Estudo etnobotânico: saberes populares sobre plantas medicinais em uma comunidade ribeirinha no Sul do Amazonas

Abstract

Folk medicine plays an essential role in riverside communities, where limited access to health services encourages the use of medicinal plants as a therapeutic resource. This study aimed to conduct a survey on the use of these plants in the Maciarí community, located in the municipality of Lábrea-AM, analyzing forms of preparation, cultivation and therapeutic application. Through semi-structured questionnaires, data were collected on indications, parts used and methods of preparation of home remedies. Thirty-two residents were interviewed, predominantly women (56.25%), aged 40 to 60 years (31.35%), with low levels of education (46.87% with incomplete elementary education and 34.37% with no education. The majority live on less than a minimum wage (68.75%), in addition to working in agriculture (78.12%), and being beneficiaries of Bolsa Família (81.25%). In total, 103 medicinal species were cited, 32.35% of which were native to the Amazon and 67.64% were exotic, distributed across 48 botanical families, such as Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae and Fabaceae. The most mentioned species include andiroba (Carapa guianensis Abul), boldo (Peumus boldus Molina), mint (Mentha sp), basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.), and copaiba (Copaifera langsdorffii Desf). The leaves were the most commonly used parts, and the preferred preparation methods include tea/decoction and infusion. The plants were widely used to treat flu, inflammation, and urinary and stomach infections. The tradition of using plants, passed down through generations, not only ensures the health of the community, but also contributes to the cultivation and preservation of local biodiversity. Given the lack of medical care and synthetic medicines, medicinal plants are the main vital resource for the well-being of the population.