Combined Remedies and Diverse Plant Uses in Southern Fars Tribes, Iran

Herb-herb combinations have been used in traditional medicine practice for thousands of years, yet scientific evidence of their therapeutic benefits is lacking. With increasing interest in shifting from the one-drug-one-target paradigm to combination therapy or polypharmacy to achieve therapeutic benefits for a number of diseases, there is momentum to explore new knowledge by tapping the past empirical experiences of herb-herb combinations. This ethnobotanical study documents the combined plant remedies and diverse plant uses among the Southern Fars tribes in Iran, a region with a rich history of traditional botanical knowledge. Through detailed interviews and field surveys conducted over two years in Lar, Garash, and Lamerd counties, we recorded 69 combined herbal formulations used to treat various ailments, with gastrointestinal issues, wounds, and musculoskeletal pain being the most prevalent. Additionally, we documented 100 plant species used for food, as well as plants utilized for cosmetic, handicraft, and ritual purposes. The study highlights the local understanding of potential synergistic effects in combined remedies and the multifaceted relationship between the community and their native flora. This research contributes to the preservation of valuable ethnobotanical knowledge and provides a foundation for future pharmacological investigations into the efficacy and safety of these traditionally used plant combinations.