Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in traditional healthcare of Nairiyah Governorate, Saudi Arabia

Abstract. Salim IA, Ismail RA, Alrubyyi A, Mansour AA, Ageeb SA. 2026. Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in traditional healthcare of Nairiyah Governorate, Saudi Arabia. Asian J Ethnobiol 9 (1): y090115. https://doi.org/10.13057/asianjethnobiol/y090115. Traditional medicinal knowledge remains central to primary healthcare in rural Saudi Arabia, yet systematic ethnobotanical documentation is limited, particularly in the Eastern Province. This study documents medicinal plants used in Nairiyah Governorate, with special emphasis on women’s roles as custodians of traditional knowledge. Between August and December 2024, 120 semi-structured interviews were conducted using purposive and snowball sampling among informants with at least 10 years of experience in medicinal plant use. Plant species were identified using published floras and herbarium records and documented in terms of collection, preparation, and therapeutic applications. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including Use Value (UV) and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), were applied. Thirteen medicinal plant species were recorded, with leaves as the most frequently used plant part. Anastatica hierochuntica, Calligonum comosum, and Krameria triandra showed the highest UV (0.11), while C. comosum exhibited the strongest consensus for gynecological disorders (ICF=0.842). The findings highlight the urgency of safeguarding traditional medicinal practices amid socio-cultural change and knowledge erosion. This study provides a foundational ethnobotanical record for an underrepresented region, supports Saudi Vision 2030 objectives, and underscores the importance of involving women and local communities in the stewardship and sustainable use of medicinal heritage.