SURVEY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS CURRENTLY USED BY HERBALISTS IN LEBANON

Lebanon encompasses a relatively large flora of 2,607 species. Several species in this rich flora were reported to have medicinal applications for various diseases. However, there have been few studies on the use of medicinal plants in Lebanon. In an attempt to study the Lebanese ethnopharmacological status, a survey on medicinal plants used by herbalists in Lebanon was conducted. Based on data collected from 26 local herbalists, the study revealed that 128 plant species are used for treating various diseases, in the following way: 51 species for treating gastrointestinal disorders; 32 for kidney and urinary diseases; 37 for blood and cardiovascular diseases; 19 for disorders of the nervous system; 21 for diabetes; 19 for respiratory illnesses including 4 for asthma; 18 for sexual disorders; 17 for hair problems; 7 for liver diseases, 6 for tumors, and several other plant species for other diseases. The survey also showed that most interviewed herbalists did not hold a high school certificate and they were not licensed for this practice. Hence, there is a need to properly train the herbalists in plant taxonomy and disease diagnosis, and to implement proper herb collection and storage.