EFICÁCIA DA FITOTERAPIA EM DOENÇAS CRÔNICAS: DIABETES, HIPERTENSÃO E CARDIOPATIAS

INTRODUCTION: The application of medicinal plants in the management of chronic diseases is a field of research that is becoming increasingly significant. Throughout history, various societies around the world have explored the healing qualities of different plants, and important knowledge has been passed down from one generation to the next. This cultural heritage, based on practical observations and traditional knowledge, has helped in the exploration and use of medicinal plants as natural alternatives for treatment. OBJECTIVE: To identify, through the literature, the safety and efficacy of the use of phytotherapeutics most commonly used in clinical practice. METHOD: This is an integrative literature review study. This research modality allows for the analysis of research and synthesis of concepts in a broad manner, considering the need for scientific knowledge for the preparation and development of the article. The research was conducted in recognized databases, such as Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), National Health Library (BVS) and U.S National Library of Medicine (PubMed), using keywords such as "medicinal plants", "chronic diseases", "phytotherapy", "alternative treatment", among others. As inclusion criteria, studies available online, in their entirety, that address the use of phytotherapeutics in the treatment of the mentioned chronic diseases were used; published between 2015 and 2025, in Portuguese, Spanish and English. RESULT: Phytotherapy has shown to be a safe and effective alternative to conventional medications in the treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases. However, it is important to emphasize that the use of phytotherapeutics should be monitored by qualified health professionals, as each patient has individual characteristics that must be considered.