Knowledge and Self-use of Medicinal Plants by Health University Students in Brasília-Brazil

Background : This article reports an experiment based on the measurement of the academic about the use of medicinal plants is increasing, this article aims to analyze the behavior of future health professionals regarding the use of medicinal plants, since they will be responsible for the orientation and education of patients and the population. Methods : The present study involved 50 students of the academic health care Anhanguera College of Brasilia (Biological Sciences, Biomedicine, Nursing and Pharmacy), selected randomly. Questions about the use of medicinal plants were made and 96% confirmed having used medicinal plants. We used the Descriptive statistic to compare the answers. Results : Most academics reported self-consumption of medicinal plants, with a positive result after use (*p<0.001). The most used medicinal plants were, in addition to the mixture of herbs, boldo and Mexican tea, for the treatment of stomach pains, headaches, coughs, and colds. Self-usage was mainly due to the recommendation of a family member and most of their knowledge of herbal medicine come from non-evidence based sources. The prevalence of plant use was higher among females(84%) in all undergraduate courses observed when purchased as males (22%). Conclusions: The consumption of medicinal plants among academics is high, but it is within the literature. However, as the study was conducted among health professionals, they were expected to have greater knowledge of the adverse effects and on the plant to be used.