The Consumption Preferences on the Use of Herbal Products in Turkey and Opinions on Pharmacists

Background/aim: Herbal Products (HPs) are generally considered to have fewer side- effects due to their natural origin and long standing use. The aim of this study is to reveal intended use of herbal products or medicinal plants, their procurement, the duration and frequency of use, the person consulted by Turkish people and the consumption habits of individuals on purchasing HPs from pharmacies. Materials and methods: This research was conducted by the members of Pharmetic Entrepreneur Pharmacists Association by means of cross-sectional analysis and applied to 410 attendees in 61 pharmacies. Patients over 18 years of age participated in the study and the data was collected from questionnaire results. For this purpose, the pharmacists requested to individuals who came into the pharmacies whether they full the questionnaire which was prepared by us, and if they approve it, they full it in. Results: Data from 410 questionnaires, conducted by face to face interviews. Within the last year period, a total of 88.5% of the responders in the survey have been used plant-based drugs for the treatment of the diseases or at least as a chemopreventive agent while 39% of them have been used the plant-based drugs for only a month. During the last year, the most used products were for the treatment of influenza or common cold and dermatological problems with the percentages of 57.8%, 29.3% and 29.4% respectively. Conclusion: Suggestion and selling of the phytotherapeutic products by pharmacists or educated people in phytotherapeutic products, at least having related certificates or master degree, even PhD about pharmacognosy-phytotherapy subjects or phytotherapeutics and their effects which means knowledgeable about drugs, drug side effects, drug-drug interactions, particularly interaction between synthetic drugs and phytotherapeutics would be decreased or diminished to observe undesired results.