Exploring Consumer Experience in the Use of Herbal Products: Between Expectations, Trust, and Regulatory Compliance
Main Article Content
Abstract
The use of herbal products as an alternative treatment continues to rise, driven by consumer preferences for natural remedies and concerns over synthetic pharmaceuticals. However, selecting the right herbal product involves navigating perceptions of quality, effectiveness, and regulatory compliance. While previous research has examined consumer trust in herbal medicine, limited studies have explored the lived experiences of users in making informed choices about herbal products. This phenomenological study investigates the subjective experiences of consumers in selecting and using herbal products, highlighting how trust, expectations, and regulatory awareness shape their decisions. Through interviews with 10 participants, three dominant themes emerged: (1) Product selection criteria, where consumers prioritize perceived safety and recommendations from their social circles; (2) Expectation vs. reality, revealing varied consumer satisfaction levels due to differences in perceived effectiveness; and (3) Regulatory awareness and safety concerns, showing that while some consumers trust the "natural" label, others seek clearer regulatory standards. These insights suggest a complex interplay between consumer trust, perceived efficacy, and awareness of product legitimacy. These findings offer valuable insights for regulatory bodies and the herbal industry to enhance transparency, consumer education, and quality assurance in herbal product marketing.
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Amanpour, S., Javar, M. A., Sarhadinejad, Z., Doustmohammadi, M., Moghadari, M., & Sarhadynejad, Z. (2023). A systematic review of medicinal plants and herbal products’ effectiveness in oral health and dental cure with health promotion approach. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 12(1). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_1297_22
Bellanger, R. A., Seeger, C. M., & Smith, H. E. (2019). Safety of complementary and alternative medicine treatments and practices. Dalam Ray S.D. (Ed.), Side Effects of Drugs Annual (Vol. 41, hlm. 559–571). Elsevier B.V.; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.seda.2019.06.004
Berretta, M., Dal Lago, L., Tinazzi, M., Ronchi, A., La Rocca, G., Montella, L., Di Francia, R., Facchini, B. A., Bignucolo, A., & Montopoli, M. (2022). Evaluation of Concomitant Use of Anticancer Drugs and Herbal Products: From Interactions to Synergic Activity. Cancers, 14(21). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14215203
Bouqoufi, A., Lahlou, L., Ait El Hadj, F., Abdessadek, M., Obtel, M., & Khabbal, Y. (2023). Prevalence, motivation, and associated factors of medicinal herbs consumption in pregnant women from Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office: A systematic review. Pharmaceutical Biology, 61(1), 1065–1081. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2023.2229388
Cocetta, V., Tinazzi, M., Giacomini, I., Rosato, B., Ragazzi, E., Berretta, M., & Montopoli, M. (2023). Clinical Evidence of Interaction between Nutraceutical Supplementa-tion and Platinum-based Chemotherapy. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 30(19), 2141–2164. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.2174/0929867329666220527120237
Efferth, T., Banerjee, M., Abu-Darwish, M. S., Abdelfatah, S., Böckers, M., Bhakta-Guha, D., Bolzani, V., Daak, S., Demirezer, Ö. L., Dawood, M., Efferth, M., El-Seedi, H. R., Fischer, N., Greten, H. J., Hamdoun, S., Hong, C., Horneber, M., Kadioglu, O., Khalid, H. E., … Paul, N. W. (2019). Biopiracy versus One-World Medicine–From colonial relicts to global collaborative concepts. Phytomedicine, 53, 319–331. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2018.06.007
Fusco, F., Creta, M., Trama, F., Esposito, F., Crocetto, F., Aveta, A., Mangiapia, F., Imbimbo, C., Capece, M., la Rocca, R., Mirone, V., & Longo, N. (2020). Tamsulosin plus a new complementary and alternative medicine in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia: Results from a retrospective comparative study. Archivio Italiano di Urologia e Andrologia, 92(3), 173–176. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4081/AIUA.2020.3.173
Hou, Y.-N., Chimonas, S., Gubili, J., Deng, G., & Mao, J. J. (2023). Integrating herbal medicine into oncology care delivery: Development, implementation, and evaluation of a novel program. Supportive Care in Cancer, 31(2). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-07577-x
Irmak, Z., Tanrıverdi, Ö., Ödemiş, H., & Uysal, D. D. (2019). Use of complementary and alternative medicine and quality of life of cancer patients who received chemotherapy in Turkey. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 44, 143–150. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.04.008
Kanfer, I., & Patnala, S. (2021). Regulations for the use of herbal remedies. Dalam Herbal Medicine in Andrology (hlm. 189–206). Elsevier; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815565-3.00007-2
Komolafe, K., Komolafe, T. R., Fatoki, T. H., Akinmoladun, A. C., Brai, B. I. C., Olaleye, M. T., & Akindahunsi, A. A. (2021). Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Herbal Therapy: Pertinent Issues Relating to Toxicity and Standardization of Phytopharmaceuticals. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia, 31(2), 142–161. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43450-021-00132-x
Kumar, S., Walia, R., Saxena, S., Dey, P., & Madaan, R. (2022). Regulatory considerations of herbal bioactive-based formulations. Dalam Herbal Bioactive-Based Drug Delivery Systems: Challenges and Opportunities (hlm. 419–436). Elsevier; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-824385-5.00009-1
Moghadam, E. T., Yazdanian, M., Tahmasebi, E., Tebyanian, H., Ranjbar, R., Yazdanian, A., Seifalian, A., & Tafazoli, A. (2020). Current herbal medicine as an alternative treatment in dentistry: In vitro, in vivo and clinical studies. European Journal of Pharmacology, 889. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173665
Muyumba, N. W., Mutombo, S. C., Sheridan, H., Nachtergael, A., & Duez, P. (2021). Quality control of herbal drugs and preparations: The methods of analysis, their relevance and applications. Talanta Open, 4. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talo.2021.100070
Samba Conney, C., Akwo Kretchy, I., Asiedu-Danso, M., & Allotey-Babington, G. L. (2019). Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use for Primary Dysmenorrhea among Senior High School Students in the Western Region of Ghana. Obstetrics and Gynecology International, 2019. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/8059471
Sibbritt, D., Peng, W., Wardle, J., Stewart, C., Komesaroff, P., & Adams, J. (2022). The Regulation of the Complementary Health Sector: General Public’s Knowledge of Complementary Medicine-Related Quality Assurance and Consumer Protection. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 11(8), 1482–1488. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.34172/ijhpm.2021.56