USE OF HERBAL MEDICINE AND MEDICINAL PLANTS IN BASIC HEALTH UNITS IN A MUNICIPALITY IN THE INTERIOR OF MINAS GERAIS: VISION OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Abstract

Introduction: Phytotherapy is the treatment carried out from medicinal plants or herbal medicines. It is characterized by the use of medicinal plants and their different pharmaceutical forms in order to restore the body's balance without the use of isolated active principles. In Brazil, studies evaluating the use of plants as medicines and their insertion in popular culture are rare. Objectives: To evaluate the knowledge and practices related to the prescription and/or use of medicinal plants and herbal medicines by health professionals in Basic Health Units (UBS) in a municipality in the interior of Minas Gerais. Methods: Quantitative and cross-sectional study, developed in 10 Basic Health Units in the municipality of Ubá, Minas Gerais. Data collection was carried out at the UBS, using a semi-structured questionnaire, at pre-established times, together with an Informed Consent Form. The survey was carried out from November 2020 to January 2021. Results: The population studied was 64 health professionals in 10 Basic Health Units in the city of Ubá, Minas Gerais. Forty-eight (75%) females and 16 (25%) males participated in the survey. Regarding age, the average was 41.61 years. As for professional training, 7 (10.9%) were physicians, 9 (14.1%) nurses, 13 (20.3%) nursing technicians, 1 (1.6%) nutritionist, 1 (1.6%) psychologist and 33 (51.6%) had other training. When asked about the difference between herbal medicines and medicinal plants, 33 (51.6%) did not know the difference between them, while 31 (48.4%) did. As for the level of knowledge about herbal medicines and medicinal plants, 46 (71.9%) considered their knowledge little, 13 (20.3%) intermediate and 5 (7.8%) null. In the UBS that make the prescription, the most used herbal medicines and medicinal plants were: Valeriana officinalis and Passiflora incarnata and the diseases for which they were used are anxiety and depression. Conclusions: Although it is a national and ancient culture, the benefits from medicinal plants and the low costs of herbal medicines are still little used in solving health problems. When analyzing the performance of health professionals in this aspect, there is a large gap in their knowledge, which, in part, justifies the lack of guidance to patients.