ethnobotanical investigation of traditional pediatric sedative and anti-stress herbal teas in ilam city, western iran: cultural practices and therapeutic applications

Objective: the pediatric population represents one of the most vulnerable demographic groups in healthcare systems due to ongoing physical, cognitive, and emotional development. children’s unique physiological and developmental characteristics necessitate tailored therapeutic approaches, especially when addressing stress, anxiety, and sleep disorders. traditional knowledge systems have long embraced the use of herbal teas prepared from locally available botanicals, whose safety profiles have been validated through generations of use. this study was conducted to identify, document, and investigate the medicinal plants employed for sedative and anti-stress purposes in children by the indigenous communities of ilam city, western iran through an ethnobotanical lens.methodology: a cross-sectional ethnobotanical survey was conducted in city of ilam, western iran. data were collected via semi-structured, face-to-face interviews and structured questionnaires with 25 traditional healers and herbal practitioners selected for their expertise and community recognition. herbarium specimens of the cited plants were then authenticated at the biotechnology and medicinal plants research center, ilam university of medical sciences. quantitative analysis, including use report (ur), relative frequency of citation (rfc), and informant consensus factor (icf) were employed to assess the cultural significance and therapeutic relevance of the identified species.results: the survey revealed 14 medicinal plant species used as pediatric sedative and anti-stress herbal teas, spanning 9 botanical families. among these, families such as lamiaceae dominated the practice, with leaves being the most commonly utilized plant part (35%) and infusion the predominant method of preparation (50%). among the identified botanicals, several notable species include thymus vulgaris, salvia officinalis, matricaria chamomilla, lavandula angustifolia, mentha piperita, echium amoenum, crocus sativus, cinnamomum verum, valeriana officinalis, rosmarinus officinalis, camellia sinensis, zingiber officinale, origanum majorana, and foeniculum vulgare. echium amoenum emerged as the leading candidate with a usage report (ur) of 8, relative frequency of citation (rfc) of 0.32, and a percentage of frequency of use (pfu) of 32.0%, underscoring its cultural prominence and therapeutic claim in the region.conclusion: this study highlights the rich ethnobotanical heritage of ilam city, demonstrating that locally used pediatric sedative and anti-stress herbal teas represent a viable, culturally integrated alternative to conventional pediatric therapies. the findings underscore the importance of preserving traditional knowledge and suggest that further scientific validation of these plant-based remedies could contribute to safer therapeutic options in pediatric healthcare.