Ethnobotany of Medical Plants: Diversity and use in Brazilian Quilombol Communities

Abstract

Ethnobotany has been an excellent research tool in understanding the various ways that relate physics, culture and spirituality to plants in traditional quilombol communities. Studies on medicinal plants, which demonstrate their diversity and use by quilombola communities, demonstrate their relevance, given factors such as cultural influence, ancient knowledge passed on to each generation bringing them to scientific knowledge. In this context, the present study aimed to conduct a survey on the diversity and use of medicinal plants by quilombola communities, through the review of articles from 2014 to 2019 obtained by the SciELO platform, LILACS and CAPES Magazine Portal. With the study, it is clear what is the importance or fundamental knowledge about the diversity and use of these medicinal plants, and the lack of knowledge of an important risk factor for poisoning for the residents of these communities, thus alerting the need for education and preventive activities, as well as the publication and dissemination of research with similar objectives, are those that best use above as their basic and nutritional needs.