Herbal Product Availability and Consumption Patterns: A Comprehensive Scoping Review

Rooted in a rich history spanning over 3,000 years, herbal medicine remains widely utilized for various medical conditions. Despite its prevalence and evidence of effectiveness from numerous systematic reviews, data regarding the global availability and consumption of herbal medicine remain scarce. This study examines the current status of herbal medicine’s accessibility and utilization in health care facilities worldwide. We conducted a systematic scoping review assessing the availability and consumption of herbal products. Inclusion criteria comprised survey or observational studies evaluating any herbal products, whether used alone or in conjunction with other medications, without restrictions on country of origin or health care service level. We conducted a systematic search across four databases using terms such as “availability,” “consumption,” “herbal medicine,” and “herb.” The studies’ details and key outcomes (availability and consumption) were documented. Out of 141 articles identified from the databases, 14 met the inclusion criteria: six addressing availability and eight focusing on consumption. In terms of availability, six articles published between 2010 and 2022 originated from six different countries. Two studies reported the availability of herbal products in hospitals. In the Shandong and Gansu provinces of China, approximately 45% and 46% of Chinese medicines, respectively, were listed in the national essential medicine directory. Regarding consumption, eight articles explored herbal product usage in six countries, evaluating general herbal consumption, menstrual regulation, sleep aids, and treatments for the common cold. There are limited data on the availability and consumption of herbal medicine globally. Clinical and molecular studies of herbal medicines may help increase their availability and consumption worldwide. These strategies may require support from pharmaceutical companies as well as policymakers. Pharmacies were the primary study setting in five of the included articles. Comprehensive research, especially at the national level, is imperative to further elucidate these trends.