Abstract
The use of herbal products by pregnant and lactating mothers without awareness of their harmful effects may expose both mother and fetus or infant to great dangers, such as abortion, premature delivery, uterine bleeding, and physical and mental retardation of the fetus. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which herbal product treatment is used and the reason for which such products are used and to ensure that these reasons are correct. An ethnopharmacological survey (cross-sectional observational design study) using a pre-piloted questionnaire was undertaken on herbal products used by pregnant and lactating women in the West Bank area of Palestine. A questionnaire was distributed to 350 pregnant and lactating women. The informed consent forms, ethics, and aims of the present study were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at An-Najah National University. To identify the most important species used, the use value (UV) index was employed, while the SPSS program was used to analyze the data. Collected data revealed that 13 medicinal plants are utilized, while 12 plants are not used during pregnancy. Moreover, 15 plants are utilized and 9 plants are not used during lactation for treating and dealing with various problems. The most commonly used plants belonged to 14 families, including Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Leguminosae, and Rubiaceae. The plants most used during pregnancy were sage (Salvia fruticosa), anise (Pimpinella anisum), and peppermint (Mentha × piperita). Castor (Ricinus communis) oil, ginger (Zingiber officinale), saffron (Crocus sativus), and senna (Senna alexandrina) mostly were not used by pregnant women. Moreover, cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), anise (P. anisum), peppermint (M. piperita), and sage (S. fruticosa) were mostly used during lactation. Castor (R. communis) oil, ginger (Z. officinale), garlic (Allium sativum), and aloe (Aloe vera) mostly were not used during lactation. This study is of great importance in order to decrease the possibility of endangering the lives of fetuses and infants. A combined effort among researchers, scientists, lactating women, and pregnant women may help in changing wrong uses and thoughts about medicinal plants and help to improve the overall health of both mother and fetus.
Highlights
Palestine is a holy land for Christians, Jews, and Muslims, and many civilizations have passed through this land over time (Canaanite, British, Jewish, Roman, etc.)
Some herbal remedies should be avoided, like senna (S. alexandrina), which can stimulate the uterus and affect fetal cell development, and castor oil (R. communis), which leads to abortion
It is thought that saffron (C. sativus) can cause abortion, but it adversely affects the growth of the fetus and induces several malformations
Summary
Palestine is a holy land for Christians, Jews, and Muslims, and many civilizations have passed through this land over time (Canaanite, British, Jewish, Roman, etc.). This has led to the exposure todiverse cultures, especially in the use of medicinal plants, folkloric foods, and cosmetics. Due to the geographical location of Palestine in the Mediterranean region, it has many distinctive characteristics, including fertile soil and a moderate climate (Mendelssohn and Yom-Tov, 1999; Lev, 2006). Palestine was and still is a very important crossroad of trade between the East and the West, adding a special characteristic to the use of medicinal plants (Azaizeh et al, 2006; Azaizeh et al, 2010; Ben-Arye and Samuels, 2015), especially among pregnant and lactating women. Based on a literature review, there are few studies or clinical trials on the safety and efficacy of using herbs during pregnancy and lactation in the West Bank area of Palestine (Jaafari et al, 2016; Ahmed et al, 2017; Ung et al, 2017)
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