Conhecimento e uso de plantas medicinais por idosos dos programas da assistência social (PAIF/CRAS) do município de Baraúna - PB.

Abstract

The use of plants for therapeutic indications in Brazil is a practice disseminated culturally, especially in the Northeast region, in which are theelderly are the main references of this method, acquired by a family tradition, and then passed orally from generation to generation. From this perspective, this current study aimed to record the knowledge and use of medicinal plants by elderly participants from a Family Care Program (PAIF/CRAS) at Baraúna, a town located in State of Paraíba. It is a transversal, descriptive study, with a quantitative and qualitative approach. Data collection consisted of a semi-structured questionnaire with 16 questions, in which the main aspects analyzed were: sócio-economic profile, popular knowledge about medicinal plants, posology, acquisition, parts used, forms of preparation and indications. This study was consisted of twenty-two elderly people aged between 60 and 85 years, 72.3% women who live in the urban area and have a low level of education. It was found that most of the elderly use medicinal plants when they are affected by a daily or weekly disease, until its symptoms disappear. Thirty three different medicinal plants uses were mentioned from to a list of thirty medicinal species presented in the questionnaire, in which the most frequently mentioned were: camomila (Matricaria chamomilla L.), alecrim (Rosmarinus officinnalis L.), cajueiro (Anacardium occidentale L.), erva cidreira (Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. ex Britton & P. Wilson) and erva-doce (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.). The leaves are the parts most used in the preparation of medicines, in the forms of teas to eliminate mainly diseases of the gastrointestinal system (30.3%), followed by diseases caused by respiratory system (15.1%). It was reached a consensus on 44.5% of cases, among the therapeutic indications according to interviewees and theoretical background based on scientific literature. In the current study it was found that the elderly are importanth olders of the knowledge on medicinal plants, although most of elderly people investigated have not answered the questions in the sample. Similar to several ethnobotanical studies made in Brazil, the plants that were used are mainly exotic species, in addition to presenting a risk for risk for health of elderly people that envolve a inappropriate use of medicinal plants which can lead to cases of intoxication. Therefore, it is essential the implementation of educational actions in the are a analyzed, in order to guide the rational use of plants to therapy field and provide its efficacy and safety.