Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used for Abdominal Pain in Ilam City, Western Iran: An Ethnobotanical Perspective

Abstract

Iran’s diverse geography supports a wide array of ethnic groups, each possessing unique cultural traditions and practices in the medicinal use of plants for disease prevention, management, and treatment. This rich ethnobotanical heritage underscores the urgency of systematic documentation, particularly as traditional knowledge risks being lost with the passing of experienced healers. In this systematic ethnobotanical study conducted in Ilam City, located in western Iran, medicinal plants traditionally used for the treatment of abdominal pain were identified and recorded. Data were collected through structured ethnobotanical questionnaires administered to local herbal medicine practitioners. In addition, a comprehensive list of medicinal plants available in Ilam was obtained from the Deputy of Food and Drug Administration, and direct visits to local herbalists ensured the reliability and accuracy of the data collected. The questionnaire gathered information on participants' demographics, plant species names, specific parts used, preparation methods, and perceived therapeutic effects in treating abdominal pain. A total of 25 medicinal plant species were identified, including Oliveria decumbens Vent., Avena sativa, Ziziphora capitata, Rosa damascena, Thymbra spicata L., Rosa canina, Verbascum alceoides, Foeniculum vulgare, Carum carvi, Satureja khuzistanica Jamzad, Origanum vulgare, Achillea biebersteinii, Artemisia sieberi, Mentha spicata, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Citrus aurantium, Hibiscus trionum, Alhagi persarum, Centaurea virgata, Cerasus microcarpa, Quercus brantii, and Alyssum homolocarpum. Among these, the most frequently used species for treating stomach pain were Ziziphora capitata, Thymbra spicata L., Foeniculum vulgare, Satureja khuzistanica Jamzad, Origanum vulgare, and Achillea biebersteinii. These species demonstrated a Usage Report Index (UR) of 9, a Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) of 0.35, and a Percentage Frequency of Use (PFU) of 34.6%. The Lamiaceae family was the most commonly cited for its therapeutic effects on abdominal pain. Aerial parts were the most frequently used plant parts (48%), while infusion (57%) emerged as the predominant preparation method. The abundance of medicinal plants in Ilam City represents a valuable resource for future pharmaceutical and phytochemical research aimed at developing herbal treatments for digestive ailments. Given the strong local reliance on traditional medicine, scientific validation of these plants’ therapeutic efficacy is essential. Future research should prioritize pharmacological investigations, formulation standardization, and the integration of validated remedies into evidence-based medical practice. Preserving and scientifically verifying this ethnobotanical knowledge could pave the way for safer, more accessible, and naturally derived treatments for gastrointestinal disorders.