The alternative use of medicinal plants in the treatment of depression caused by pesticide: A literature review

Abstract

In the last decade, Brazil has expanded the pesticide market by 190%, becoming to be the first place in the world ranking of consumption since 2008. This way, the negative impacts for the environment and human health, because of the exposure to chemical inputs, are diverse. Among the disorders caused, depression stands out, due to the exposure of field workers to pesticides. As a possibility to an alternative treatment there is the use of plants to control depression. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the profile of publications in the last five years about plants that can be used in the alternative treatment of depression. This is a bibliographic search, in the integrative review modality. Thus, nine papers were selected from scientific studies with medicinal plants used to control depression. Among the mentioned plants that were used in the antidepressant treatment there is the Hypericum perforatum, Crocus sativus, Valeriana officinalis, Lavandula officinalis e Rosmarinus officinalis. Given to the exposure of farmers and the surrounding populations to agrochemicals and also to the repercussion, such as depression, the alternative use of medicinal plants in the treatment of this disease, it is shown as an important alternative. Therefore, this review brought the knowledge of a diversity of plants with mediated antidepressant activity.