Mammalian fauna used in folk medicine among hunters in a semiarid region of Brazil

Abstract

Humans have established relations with non-human animals since the dawn of their existence on Earth through a wide variety of uses of faunal resources. Among these is the utilization of fauna for therapeutic purposes, which is a fairly widespread practice in Brazil and an important alternative to the use of pharmaceutical medicines. Mammalian species play a prominent role in zootherapy and are widely used for this activity in the semiarid areas of Northeastern Brazil. This study aims to survey the main species of mammals used for zootherapeutic practices in the municipality of Sume, state of Paraiba, Brazil, and to identify the conditions and diseases treated with mammals species or their body parts. This is the first study that accesses zootherapeutic resources from information of local hunters, who are responsible for capturing these resources and represent the initial link in the chain of animal use for medicinal purposes. Fifty-one informants were interviewed; most of them male. The informants reported 19 species of mammals used for the treatment of diseases, of which 13 were wild animals found on the endangered species list. The study recorded at least 20 animal products or by-products commonly utilized in the administration and preparation of medicines for the treatment of 14 categories of diseases, with diseases related to problems of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue being the most often mentioned. This study revealed a wide variety of mammal species being used in folk medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases, as well as various animal products and by-products being employed in zootherapeutic practices. This type of research plays an important role in understanding the impact of zootherapeutic activities on faunal resources and assists in the implementation of techniques for the management and conservation of mammals.