THE USE OF PHYTOTHERAPY BY PART OF THE RESIDENTS FROM THE BARROS COUNTY OF THE CITY OF ARAGUAÍNA - TO

Abstract

Phytotherapy is a method in which plants, vegetables and derivatives are used for disease treatment. The use of herbal medicine is given since antiquity, being part of human evolution, being as old as man himself. The purpose of the research was “to reveal the possible use of herbal medicines as embedded in popular culture of a certain group of people in a semi-rural area of Araguaína - TO”. A field research was the methodology used in qualitative and quantitative nature, exploratory and descriptive. Twenty residents of Barros county of Araguaína – TO were interview, ages 50 years and older, where data was analyzed and discussed based on the Method of Content Analysis of Bandin. Among the 80% of participants are female and the average age is 50-55 years. Cited in the survey were 33 different names of medicinal plants, of which the most used: mint, lemon balm and lemongrass, and the main health problems mentioned were: cough, fever and flu. The most commonly used form of preparation was infused in teas. The family tradition was very evident. The nurse as a professional, who works directly with the particular groups, should look for methods to facilitate the insertion into promoting their health through practices that are within people´s reach.