Rising prices for medicines and products have increased Iraqis’ visits to herbalist shops, where herbs are used in daily practices combining attempts at treatment, prevention and personal care. This demand also draws on inherited beliefs about the benefits of natural products, keeping traditional medicine present alongside modern drugs.
Demand for chest herbs in popular markets
Popular markets are seeing demand for chamomile, thyme and mallow, particularly in winter, as customers buy them to deal with symptoms related to the chest and phlegm. Herbalist Kadhim Hussein Sabah says the lower cost of herbs compared with some compound medicines is a key factor behind rising demand.
Herbs enter skin, hair and digestive routines
Natural products are also used for skin and hair care. One woman said gum arabic is soaked in water and used to tighten the skin instead of chemical products, while some people turn to “bitter gum,” or frankincense, for stomach problems. They also prepare drinks containing rose, chamomile, cumin, anise, coriander and cinnamon as part of their daily routines.
Herbalist Abu Riam pointed to rising demand for products he describes as free of chemicals, including Faw henna.
He also presented folk recipes involving boiling amlag herb with cloves and using the water on the hair, as well as soaking “blinko” herb and drinking it for intestinal and colon problems. These uses remain claims and experiences attributed to their practitioners, and are not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment.
