Saudi Med J. 2001 Dec; 22(12): 1065-8.

Evaluation of commonly used tribal and traditional remedies in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Awamy BH.

Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Fakhry and Al-Muhawis Hospital, PO Box 5438, Dammam 31422, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. dr@awamy.com

There are several compounds used in traditional prescriptions and as cosmetics, among several tribes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nothing pertinent in the literature exists regarding the components and health hazards of these compounds. There are no health education programs to warn the community especially high-risk populations (such as sickle cell anemia and diabetes mellitus patients) of the hazards involved in the use of the traditional preparations. Tradition and folk medicine continue to be used in many developing countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For physicians who are not accustomed to dealing with this entity, particularly when the patients are children, the presentation of an infant with multiple scars can be an upsetting event. It is unlikely that such native medical practices will disappear in a short time. The objective of this review is to highlight the importance of this entity for physicians and practitioners to understand the treatment and the perception of the patient or their relatives. The review also provides our experience in evaluating the plant remedies which were used by our patients.