Frequency of Phytotherapics Prescribed by Doctors in Rondônia, Western Amazônia of Brazil

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the frequency of herbal medicines prescribed by doctors based on records of manipulation pharmacies in the period of 4 (four) years. Methods: this is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach, with retrospective and cross-sectional data, from the collection of information in an electronic registry of manipulation pharmacy in a context of the State of Rondônia, in 4 (four) Amazonian municipalities, subspace 2 (two) from Rondônia - Western Amazon, according to the spatial model of Paraguassú-Chaves [14]. Results: In the first stage of the research (2015 and 2016) 5.576 were prescribed and in the second stage (2017 and 2018) 7.600, with an increase of 2.024 prescriptions. The phytotherapics with the highest frequency were sine (21.07%), ginkgo biloba (14.9%), kava-kava (14.20%) and sacred cascara (12.62%). In general, the senna and the sacred cascara indicate the population's search for weight loss products, kava-kava to combat insomnia, nervous tension, agitation, distress problems or everyday malaise, ginkgo biloba to combat general circulatory problems and peripheral circulatory disorders (intermittent claudication) and cerebral vascular insufficiency. The general practitioner (general practitioner) with 36%, gastroenterologist 21%, gynecologist-obstetrics 11%, urologist 9.7%, angiologist and vascular surgeon 9% and cardiologist with 5.8% were the professionals in the medical specialties who prescribed the most. Of the medical prescriptions of the general clinical specialty, senna with sacred cascara (35%), ginkgo biloba (20%) and dry senna extract (17%) stand out. Of gastroenterology, 77% correspond to glucomannan, garcinia cambogia. Of the gynecology-obstetrics, isoflavones 40% (26%), senna (20%), combination of kava-kava, isoflavones and senna (17.6%) and ginkgo biloba (14%). From urology, senna dry extract (63%), of the specialty angiology and vascular surgery 57% of horse chestnut and 42% of ginkgo biloba. Cardiology stands out with 88% ginkgo biloba recipes out of the total recipes prepared by doctors specializing in this area. Conclusions: the consumption of herbal medicines has increased significantly in the last years of the research in the cities of Ariquemes, Jaru, Ouro Preto do Oeste and Ji-Paraná, in Rondônia, Western Amazon, Brazil. Among the possible reasons for the increase in the consumption of herbal medicines are the search to find an alternative to synthetic medicines, the advances in the scientific area that allowed the development of herbal medicines known to be safe and effective, and the trend of the population, for less aggressive therapies intended for care primary health care.