People’s perceptions towards herbal medicines: a quantitative study of motivating factors

INTRODUCTION

Herbal medicine, sometimes known as phytomedicine or botanical medicine, is the medical use of plant seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers. Herbalism has an extensive history of application outside of mainstream medicine. Plant parts, other plant materials, or combinations of plant parts are used as active ingredients in herbal treatments, which include herbs, herbal materials, herbal preparations, and completed herbal products.¹ As analysis and quality control improve, clinical research reveals the benefits of herbal medicines in treating and preventing disease, and it is becoming more and more mainstream. Long before written history, the medical use of plants was known. Medical benefits for plants are first mentioned in ancient Chinese and Egyptian papyrus writings circa 3,000 BC. While others created traditional medical systems (such as Ayurveda and traditional Chinese Medicine) in which herbal remedies were utilised, indigenous cultures, such as African and Native American, used plants in their healing rituals. Researchers discovered that people all over tended to employ the same or comparable plants for the same uses.²

A variety of therapies, including homoeopathy, Ayurveda, Unani, Siddhi, and Allopathy, have been promoted by the Indian healthcare sector to improve the general public's health. Since traditional medicinal practices like Ayurveda, Siddhi, and Unani have their roots in India and are deeply ingrained in the country's culture, there is a profound regard and affection for them among the general public.³ Traditional medicines that predominantly employ medicinal plant extracts for therapeutic purposes are considered herbal pharmaceuticals. The Herbal remedies have been mentioned in literature for over 5000 years in the Indian, Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Syrian languages. Sushruta Samhita, Charak Samhita, Atherveda, and Rigveda are examples of traditional Indian texts.⁴ Therefore, the herbal remedies and traditional medications have been derived from the rich traditions of ancient civilisations.

The Indian herbal products market is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1% between 2024 and 2033. It is anticipated that the market will grow to a size of USD 64,818.8 million in 2024. The estimated value will rise to USD 120,172.9 million by 2033.⁵

In addition to growing interest in natural health remedies, the usage of herbal medications is expanding due to mounting scientific proof of their safety and effectiveness for specific conditions (Heinrich et al).⁵ In general, traditional medicine is thought to be safer than synthetic chemical medications. This is because, in comparison to modern chemical medications, traditional remedies have comparatively fewer negative effects.⁶ Furthermore, prolonged usage of synthetic chemical medications is thought to be costly and can lower the quality of life because of potentially harmful side effects. People are beginning to use fewer synthetic chemical medications and return to natural treatment due to the risk of these negative effects.⁷ The present study aims to investigate people’s perception towards herbal medicines and the motivating factors behind their purchase of them.

Objectives

Objectives of the study were to know the demographic features of the people towards herbal medicines, to know the motivational factors behind purchasing herbal medicines and to investigate the people’s perception of herbal medicines.

METHODS

The researchers adopted a quantitative cross-sectional research approach for the current study using 250 data samples from the city of Hyderabad, India. The data was collected through a closed-ended structured questionnaire concerning two sections in April-May 2025. The questionnaire contained demographic details of the respondents in the first section, and questions related to their perceptions towards herbal medicines in the second section. The data collected in an offline mode from herbal medicine shops, specialised stores, and supermarkets during the months of March and April, 2025. For the data analysis, the researchers employed descriptive analysis, reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), correlation, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS software.

Hypotheses of the study

H0₁-There is no significant impact of health and safety on the purchase intention and recommendation of the customers.

H0₂-There is no significant impact of effectiveness and reliability on the purchase intention and recommendation of the customers.

H0₃-There is no significant impact of economic and availability on the purchase intention and recommendation of the customers.

H0₄-There is no significant impact of cultural and social on the purchase intention and recommendation of the customers.

H0₅-There is no significant impact of trust and brand perception on the purchase intention and recommendation of the customers.

H0₆-There is no significant impact of environmental and ethical on the purchase intention and recommendation of the customers.

RESULTS

Descriptive statistics

The demographic features shown in Table 1 of the respondents depict an insightful analysis of the traits of those with opinions on herbal remedies. With 55.6% male and 44.4% female participants, the gender distribution shows a little male dominance, which indicates a somewhat balanced participation of male and female participants. It also indicates that the male participants are more inclined towards herbal medicines. The age group shows that 24% of respondents are in the 18 to 30 range, while most of the respondents (55.6%) are between 31 and 45 years old. This implies that a good number of the respondents consist of young to middle-aged customers who probably follow more active preventive healthcare measures and are more health-conscious. Educationally, the study shows that the respondents are well-qualified; 51.6% have postgraduate degrees, and another 21.6% are graduates. The

This high degree of knowledge might help to increase awareness of and educated opinions on alternative and conventional healthcare choices, including herbal remedies. Of the total respondents, 62% are employed and 24% are businesspeople, suggesting that most of them are active working people who might have lifestyle-related health problems and turn to herbal medicines as part of their wellness regimen. Fascinatingly, students, homemakers, and retired people collectively account for a smaller portion of the sample, implying that working professionals are more involved with or exposed to herbal medicine use. Regarding income, a good number of the respondents (70%) earn less than ₹25,000 a month, which emphasises the affordability aspect as a possible influence in selecting herbal remedies. Higher income groups make up the remaining respondents, which indicates that while interest in herbal medicines crosses all economic levels, it is especially significant among lower-income groups. With affordability, health awareness, and lifestyle factors playing a major role in determining the motivation to use herbal medicinal products, the demographic data show that views towards herbal medicines are formed by a combination of age, education, occupation, and income.

Reliability analysis and EFA

Cronbach's Alpha was used to evaluate the internal consistency of the scale, which is shown in Table 2. The value of Cronbach’s alpha for the 32 items is 0.932. This shows great dependability, so verifying that the items are quite consistent in gauging the fundamental constructions connected to views on herbal remedies.

The EFA

Principal component analysis with extraction based on eigenvalues higher than 1 was used in EFA to find the fundamental aspects of the scale shown in Table 3. Seven components with eigenvalues above 1 emerged from the study and together account for 65.02% of the total variance. The first component accounted for 34.65%; the other six components added little variation, ranging from 3.17% to 7.19%. This implies a multidimensional framework of the motivational elements affecting people's impressions of herbal remedies, in which every element reflects a different hidden construct.

These findings validate the accuracy and validity of the measuring tool and hence support its application in the analysis of consumer impressions in several spheres. The researchers identified seven factors, of which six are independent, namely health and safety factors, effectiveness and reliability factors, economic and availability factors, cultural and social factors, environmental and ethical factors, trust and brand perception, and purchase intention and recommendation as a dependent factor. This has been shown in Table 4 along with the factor loadings.

Correlation analysis

The strength and direction of correlations among the main variables affecting opinions of herbal remedies and their link with purchase intention and recommendation were investigated by means of Pearson correlation analysis. At the 0.01 level (2-tailed), all correlation coefficients were statistically significant, therefore suggesting strong correlations between the variables.

Strong and positive correlations between health and safety and cultural and social factors (r=0.680), trust and brand perception (r=0.621), and economic and availability (r=0.595) indicate that perceptions of safety in herbal medicines are closely related with cultural beliefs, brand trust, and economic accessibility. Furthermore, showing a modest positive association with purchase intention and recommendation (r=0.509), health and safety indicated its significant influence on customer behaviour.

Trust and brand perception (r=0.497) and purchase intention and recommendation (r=0.443) were positively connected with effectiveness and reliability, so underlining that customers are more likely to recommend or buy herbal medications if they consider them to be reliable and effective. Likewise, economic and availability showed positive correlations with trust and brand perception (r=0.500) and cultural and social (r=0.469), as well as a modest correlation with purchase intention (r=0.361), implying that affordability and ease of access shape user intentions significantly.

Emphasising the need for society acceptability and traditional practices in customer decisions, cultural and social factors showed a clear link with trust and brand perception (r=0.558) and a modest relationship with purchase intention (r=0.374). Furthermore, showing a positive link with purchase intention (r=0.431) were environmental and ethical aspects, which indicate that customers' propensity to support or buy herbal products results from ethical sourcing and environmental sustainability.

The findings generally show considerable interrelationships among all motivating elements, and more significantly, their combined effect on purchase intention and recommendation. This supports the idea that consumers' opinions of herbal remedies are complex and that behavioural results are shaped by health, cultural, financial, ethical, and brand-related elements, all acting in interdependent ways.

Regression analysis

A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted, the results of which are shown in Tables 6-8 to examine the extent to which the independent variables, health and safety, effectiveness and reliability, economic and availability, cultural and social, trust and brand perception, and environmental and ethical factors predict purchase intention and recommendation of herbal medicines.

In Table 6, the model summary shows an R value of 0.610, which indicates a moderate relationship between the predictors and the dependent variable. The R² value of 0.373 suggests that approximately 37.3% of the variance in purchase intention and recommendation is explained by the six independent variables. The adjusted R² of 0.357 confirms the model’s stability and predictive power.

In Table 7, the ANOVA results show that the regression model is statistically significant (F=24.042, p<0.001), which indicates that the overall model provides a good fit to the data.

The Table 8 shows the results of coefficients which provide that among the predictors, health and safety (β=0.281, p=0.001), effectiveness and reliability (β=0.163, p=0.009), trust and brand perception (β=0.199, p=0.005), and environmental and ethical factors (β=0.213, p<0.001) were found to be significant positive predictors of purchase intention. This indicates that the consumers perceive herbal medicines as safe to use, effective, trustworthy, and environmentally friendly; thus, their likelihood to purchase and recommend them increases significantly.

On the other hand, economic and availability (β=-0.031, p=0.640) and cultural and social factors (β=-0.055,

p=0.448) were not significant predictors, which are suggesting that while they may influence general perceptions towards herbal medicines but, they do not significantly drive their actual purchasing behaviour.

The findings of the data analysis highlight that consumer trust, product safety, perceived effectiveness, and ethical considerations emerge as the most influential motivating factors driving the purchase and recommendation of herbal medicines. Specifically, when consumers perceive herbal products as safe and free from harmful side effects, their confidence in using and endorsing these remedies increases substantially. Trust in the brand, rooted in factors such as product consistency, credibility, and transparency, further reinforces positive consumer behavior, as individuals tend to prefer products from sources, they consider reliable and reputable. Additionally, the perceived effectiveness and reliability of herbal medicines play a crucial role; users are more likely to purchase and recommend products they believe deliver the promised health benefits. Moreover, the importance of environmental and ethical values, such as sustainable sourcing, eco-friendly production practices, and fair-trade considerations, reflects a growing consciousness among consumers who align their health choices with broader social and ecological values. Collectively, these results indicate that beyond price or cultural familiarity, modern consumers are increasingly guided by holistic and value-driven criteria in their decisions to adopt and promote herbal medicinal products.

Testing of hypotheses

The researchers tested the hypotheses which are shown in Table 9. It is evident from the table that the factors health and safety, effectiveness and reliability, trust and brand perception, environmental and ethical have a significant impact on the purchase intention and recommendation of the customers towards herbal medicines; therefore, the null hypotheses have been rejected. on the other hand, the factors economic and availability and cultural and social have no significant impact on the purchase intention and recommendation of the customers towards herbal medicines.

**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

*a. Predictors: (Constant), environmental and ethical, cultural and social, effectiveness and reliability, economic and availability, trust and brand perception, health and safety

*a. Dependent variable: purchase intention and recommendation. b. Predictors: (Constant), environmental and ethical, cultural and social, effectiveness and reliability, economic and availability, trust and brand perception, health and safety

*a. Dependent variable: purchase intention and recommendation

DISCUSSION

The results of the study show that the factors health and safety, effectiveness and reliability, trust and brand perception, and environmental and ethical considerations have a significant impact on consumers' intention to purchase and recommend the herbal products. The importance of health and safety as a motivating factor aligns with previous studies emphasising consumers' concerns about the safety of herbal medicines. A study highlighted that familiarity with medicinal herbs and the perceived usefulness significantly influence their usage, underscoring the importance of safety perceptions in consumer decision-making.⁸ The significance of Effectiveness and reliability corroborates findings that consumers prioritize the efficacy of herbal medicines. Research conducted in Thailand demonstrated that factors such as herb knowledge and health consciousness significantly affect the purchase intention of herbal products, indicating that consumers value reliable and effective herbal remedies.⁹ Trust and brand perception emerged as crucial determinants of consumer behavior. A study in Indonesia found that brand experience, brand preference, and brand trust positively impact customer satisfaction and repurchase intentions for herbal medicinal products, emphasizing the role of brand-related factors in consumer loyalty.¹⁰ The influence of environmental and ethical considerations reflects a growing consumer awareness of sustainability and ethical sourcing. While specific studies on this aspect are limited, the increasing global emphasis on sustainable practices suggests that consumers are becoming more conscious of the environmental and ethical implications of their purchases, including herbal medicines. It is to be noted that the economic and availability and cultural and social factors did not significantly predict purchase intention in this study. The findings suggest that modern consumers, especially those interacting with herbal products, are shifting from affordability and cultural familiarity toward values like safety, efficacy, brand transparency, and ethical production.^11,12

This reflects broader trends in organic and health-centered markets. This suggests a shift in consumer priorities, with modern consumers placing greater emphasis on product integrity, safety, and ethical considerations over traditional motivators like affordability and cultural familiarity.

Limitations and future research

The study adopts a cross-sectional research design, which limits the ability to establish causality, and the sample may not fully represent the diverse consumer population. It is confined to Hyderabad city, which could limit the participation of respondents from other regions.

Future research could employ longitudinal designs and include a broader demographic and geographic locations to enhance generalizability.

CONCLUSION

The current study aimed to investigate the motivational factors influencing people's opinions and intentions for purchase towards herbal medicines. The results provide an insightful analysis of the changing consumer perspective on conventional and natural health solutions in the modern healthcare scene. The findings reveal that health and safety, effectiveness and reliability, trust and brand perception, and environmental and ethical considerations significantly impact consumers' decisions to purchase and recommend herbal products. This study contributes to the understanding of consumer behavior in the herbal medicine market by identifying the key factors influencing purchase intentions. The findings underscore the importance of health and safety, effectiveness, trust, and ethical considerations in shaping consumer decisions. To meet the evolving expectations of consumers, herbal product manufacturers and marketers should prioritize quality assurance, transparent communication, and sustainable practices.

Funding: No funding sources

Conflict of interest: None declared

Ethical approval: The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee

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