PRESCRIPTIONS OF HERBAL MEDICINES IN FAMILY HEALTH CENTER “CLEIDE CAVALCANTE”, SOBRAL – CE, BRAZIL

Abstract

Medicinal plants have active principles able to provide cure, treatment, prevention and useful in the preparation of
pharmaceutical products. This study aims to trace the profile of herbal medicine prescriptions at a Family Health Center
in the city of Sobral, CE. It was an observational study, retrospective with a quantitative approach. The analysis variables
were the kinds of herbal medicines, their dosage forms, dosage, drug classes, health workers that prescribed the products.
In addition, prescriptions were observed about possible errors or mistakes. From the herbal medicines prescribed during
the months of May and June of 2013 and 2014, it was observed that the tonka bean syrup had the highest prescription rate
with 94.6% (445). From the 470 prescriptions analysed, 95.3% (448) were prescribed by nursing professionals. About the
problems or mistakes on the prescriptions, the ones that stood out were the absence of prescriber’s phone number with 99.9%
(470), absence of the duration of treatment with 56.8% (267), under dosages with 17.2% (81) and incomplete prescription,
with 13.4% (63). These data are important for health professionals, encouraging the rational use of herbal medicines.