phyto-therapeutic evidence. It is
their scientific backgrounds did not have necessary to perform more phytochemical
relation to their jobs as traditional healers and pharmacological studies to explore the
but got their information either through potentiality of plants used for medicinal
reading books about herbal medicine or purposes.
they learned the work through their ances-
tors. It seems that many popular plants Conflicts of interest
have been used long time for internal The author reports no conflicts of interest.
disorders like Allium sativum, Anthemis
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