Given the closure of Palestinian towns and
villages and the ramifications of the daily Israeli aggression, herbs have
become the recourse for those who cannot afford to buy medicine. With the
deterioration of the economic situation in Palestine, folk medicine has become
more popular because of the low cost of its remedies.
Dr.
Mazin As-Saqah, professor of Medicinal Herbs at the Faculty of Pharmacy at al-Azhar
University in Gaza and director of the Medicinal Herb Center, takes a dim view
of the increasing demand for folk medicine remedies because of the absence of
safeguards and regulations for practitioners and spice dealers, some of who take
advantage of the difficult economic conditions.
He
says, “It’s obvious that there’s an increasing demand for folk medicine
and herbs. But owing to the lack of regulations for remedies, some spice dealers
take advantage of the bad economic situation and resort to selling cheap
products that are often ineffective though harmless.”
Hajji
Zainuddeen, a spice dealer in Gaza, points out that prices of medicinal herbs
are generally moderate, although the closure has resulted in an increase in the
prices of some herbs because of the inability of spice dealers and traders to
import from abroad, and the presence of the Israeli barricades and road blocks
that hamper the transportation of goods from one area to another. He adds that,
by contrast, the prices of some other herbs have gone down.
Amazing
Diversity Of Herbs
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Palestine
has the potential to produce a rich diversity of medicinal herbs
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Dr.
As-Saqah points out that Palestine is the only region in the Middle East, and
perhaps in the world, that has four geographic areas with distinct climates.
This diversity has sustained the growth of plants in Palestine that would
normally grow in four different regions. “We have in Palestine,” he says,
“desert, coastal, and mountainous regions, as well as the region of Galilee
and northern Palestine, whose climate is similar to that of Europe. Thus we have
the potential of producing rich and diverse medicinal herbs, but unfortunately,
this potential has not been fully realized.”
Speaking
about herbs and folk medicine remedies used by Palestinians, hajji Zainuddeen
says, “the most common herbs are alkanet, lion’s foot (used for weight
loss), camomile (used in enemas), pomegranate peels with bitter aloe (for
treating diabetes), cress, thyme, colocynth, as well as wheat, barley, and black
seeds.”
Hajji
Al-Hulu, a spice dealer in Gaza, adds that there are other types of herbs that
are also in demand, such as thyme leaves, sage, rosemary, and chebulic myrobalan.
In high demand are herbs and folk medicine remedies that treat renal
inflammations, which are widespread in the Gaza Strip as a result of the water
being salty and unfit for human consumption. Herbs that aid weight loss are also
very popular, especially among women.
Growing
Confidence In Herbal Remedies
Hajji
Al-Hulu says, “Today herbs are sought not by the common folk (as was the case
in the past) but by the highly educated, especially those who studied
pharmacology. This comes against a backdrop of growing confidence in herbal
remedies, which are free of the chemicals found in modern medicine. Difficult
living conditions have had a negative impact on the popularity of herbs,
particularly with the increase in the prices of some herbs as a result of the
Israeli barricades and imposed closure.”
Dr.
As-Saqqa states that as a result of the increased awareness of folk medicine
among Palestinians, more than half of those in pursuit of traditional treatment
seek out the services of specialized folk medicine practitioners, while the rest
rely on spice shops. He adds, “In the past, the overwhelming majority used to
go to healers and spice traders who were not specialized in folk medicine, but
thanks to growing awareness and the increase in the number of specialized
healers, the situation has started to change.”
He
also points out that some folk medicine specialists and advocates, in
co-operation with the Middle East Pharmaceutical Company, had been preparing to
implement a major project to produce and market natural remedies as an
alternative to chemical-based medicines. Unfortunately, the closure and other
measures implemented by the occupation authorities disrupted the project.
According
to hajji Zainuddeen, there is a demand for folk medicine across the spectrum of
society. This demand, he points out, has not increased much during the intifadah
and the closure. He says, “People’s financial capability is the main
factor that determines the demand for herbs.” He also mentions that while some
people resort to folk medicine treatment after giving up on modern medicine,
others seek this treatment because of their difficult economic situation and the
increase in the prices of modern medicines.
The
Story of Hajjah Um Saleem
Enquiring
about the most famous folk medicine practitioners in Gaza, we received a
unanimous response: Hajjah Um Saleem. She was famous for treating diseases that
qualified doctors failed to cure. To say that people had more trust in her than
in qualified doctors is not an overstatement.
We
met Waleed, one of hajjah Um Saleem’s grandchildren, and asked him about his
grandmother. He said:
“Yes,
hajjah Um Saleem had a reservoir of medicinal recipes. She was a walking clinic.
She used to deliver babies and put together scores of remedies that were more
effective than modern medicine treatments. Her recipe for treating jaundice was
one of her most successful remedies. And although she passed away more than 25
years ago, we still use her recipe to treat our children, and it works.
“To
date, the treatment provided by modern medicine for jaundice is ineffective.
Patients are hospitalized and receive treatment, but to no avail. When they
approach us, we offer them the treatment we learned from our grandmother, may
Allah (SWT) have mercy upon her, and within five days they are completely cured
through the will of Allah (SWT).”
Proven
Remedies Lost Forever
Waleed
pointed out that preparing the remedy for jaundice requires black seeds,
vinegar, and olive oil. The black seeds are ground to a powder. The powder is
then mixed with homemade vinegar. The mixture is administered to the patient in
the form of nasal drops. In order to moisten the nasal ducts and relieve the
pain caused by this mixture, olive oil in the form of nasal drops is
administered before using the remedy. Patients use this treatment for one week,
during which they are placed on a special diet of fruit, salt- and fat-free
foods, and vegetable soup with maize oil and a little salt; thereafter patients
continue with this diet for another week.
Waleed
said that he regretted the fact that doctors have not benefited from his
grandmother’s effective treatments that dealt with many diseases, including
infertility in women, skin ulcerations, and whooping cough. The recipes of these
treatments were forever lost with the demise of hajjah Um Saleem, who depended
entirely on herbs and other natural ingredients available in Palestine for
formulating her remedies.
