We often use some medicinal plants to treat simple symptoms, such as cramps, headaches and even hangovers. It is common for people to say that the practice is natural and does no harm, however, is this statement correct? According to pharmacist Letícia Hoerbe Andrighetti, master professor of the Pharmacy course from Centro Universitário Cesuca, using home remedies is a practice that dates back to human existence. “Millennial records show that the Egyptians already made mixtures of plants, honey and other natural compounds to try to cure and alleviate their ailments. This technique was more 'improved' in the middle ages, where, inside the castles, there were healers who sought to prepare potions to heal the royal family and the people in general. Nowadays, the use of certain homemade recipes is part of people's 'cultural and historical identity'. This is the case of 'sugar water for sleeping', passed down from generation to generation, and of mixtures of plants prepared at home and still sold today in various street markets.

1. Survival Home Remedies
We often use some medicinal plants to treat simple
symptoms, such as cramps, headaches and even
hangovers. It is common for people to say that the practice
is natural and does no harm, however, is this statement
correct?
According to pharmacist Letícia Hoerbe Andrighetti,
master professor of the Pharmacy course from Centro
Universitário Cesuca, using home remedies is a practice
that dates back to human existence. “Millennial records
show that the Egyptians already made mixtures of plants,
honey and other natural compounds to try to cure and
alleviate their ailments.

2. This technique was more 'improved' in the middle ages,
where, inside the castles, there were healers who sought
to prepare potions to heal the royal family and the people
in general. Nowadays, the use of certain homemade
recipes is part of people's 'cultural and historical
identity'. This is the case of 'sugar water for sleeping',
passed down from generation to generation, and of
mixtures of plants prepared at home and still sold today in
various street markets in Brazil.
Using medicine, therefore, is a type of self-care, a search
for survival”, he states.
In this sense, she highlights: the term “medicine” is used
for any resource capable of alleviating or resolving
symptoms that humans may experience in everyday life.
Even taking a vacation can be a “medicine” to relieve daily
stress. However, when it is a technically developed

3. compound, manufactured and registered with a health
agency (Anvisa, in Brazil), the product is called “medicine”.
Far beyond self-care issues, she remembers that there
are many other reasons why people self-medicate.
One of them is the difficulty in accessing health services
and resources, due to the economic aspect that a large
part of the Brazilian population falls into, in addition to
issues such as aging, when there is a greater tendency to
need to use .
multiple medications
Benefits of treating illnesses with
homemade recipes:
Homemade recipes prepared with medicinal plants are
considered important allies in taking care of people's
health. To get the best possible benefit, Professor Letícia
listed important tips to follow. Check out:
– Be sure of the identity of the plant you are using. Just as
there are medicinal plants, there are toxic plants. Correct
identification is essential to ;
avoid unpleasant surprises
– Find out about the correct way to prepare your
homemade recipe. There are plants that can be boiled,
others lose their properties when exposed to excessive
heat and, therefore, should only remain in contact with
heated water for a few minutes;

4. – Find out about interactions between plants and the
medications you are using. Generally, the use of
homemade recipes based on medicinal plants with already
established drug treatment can be done without problems.
However, there are cases in which concomitant use is not
indicated.
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