Plantas medicinais na perspectiva de raizeiros da feira de Caruaru- PE

Abstract

Medicinal plants serve to subsidize the maintenance and rehabilitation of man's health since the dawn of humanity, becoming a fundamental part of the culture of different peoples. The dissemination of this practice is partly due to the figure of the root worker, who gains great knowledge and an important role as the main responsible for the preparation, conditioning, indication and commercialization of medicinal plants, directly influencing the health of many people. The objective of this work is to analyze the perspectives of root farmers at the fair in Caruaru / PE regarding the use of medicinal herbs and their indications, as well as to identify the most used plants and their main indications; identify the way of learning your trade and the conditions that the plants are commercialized. This is an exploratory and descriptive study, with a qualitative approach, where the analysis of qualitative data was carried out according to the technique of analysis of discursive practices. The sample consisted of 14 tree-makers, 3 (21%) of whom were male and 11 (79%) of whom were female. It was found that the plants most indicated by these subjects are quixaba, aroeira and the cashew bark; the indications mainly include health problems such as: headache, inflammation and diarrhea. The learning of the trade is based most of the time on the experience and perpetuation of knowledge among family members. The products are marketed in conditions unsuitable for human consumption and the subjects reported the absence of inspection by health surveillance agencies in their commercial establishments. It is concluded that the rootsmen learn and pass on the craft based on empirical foundations and popular culture. The commercialization of plants occurs in a way that does not meet the principles and health care so that the participation of health surveillance agencies is necessary, to offer the population healthy products, as well as that the public health system can provide training. to the subjects, based on scientific research about products manufactured with medicinal plants.