A influência da utilização de plantas medicinais nos custos do tratamento de agravos atendidos pela assistência farmacêutica básica

Abstract

The use of medicinal plants for the treatment of the ailments of health is disseminated not only in the rural areas but also in the urban areas of the Brazilian territory. The economic meaning of these medicinal plants, used in the attendance of the basic health needs, for the home economics of the socially vulnerable part of the population, is still poorly investigated. Many plant’s species are commercialized in the city of Belem by herbalists in markets and open fairs of the city. This article has as objective analyze in what extent the insertion of the use of medicinal plant minimizes the costs of the treatments of injuries treated by the Assistencia Farmaceutica na Atencao Basica (Pharmaceutical Assistance in the Basic Attention). To achieve this objective, it was realized a study, of exploratory nature, by means of application of questionnaires, using the method of sampling, defined by non-probabilistic criteria, in the district of Jurunas, with support in the Unidade de Saude Radional II (Health Unit Radional II), located in the metropolitan region of Belem, Para. It was made a survey of informations regarding the focus of this study in the Centro de Referencia de Tratamento Natural (Natural Treatment Reference Center - CRTN), located in the city of Macapa, that already utilizes the medicinal plants as a therapeutic resource. In the result of the field research in the district of Jurunas it was verified that approximately 50% of the interviewed practice the self-medication with medicinal plants, listed in the RDC nº 10/ANVISA, been needed, however, correct orientation for its growth and therapeutic use. The comparison between expenses with synthetic medicines in the treatment of the symptoms of five diseases that frequently occur in district of Jurunas and those resultants of the use of medicinal plants, for the same symptoms, reveals a reduction in the expenses for treatments based on medicinal plants. In conclusion, it can be inferred that this reduction represents a saving of resources that the user and the system leave to expend when utilizes the medicinal plants.