Use of Participatory Methods in the Creation of a Catalog of Medicinal Plants

Participatory methods are currently used in different research areas, especially for the rapid diagnosis of the needs of people involved in the study. Thus, these methods were used in an extension project carried out in the Carao community, located in the city of Altinho in the arid zone of Pernambuco (Northeastern Brazil), in an area of Caatinga. A catalog of medicinal plants native to the Caatinga was needed by the community and generated through participatory methods. The need for this catalog arose from the desire to know the useful flora of the area and to maintain a record of the traditional medical practices of the community. Species with a greater number of medicinal and therapeutic uses, totaling 30 woody species, were selected based on a survey previously conducted. These species were photographed, with an emphasis on plant habitat and details of the leaves, flowers and fruits. Two workshops were carried out with the participation of about 30 residents, who were divided into three groups. On these occasions, we presented names and pictures of each plant, and the residents discussed their medicinal uses, including which plant parts were used in the preparation of the medicine and how the medicine was prepared and administered. The information gathered from the workshop participants was cataloged and organized so that each plant had a brief description, an illustration and information on its common uses. The compilation of this catalog was a way of valuing and recording the local knowledge of medicinal plants and the local medical practices.