Venomous animal accidents and phytotherapeutic measures adopted by the rural population in Alagoas backlands (Brazil)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18316/sdh.v8i3.6786

Keywords:

Snake Bites, Poison, Phytotherapy, Public Health

Abstract

Objectives: Evaluate the epidemiological aspects of accidents with venomous animals, focusing on snakebites and phytotherapic measures adopted by the rural population in municipalities in the interior of Alagoas, Brazil.

Material and methods: This comprises a quantitative, descriptive research, carried out between 2016 and 2017 in the Alagoas backlands. The “snowball sampling” method was used to select the participants. A semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using the Excel 2007 software, and the relationship between variables was evaluated by Spearman’s correlation.

Results: Of the 600 reported accidents with venomous animals, the most prevalent were caused by snakes (47.00%) and scorpions (31.44%), while 21.56% were caused by other animals. A weak correlation (r = 0.33) was observed between municipality and job occupation. Of the 282 registered snakebites, the Viperidae family was predominant with 74.46% of the cases. Most accidents ocurred with members of the Bothrops/Bothrocophias (36.52%) and Crotalus (28.37%) genera. The medicinal plants used herein were barbatimão (52.00%), paratudo (21.00%), bellyache bush (15.00%) and sweet potato (12.00%), applied as leaf macerations (60.00 %), tea compresses (29.50%) and garrafada (10.50%).

Conclusion: Medicinal plants are used in the region of Alagoas as a phytotherapic alternative to minimize the symptoms and effects of snake venom.

Author Biographies

Cledson dos Santos Magalhães, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Laboratório de Farmacognosia

Karina Perrelli Randau, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Laboratório de Farmacognosia

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Published

2020-08-05

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 3 (2020)

Section

Artigos Originais

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