Nivel de conocimiento sobre fitoterapia y sus beneficios en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2

Abstract

Phytotherapy in recent years has increased its use in the population with type 2 diabetes mellitus, this may be due to traditions and customs acquired by ancestral medicine and its predecessors, however currently due to the high demand by patients the main health organizations have studied their phytotherapeutic properties in such a way that it has been shown that they have hypoglycemic properties. Objective: To identify the level of knowledge of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus of the diabetic club of the Latacunga General Hospital about phytotherapy and its benefits in diabetes mellitus. Material and methods: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional cohort study, no probabilistic sampling was applied, a personally elaborated survey was used after analysis of the environment and flora of the city of Latacunga, after consensus with experts on the subject. Results: Regarding knowledge of the concept of phytotherapy, the majority (86.7%) knew its definition. Among the main medicinal plants, the best known to complement the treatment of DM2 was moringa (28.9%), followed by cinnamon, dandelion, and garlic (13.3%). 68.9% of the population studied knew the definition of phytotherapy, and 68.9% of the population (13.3%) knew its use. 68.9% of the studied population has used medicinal plants to treat DM2. Conclusions: Most of the population that participated in the study has a high level of knowledge regarding phytotherapy and its implication in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.