UTILIZAÇÃO DE PLANTAS MEDICINAIS COM POTENCIAL DE TRATAMENTO DA HIPERTENSÃO ARTERIAL POR MORADORES DA COMUNIDADE RURAL DE ALAGOINHA NO MUNICÍPIO DE ARARIPE – CE

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.930112518033

• Palavras-chave: Hipertensão; plantas medicinais; etnobotânica.

• Keywords: Hypertension; medicinal plants; ethnobotanical.

• Abstract: Since the dawn of mankind man has used plants for medicinal purposes, whether to prevent or cure various diseases. In our country this practice began with the indigenous peoples who used the plants both for therapeutic purposes and for the performance of religious rituals. Therefore, this tradition was being passed on from generation to generation to its descents and remains to the present day. Among the numerous pathologies that men resort to to treat arterial hypertension with this practice. The use of plants with medicinal potential by patients with chronic non-communicable diseases, such asarterial hypertension, has been investigated for the recognition of their therapeutic purposes and to provide data for scientific knowledge of medicinal herbs in the treatment of folk medicine. In this context, the present study aimed to conduct an ethnobotanical survey on medicinal plants used in the treatment of arterial hypertension by residents of the rural community of Alagoinha in the municipality of Araripe - CE. The research was developed through interviews and participated freely 128 community residents, aged over 40 years. The results obtained in this study show the community's belief in these plant resources as an alternative for the treatment of diseases, especially hypertension, citing about 17 species they consider to have a hypotensive effect. They also indicated the leaves of the vegetables as being the most used parts. These are collected by the community, especially in the backyards of their homes and are consumed through the preparation of teas. Pharmacological evidence was verified that proves the efficacy of some vegetables cited by this community in the treatment of BP, such as Allium sativum L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Cymbopogon citratus Stapf and Matricaria chamomilla L. The research also showed that this knowledge prevails, especially among older people and is gradually passed on throughout the generations. Thus, the rescue and maintenance of this knowledge about medicinal plants are essential, since the loss of it corresponds to the loss of part of the cultural identity of a population and relevant sources for drug studies.