Fitoterapia popular: a busca instrumental enquanto prática terapêuta

this study is an ethno botanical and opinion-based research, whose objective is to amplify our knowledge concerning the utilization of medicinal plants by the community of cascavel, pr, brazil. it looks to subsidize the implantation of phytotherapies in the brazilian public health care system. the sample corresponded to 50 families within the area pertaining to a public health care clinic, selected through proportional stratified sampling. in order to obtain the data, exploratory-descriptive research was used, collecting data through semi-structured interviews. as a result, 96% of the sampled population was observed to use medicinal plants; 271 ethno botanical references were registered, encompassing 75 ethno species; with 40 therapeutic properties related to domestic use. the use of medicinal plants is rather diffuse and the transfer of ethno botanical knowledge follows traditional community patterns, without observed blockages in this process. it was seen that medicinal plants for this community represent an important factor in their maintenance of health care conditions, being part of a preserved local knowledge.