Presentation Information
[P-31-06]Medicinal Plant Use for Mental Health in an Urban Brazilian Population: A Thematic Study
*Ciro Blujus dos Santos Rohde1, Leonardo Guimarães Stocco2, Gabriela Regina de Souza6, Rosilaine Munhoz Silva5, Maria Gabriela Zacharias Thibes4, Julia Rosari Kingston3, Hermano Tavares1 (1.Department of Psychiatry of the School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo(Brazil), 2.School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo(Brazil), 3.University College Cork(Ireland), 4.Department of Psychiatry - UNIFESP(Brazil), 5.Faculdade Nove de Julho(Brazil), 6.Faculdade Anhanguera(Brazil))
Keywords:
Cultural psychiatry,medicinal plants,thematic study,familial knowledge,popular medicine
Despite pharmaceutical developments, the use of medicinal plants for mental health persists in both medical and popular knowledge. Cultural factors, such as family traditions and popular beliefs, often dictate how plants are used and how symptoms are perceived. This study aimed to identify which medicinal plants a Brazilian population uses for psychiatric symptoms and analyze the cultural contexts behind this practice. A quali-quantitative study was conducted with 51 medicinal plant users interviewed at a popular market in São Paulo, Brazil. The participants, predominantly women with a mean age of 49.1, were selected based on a psychiatric symptom checklist. They completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and participated in an open interview about their experiences.The most used medicinal herbs were Salvia Rosmarinus (29.4%), Ruta graveolens (23.5%), Melissa officinalis (21.5%), and Matricaria chamomilla (21.5%). The main motivations for use were reported as promoting well-being (41.1%), treating somatic symptoms (39.2%), and anxiety (35.3%). However, the thematic analysis of the open interviews revealed anxiety as the central theme for 82.5% of users. Other key themes included "Heritage and knowledge network of medicinal plants", with 61.4% of participants learning about plant use from family; "Seeking natural approaches", with 78% preferring natural treatments; and "Perception of efficacy", where 94.1% reported positive prior experiences. The study concludes that an urban Brazilian population uses medicinal herbs for managing mental health, with anxiety being a central issue. This practice is driven by a preference for natural approaches and guided by familial, cultural, and religious knowledge. Integrating these culturally sensitive strategies with conventional care offers a promising path for comprehensive patient support. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (CAAE: 5097805.5.0000.0065; Opinion Number: 5.097.805).