Estudio etnobotánico de plantas medicinales en tres municipios de antioquia, Colombia

Introduction: Use of medicinal plants continues to be a habitual practice in Antioquia due to its long-standing tradition, the high prices of drugs and the difficulty to obtain them. Objectives: Study the most commonly used medicinal plants, their applications and modes of use in the municipalities of Carepa, Cañasgordas and Girardota, Department of Antioquia, Colombia, and become acquainted with some of the most relevant features of their consumers. Methods: Semi-structured surveys were applied to 60 people per municipality to study the most commonly used plants, their properties, the parts used, and the modes of preparation. The information was analyzed statistically. Results: Fifty-nine plants are generally used in the three communities. The most commonly used are Aloysia citriodora Palau (lemon verbena) (89.3 %), Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Brown (bushy matgrass) (84,3 %) and Melissa officinalis L. (balm mint) (83.3 %). Conclusions: Medicinal plants are important remedies in rural communities of municipalities in Antioquia, Colombia, due to the difficulties faced by the population to access health services and their limited economic resources.