Brazil - "Farmacia Verde" (Green Pharmacy)

Project name: "Farmacia Verde" (Green Pharmacy)
Status: completed
Start date: 1995
End date: 2010

Project initiator: Lucimar Aires de Souza and Dr. Aldo Lo Curto
Sponsor: Graziella Zanoletti, FUNASA, FOH 
Contact and information: go to contact page
Donations: go to donations page

The project "Farmacia Verde" was created in 1995 to promote the fabrication and use of plant-based first-aid medicine elaborated according to local traditional remedies.

Based in the region of Altamira, in the state of Pará, north of Brazil, the Farmacia Verde centre is composed of a garden and a laboratory and employs four people full time. The use of drugs made from medicinal plants allows access to an alternative and effective therapy for the population in the respect of their culture. The use of these plant-based medicines is a sensible alternative to regular drugs, as they are just equally efficient and more cost effective to produce than conventional medicines.

Thanks to the support of Friends of Humanity, over forty different medicinal plants are grown and about thirty different medicines are produced. The plants include ginger, mint, marigold, arnica and regional varieties such as boldo or mikania glomerata. Farmacia Verde’s drugs are manually prepared and disclose information such as: composition, indication, method of use and restrictions.

In 2009, plant-based medicines were distributed to 2'664 individuals from 18 Altamira communities.

Farmacia Verde is partially funded by the Fundaçao Ipiranga em Belèm and the Federal Health Assistance (FUNASA). FOH has been covering the remaining costs since January 2008 (900$/month).

More information on Farmacia Verde: