Rational Phytotherapy: taxonomic, agroecological, ethnobotanical and therapeutic aspects Vanilde Citadini-Zanette, Mariana Possamai Della Colle, Renato Colares Pereira, Angela Erna Rossato, Maria Eduarda Alves Ferreira, Robson dos Santos

Abstract

Phytotherapy, in addition to proving the therapeutic action of plants, provides popular knowledge from different cultures, with knowledge and practices being transferred between generations and communities. However, one of the obstacles in the use of medicinal plants is their botanical identification, since just knowing the vernacular name can cause confusion in the use of the correct plant. With the aim of promoting the exchange of knowledge between the scientific and the popular, focusing on ethnobotanical, taxonomic, agroecological and therapeutic aspects of medicinal plants, in an interdisciplinary context, a project that links Research and Extension with the Health Pastoral of the Diocese of Criciúma, Santa Catarina, has been taking place at the University of the Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC) for 15 years, with the participation of the Herbarium Father Dr. Raulino Reitz (CRI) responsible for botanical identification.