EVALUATION OF THE USE OF MEDICINAL HERBS IN THE TREATMENT OF GEOHELMINTHIASIS

Medicinal plants are being used by man both in food and for therapeutic purposes over time. Brazil, it is considered a common practice to. Popular knowledge about the use of medicinal plants has spread among the generations. However, there must be legitimacy of the therapeutic assignments of these plants. Currently, scientific research has proven the medicinal action of plants, through its in natura use or by isolation of its active principle. Among the species that have been highlighted for their therapeutic efficiency are Eucalyptus globulus and Ficusglabrata, which in turn have demonstrated antihemintic action. The helminthiasisare diseases caused by geohelminths, being linked to the absence of basic sanitation and improper habits of hygiene.In this way, the objective of the study was to evaluate the use of medicinal herbs as a form of treatment to thegeohelminthiasis. The study was conducted with 28 women in a public school in Pernambuco. The participants answered a questionnaire about the use of medicinal plants in the control of geohelminthiasis. When analyzing the data, it was observed that 50% of the interviewed women reported using the plants for the treatment of verminoses, and most of them learned to use them with their relatives. Among the plants used are: mastruz, boldo, hortel? and babosa. A significant portion of women grow these plants in their own home. In relation to the ingestion of these plants, the majority consumed in the form of juice. With the obtaining of the data, it was verified that a great part of theinterviewees use medicinal plants in the combat to verminoses based on the empirical knowledge.