The Use of Medicinal Herbs by Diabetic People in the Municipality of Goioerê – PR - Brazil

  • Marli Aparecida Defani Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM
  • Thaisa Karin Barbosa Universidade Estadual de Maringá
  • Sueli de Lourdes Rossi Universidade do Centro Oeste do Paraná - UNICENTRO.
  • Regina do Carmo Nascimento Universidade do Centro Oeste do Paraná - UNICENTRO
Keywords: Medicinal Herbs, Diabetic Population, Goioerê.

Abstract

Since diabetes has a high mortality rate, it is an important concern for public health. Many people use medicinal herbs believing that natural plants lack any side effects. However, the pharmacological, biological and clinical potential of most plants has not yet been analyzed. Brazilian people’s cultural characteristics and their knowledge of medicinal plants in several regions of the country should be taken into account through ethno-pharmacological studies. The latter may retrieve popular knowledge to foreground research on the plants. The medicinal plants known to diabetic people from the municipality of Goioerê PR Brazil were investigated and confirmed by a bibliographic analysis of certain plants’ activities used by the diabetic community. Structured questionnaires were handed out and data were transformed into percentages. Data showed that most diabetic people made use of medicinal plants although their knowledge of the plants’ effects was scanty.

Author Biographies

Marli Aparecida Defani, Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM
Doutora em Biologia Celular pela Universidade Estadual de Maringá – UEM; Docente Doutora do Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas na Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM. E-mail: madefani@uem.br
Thaisa Karin Barbosa, Universidade Estadual de Maringá
Discente de Ciências na Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM. E-mail: thaisa-karin@hotmail.com
Sueli de Lourdes Rossi, Universidade do Centro Oeste do Paraná - UNICENTRO.
Bióloga graduada na Universidade do Centro Oeste do Paraná - UNICENTRO. E-mail: sueli_ross@hotmail.com
Regina do Carmo Nascimento, Universidade do Centro Oeste do Paraná - UNICENTRO
Bióloga graduada na Universidade do Centro Oeste do Paraná - UNICENTRO. E-mail: regina_nasc@hotmail.com
Published
2011-07-08
Section
Artigos Originais