Use of plant-derived therapies in a rural, biracial population in Mississippi.
Exploring the use of plant-derived medicines has recently received much attention in both scientific and popular journals. A study conducted in central Mississippi on medicinal plants investigated the frequency of use, types of plants used, and symptoms treated. A randomly selected probability sample of 223 households found that over 70 percent of the adults used at least one plant-derived medicine during the past year. The most frequently used plants included lemon, aloe, castor, turpentine, tobacco, and garlic. Frequency of use varied by race with a higher proportion of African-Americans than Caucasians reporting use of a plant-derived medicine. Due to the possible presence of toxic compounds or potential drug interactions, it is recommended that health care professionals investigate the use of plant-derived therapies as part of the patient's medical history.
Frate
D A
DA
Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, USA.
Croom
E M
EM
Frate
J B
JB
Juergens
J P
JP
Meydrech
E F
EF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008922:Mississippi; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012423:Rural Health; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*