Assessing supply and demand of medicinal plants in Shiraz apothecaries

Background and Fars province has a desirable condition in terms of diversity of medicinal plants and existing numerous apothecary and traditional medicinal plants market shows the people attention to the medicinal plants. Recognition of communities taste and approach to the medicinal plants can be a good guide for planners and policy makers in the pharmaceutical industry. The aim of this study was to determine the socio-economic characteristics, distribution, and consumption of medicinal plants in Shiraz apothecaries in order to obtain objective information and insight on the status of the use of medicinal plants.
Methods and Materials: This research survey was conducted on 247 qualified apothecaries in Shiraz. Relevant information including socio-economic status sellers and also the most important plants in apothecary were obtained through a questionnaire of medicinal herbs sellers.
It seems that the use of medicinal plants in Fars province has desirable conditions. It recommended that the needed planning and policy for medicinal plants cultivation and also providing training courses for sellers in the province be considered.
The results showed that average age of the individuals was about 39 years with work experience of about 19 years that only about 7% of them have relation education to medicinal plants. About 55 percent of them have college education and only 24 percent gained their drug information through the study. Most people referred to apothecary (48 percent) were from poor economic class society. Chamomile, borage, lavender, descurainia and cinnamon are the best-selling medicinal plants in Shiraz apothecaries. Most of referring to the medicinal herbs sellers in Shiraz are stomach problems, colds, diseases of the nerves, fat and blood pressure. More existing plants in Shiraz apothecaries are prepared from the Fars province.