J Ethnopharmacol. 1993 Mar; 38(2-3): 137-43.

The status of ethnopharmacology in Brazil.

Elisabetsky E, Wannmacher L.

Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Brazil is a country of interest to ethnopharmacology because of its great wealth of cultural and biological diversity. This paper describes relevant research activities in the areas of botany, chemistry, basic and clinical pharmacology, and discusses the key factors that shaped ethnopharmacology development in the country. Specific attention is given to analyzing ongoing attempts to include medicinal plant based formulations in the official health care system.