Apothecary Profession

The Apothecary Profession is one of the most prominent traditional professions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Up until recently, the apothecary profession was a common medical practice in Saudi society, as apothecaries would provide medicinal prescriptions based on various types of herbs. Each village or town had an apothecary who would prepare medicinal recipes to treat diseases.

Apothecaries possessed extensive knowledge and familiarity concerning the medicinal and therapeutic attributes of herbs acquired through practical experience. They formulated remedies for fevers and internal ailments based on patients' descriptions of their symptoms and discomfort. As demand for the services of apothecaries increased, the profession flourished, leading to the establishment of dedicated facilities furnished with essential materials for treatments.

Like other ancient professions, apothecaries are known by titles and nicknames based on their expertise, history, and approach to apothecary or their places of origin. Titles such as the "Sheikh of the apothecaries," the "grand apothecary," and the "apothecary of Yemen" are bestowed upon individuals based on their years of professional practice, and some inherit these titles from their fathers or grandfathers.

Jeddah became renowned for its apothecaries who were widely recognized for practicing this profession, and it still upholds this reputation. The old Jeddah apothecaries relied on specialized herb merchants to procure the required varieties. Bombay, in India, stood out as the primary source of herbs, being one of the largest herb markets of its time.

Practicing the apothecary profession was not easy in the past, as it demanded a deep understanding of herbs and their quality, often necessitating travel to other countries to secure necessary components. Apothecaries frequently journeyed to India or neighboring Arab countries such as Syria and Egypt to procure their supplies.

Several apothecaries were prominent in the Kingdom, and certain names became renowned. For instance, in historic Jeddah, apothecary shops resembled modern-day medical clinics. There, they would administer hundreds of traditional prescriptions to alleviate patients' pains.

To organize the apothecary activity, in 2019, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing issued an update to the regulations governing health requirements for apothecary shops. The aim was to maintain the quality of the products offered and ensure compliance with health standards, ultimately protecting consumers and their safety. The regulations consisted of thirty articles divided into three main sections: general requirements, special requirements, and health requirements for workers in apothecary shops.