Use Of Animals In Medicine Research Articles

Giving a voice to “the silent killer”: a knowledge, attitude and practice study of diabetes among French Guiana’s Parikweneh people

BackgroundThe prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the French overseas department of French Guiana, South America, nearly doubles that in its European counterpart, Metropolitan France. This region is demographically diverse and includes several populations of Indigenous Peoples. Although such populations are at particular risk of developing T2D across the Americas, very little is known about their health status in French Guiana, and accurate numbers of diabetic patients do not exist.MethodsIn light of a potential public health crisis, an ethnomedicinal study of diabetes experienced by Indigenous Parikweneh was conducted to provide better insight into the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) related to this quickly emerging disease in French Guiana. Altogether, 75 interviews were conducted with community members and Elders, as well as healthcare professionals and administrators providing services to the Parikweneh population of Macouria and Saint-Georges de l’Oyapock.ResultsInterviews suggest a high incidence of T2D in this population, with cases that have risen quickly since the mid-twentieth century. Parikweneh participants linked the development of the illness to dietary changes, notably through the introduction of new and sweet foods. Recognizing the complexity of diabetes and its symptoms, diabetic patients highlighted the importance of biomedical treatments and follow-ups, though they frequently alternated or used them concomitantly with Parikweneh medicines. With the help of biomedical tools (i.e. glucometer), local medicinal practices mirrored biomedical approaches through dietary adaptation and the use of medicinal animals and plants for glycaemic control and the treatment of complications from the disease.ConclusionParikweneh are appropriating T2D into their knowledge system and adapting their health system in response to this relatively new health concern. A greater understanding of local practices and perceptions relating to T2D among medical staff may therefore be beneficial for meeting patients’ needs, providing greater autonomy in their health path, and improving treatment outcomes.

Biodiversity conservation, human-animal interactions, and zootherapy in ecological knowledge of Indonesian Healers.

We examined the entanglement of biodiversity conservation, human-animal interactions, zootherapy, and local beliefs among Sumatran Healers and their local community by completing an ethnography of 43 Indigenous Healers across 8 tribes in Bengkulu Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Data collection tools were interviews, observations, videos, photographs, and a researcher journal. Of the 43 Healers, 30 used animals and mentioned 62 species. Of the animals identified, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List lists 34% (n=21) as endangered, decreasing, or vulnerable, including Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus), and Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis). Of the 30 Healers using animals, 50% (n=15) practiced healing with at least one endangered, decreasing, or vulnerable animal. We defined 3 personas: Healer self-persona, Healer-imposed persona, and community-imposed persona. A persona represented a group's opinions and sentiments related to Healers killing animals for medicinal purposes. Using an iterative data analysis process, we grouped the data across the 3 personas into 5 themes: ease of killing and preparing animals, emotions related to killing animals, animal value, relationship to religion, and Healers are tricksters. The complexity of merging the identities of Healers and the community within an actor-network embodies the relationality of actions, interactions, and feelings among Healers, between Healers and animals, and between Healers and the community. Conservationists should be cognizant of Healers' medicinal use of animals, views of human-animal interactions, and zootherapy from all social and emotional perspectives. The data led to defining Indigenous Healer ecological knowledge components of zootherapy, human-animal interactions, and biodiversity conservation.

Animal and their products used for treatment and prevention of disease practiced by traditional healers in Jimma Arjo district, East Wollega Zone, Western Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is one of the countries with richest fauna used for medicinal purpose. The Jimma Arjo community has knowledge and practice of utilizing this medicinal animal for treatment of human and animal ailments. The objective of this research is to assess animals and their products used for treatment of human and animal ailment METHODS: A cross-sectional ethnozoological survey was conducted using a semi structured questionnaire among purposively selected traditional healers resided in Jimma Arjo district. The data collected was entered in Microsoft excel spread sheet and analysed using SPSS statistical software. Fidelity level (FL), use value and informant consensus factor was determined. A total of 33 animal species was found to be used for treating 40 human ailments and different livestock disease confirmed by 36 informants of different ages, sexes and educational backgrounds. The majority of animals (63.63%) were mammals followed by birds (15.15%). Most of the respondents were male, married and aged 55 years and above. Most of the healers learn ethnozoological practice from the father (36.11%) followed by mother (19.44%). The traditional practice is accepted by (72.22%) of the community where 61.11% of the healers are not willing to transfer their knowledge to other. For most of the healers, the reason to practice traditional healing was for treating one's own family or animals (41.67%). The FL was found 100% for honey from Apis mellifera and Trigona spp. for asthma, Cynopterus sphinx for viral skin disease and Crocuta crocuta for bad sprit treatment. In this study, honey from A. mellifera, Hystrix cristata and Sus scrofa domesticus were reported to cure different ailments. This study indicated wide use of medicinal animals and their products which could be used as an alternative and complementary medicine or a basis for in developing new drugs because the existing drugs especially antimicrobials are under threat due to the development of resistance by microbes.

The Development Trend of Medical Animals in the Last Ten Years: A Review.

There are many kinds of medicinal animal resources, which are an important part of traditional Chinese medicine resources (TCM). However, the use of medicinal animals in TCM, especially wild animals, has become a sensitive problem at home and abroad. Systematic analysis on the research status and direction of medical animals in the last 10 years which for promoting the sustainable development of Chinese medicine. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, CNKI, VIP database and WanFang Database were selected, and SPSS 25.0 software was used to analyze annual publications, journals, global distribution, authors, coauthors and co-authors rate, author institutions and high-frequency keywords. Chinese Journal of modern Chinese medicine occupies the majority articles with a high co-authorship rate, but low impact factors. The development of medical animals around the world is not balanced. The top three countries are China, United Kingdom and United States. However, these countries have less exchanges and cooperation with each other. The Institute of TCM of Chinese Academy owns the most research achievements. At present, the hot spots involve the identification and quality of medical animals, applied basic research. The identification, quality and applied basic research of medical animals are still worthy of increasing research investment. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen exchanges and international cooperation among different countries in TCM, and promote the high-quality development in medical animals.

Etnozoologi terhadap Pemanfaatan Hewan sebagai Pengobatan Tradisional di Desa Sambulangan Kecamatan Bulagi Utara Kabupaten Banggai Kepulauan

Traditional medicine is treatment or treatment with ingredients or ingredients in the form of plant, animal, mineral, preparations of galenic or a mixture of these materials whose treatment refers to experience, according to skills from generation to generation, or education/training, and is applied according to the norms prevailing in society. The traditional use of animals is deliberately carried by the community to overcome health problems. The study aims to determine the types of medicinal animals and diseases that can be cured by the use of animals as traditional medicine in Sambulangan Village, North Bulagi District, Banggai Islands Regency. The type of research used in this study is descriptive qualitative, this research was carried out from July to August 2021, located in Sambulangan Village, North Bulagi District, Banggai Islands Regency. The population in this study were all types of animals used as ingredients for traditional medicine in Sambulangan Village. The samples in this study were individuals of each type of animal used as ingredients for traditional medicine in Sambulangan Village. The method of taking sample data is by using the purposive sampling method. Techniques in collecting data using interviews, surveys and documentation. Data were analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis. The results of the study identified several types of medicinal animals and diseases that could be cured by the use of medicinal animals in Sambulangan Village, North Bulagi District, Banggai Islands Regency. There were 10 types of medicinal animals, namely monitor lizard (Varamussp.), snake (Malayophytonsp.), sand crab (Myrmeleonsp.), carthworm (Lumbricus sp.), honey bee (Apissp.), ayam kampung (Gallus gallussp.), cuscus (Ailuropssp.), snail (Achatinasp.), dubia roach (Blapticasp.), snakehead fish (Channasp.), and diseases that can be treated using these medicinal animals, namely internal diseases in general, liver disease, asthma, heart disease, surgical wounds, cough, gout, ulcers, typhoid, and toothache.

A systematic review on traditional medicinal Animal's parts and products used for the treatment of respiratory tract disorders in Ethiopia.

Respiratory diseases affect more than one billion people worldwide. Although medicinal animals have huge importance in primary health care, limited effort applied so far been in Ethiopia to properly identify, document, and conserve these animals and the related knowledge. This systematic review was aimed to identify the medicinal animals and document reports on the use ofmedicinal animals for the management of respiratory disorders. Both published and unpublished articles on the ethnozoological use of medicinal animals were searched using electronic database (Science Direct, Pub Med, Google Scholar, Scopus, hinari, and research gate) and institutional repositories. Different keywords were used separately and in combination using Boolean operators "OR" or "AND" as well as medical subject heading [MeSH] terms. Studies that did not address respiratory disorders were excluded. Data were extracted using Microsoft excel spread sheet. Among 211 articles obtained from database searches, nine articles were eligible and included in the review. Thirty two medicinal animals were reported for treatment of respiratory disorders. Mammals were the mostcommonly (43.8%) used medicinal animals. Meat was reported as the most commonly (22.6%) used medicinal remedy. Most of the medicinal remedies were obtained from mammals and administered orally. As the majority of the medicinal animals were obtained from wild sources, due attention should be given to conserve them. Besides, this traditional medicinal knowledge should be integrated to modern medicine to investigate the acute and chronic toxicity profile and efficacy of these remedies to identify potential lead compounds to modern drugs.

Ethnozoological study of medicinal animals and animals’ products used by traditional medicinal practitioners and indigenous people in Motta city administration and Hulet Eju Enessie District, East Gojjam, Northwest Ethiopia

BackgroundIn Ethiopia, many ethnic communities use traditional/indigenous medicine for primary health care. However, this indigenous medicinal practice is being neglected and continued to be lost due to poor documentation as they are transferred from generation to generation through oral tradition. Therefore, this ethnozoological study aimed to assess and document the medicinal use of animals and animals’ products used by traditional medicinal practitioners and indigenous people in Motta city administration and Hulet Eju Enessie Districts, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia. MethodsCross-sectional ethnozoological survey was conducted using a Semi-structured questionnaire among purposively selected respondents in Motta city administration and Hulet Eju Enessie District, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia from September 2020 to June 2021 GC. The ethnozoological data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and Microsoft Excell Spreadsheet. Fidelity level, use-value, and informant consensus factor were determined. ResultsA total of 25 animal species were reported to be used for the treatment of different ailments by 33 informants. The majority of animals (64%) were mammals followed by birds (16%). The fidelity level ranged from 18.2 (Hyena for bad spirit) to 100% (stingless be for asthma, Tiger for rabies virus, Whisper for nightmare). ConclusionThis study showed the wide use of medicinal animals and their parts/products for meeting the primary healthcare needs of the community in the study area. Therefore, this ethnozoological medicinal knowledge needs to be integrated with modern medicine to use animals/animals’ products as a potential source of effective drugs for different ailments.

Ethnozoology: Fauna and Their Products as Traditional Curative, protective, and preventive medicines and Prospection of Animal Conservation

Across the globe, traditional medicinal knowledge of indigenous people has played an important role in identifying living organisms which are endowed with medicinal values for treating human and livestock health problems. Increased this understanding of medical systems in a historical context can potentially bring new insights into the medical significance of fauna in the past and open new therapeutic perspectives in the future. This review paper explore the existing sources and research papers on the medicinal use of animals to provide a summary of historical context in which zootherapy developed in the world, knowledge and document remedies and treatments currently used, and highlight the contributions made by the field of Ethnozoology. Beyond the use of animals for traditional medicine, Ethnozoology is increasingly becoming more relevant to discussions on conservation biology, cultural development, economic development, medical value and sanitary value. Despite their importance, studies on the therapeutic uses of animals and their body parts have been neglected, when compared to plants. Therefore, series steps should be made towards improving understanding of the use of animals in traditional medicine, and improving the management and regulation of the traditional medicine network for conservation and sustainability of animals.

Nineteenth century zootherapy in Benedictine monasteries of Brazil.

Research on the past use of animals in medicine, particularly in Brazil, is still scarce. This work aimed to perform a dialogical analysis of information retrieved from historical documents composed in the nineteenth century about the therapeutic use of animal species in Benedictine monasteries in Brazil and their contemporary medicinal applications. Cross-referencing of seven written codices from the nineteenth century Benedictine monasteries infirmaries was performed for taxonomic identification and with therapeutic indications. Animal species provided 13 zootherapeutic resources, which were related to 17 therapeutic indications. Insects, birds and mammals concentrated the greatest number of pharmaceutical actions (37%, 32% and 16% of the therapeutic indications). Medicinal animals used in the past are species commonly applied in the European medicine over centuries. This reveals that the practiced medicine in Benedictine monasteries was influenced by medical concepts from Europe. Also, it shows that still today this European medicine is the basis of therapeutic practice. Such research is essential for a better scientific understanding of the history of medicine, focusing on how different cultures have contributed to the actual therapeutic practice. In this way it is possible to trace a history zootherapy in Brazil, demonstrating the persistence of their use over the time.

Uso de animais na medicina popular: Diagnóstico sociocultural e etnozoológico na zona rural de Jaçanã (RN)

The use of animals or their parts in obtaining and preparing medicines for the treatment of diseases is approached by one of the branches of ethnozoology, zootherapy. The studies in zootherapy aim to discover new drugs. It is a broad field of research that involves aspects of ecology, anthropology and sociology, being particularly important for the pharmacological industries and for the elaboration of strategies of management and conservation of the fauna. The present study aimed make an inventory of the species of animals used for medicinal purposes in the rural area of the municipality of Jaçanã - RN. The information was obtained through semi-structured forms complemented by free interviews and informal conversations applied to 54 residents. Seventeen species of zooterapeutic animals were indicated to the treatment of 35 diseases. The highest values of use were found in chicken (Gallus gallus) and teju (Salvator merianae). Eight animal feedstock were registered, with fat (n=72) being the most used part. None of the registered species are threatened or at risk of extinction, but overexploitation of these animals may lead to population decline (of Salvator merianae) and ecological imbalance. The use of medicinal animals in the researched area is mainly driven by the belief in the efficiency of the zootherapies.

Ethnopharmacological implications of quantitative and network analysis for traditional knowledge regarding the medicinal use of animals by indigenous people in Wolchulsan National Park, Korea

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThe purpose of this study was to record, analyze, and identify ethnopharmacological implications for oral traditional knowledge regarding the medicinal use of animals by indigenous people living in Wolchulsan National Park, Korea. Materials and methodsData were collected through interviews, informal meetings, open and group discussions, and observations guided by semi-structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed via quantitative analysis of informant consensus factor and fidelity level, and network analysis, including centrality and clustering analysis. ResultsA total of 46 families, 59 genera, and 60 species of animals, as well as 373 methods of usage, were recorded. Fish comprised 31.7% of the total animal species recorded, followed by mammals at 20.0%, arthropods at 18.3%, and mollusks at 11.7%. Of these animals, 48.0% were utilized as food and 46.1% for medicinal use. Quantitative analysis showed that the category with the highest degree of consensus from informants was veterinary ailments (informant consensus factor value, 0.96). This was followed by poisonings (0.93), pains (0.92), genitourinary system disorders (0.91), cuts and wounds (0.89), and other medical conditions. The lowest degree of consensus was for skin diseases and disorders (0.57). There were 8 species of animals with a fidelity level of 100%, after eliminating from the animals analyzed that were mentioned only once. Finally, using network analysis, Gallus gallus domesticus and Gloydius brevicaudus were defined as species with meaningful medicinal use, while lack of vigor and lung diseases were defined as significant ailments in the study area. ConclusionThis study validates that local communities use animals not only for food but also for medicinal purposes as crucial therapeutic measures. Therefore, the conservation of fauna and preservation of traditional knowledge need to be seriously considered to maintain the health and well-being of the local communities. Network analysis clarified the series of ailments for which each animal species is preferentially used and helped confirm the order of priority when prescribing animal components for medicinal use. The traditional knowledge recorded in the present study will provide the basic data to develop new medicines for the bioindustry.

Healing with animals in a semiarid northeastern area of Brazil

This study presents information on the use of medicinal animals in a semiarid area of northeast Brazil, a region where animals have recognized importance in local popular medicine. The information on the use of animals for medicinal purposes was obtained through semi-structured questionnaires, complemented by free interviews and informal conversations. The results obtained showed that the residents of the area studied utilize a considerable richness of animal species (n = 42) for medicinal purposes, as occurs in other areas of Brazil’s semiarid region, demonstrating that zootherapy represents an alternative form of health care that is important to the inhabitants of the region. There is a need for new investigations on medicinal fauna, aimed at promoting the sustainable use of eventual medicinal species and preserving popular knowledge associated with the use of animal species.

Medicinal use of wild fauna by mestizo communities living near San Guillermo Biosphere Reserve (San Juan, Argentina).

BackgroundWild and domestic animals and their by-products are important ingredients in the preparation of curative, protective and preventive medicines. Despite the medicinal use of animals worldwide, this topic has received less attention than the use of medicinal plants. This study assessed the medicinal use of animals by mestizo communities living near San Guillermo MaB Reserve by addressing the following questions: What animal species and body parts are used? What ailments or diseases are treated with remedies from these species? To what extent do mestizo people use animals as a source of medicine? Is the use related to people’s age?MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews with 171 inhabitants (15–93 years old) of four villages close to the Reserve: Tudcúm, Angualasto, Malimán and Colangüil. We calculated the informant consensus factor and fidelity level to test homogeneity of knowledge and to know the importance of different medicinal uses for a given species.ResultsThe medicinal use of animals was reported by 57% of the surveyed people. Seven species were mentioned: Rhea pennata, Lama guanicoe, Puma concolor, Pseudalopex sp., Lama vicugna, Lepus europaeus and Conepatus chinga. Several body parts were used: fat, leg, bezoar-stone, stomach, feather, meat, blood, feces, wool, and liver. The fat of R. pennata was the most frequently used animal part, followed by the bezoar stone and the leg of L. guanicoe. Animals were used to treat 22 ailments, with respiratory and nervous system disorders being the most frequently treated diseases with a high degree of consensus. Old people used animals as remedies more frequently than young residents, showing some differences among villages.ConclusionsA low number of animal species was mentioned as used for medicinal purposes, which could be explained by the perception of strong control related the legislation that bans hunting and the erosion of traditional knowledge produced by mestizaje. However, the presence of a traditional medicine is deeply rooted in the community culture. Management strategy for protected areas should focus not only on the conservation and sustainability of biological resources, but also on the ancestral knowledge of local communities, such as the medicinal use of animals.

Medicinal use of fauna by a traditional community in the Brazilian Amazonia.

BackgroundZootherapy inventories are important as they contribute to the world documentation of the prevalence, importance and diversity of the medicinal use of animals in traditional human communities. The present study aims to contribute with a more valuable example of the zootherapy practices of a traditional community in the Brazilian Amazonia – the “Riozinho do Anfrísio” Extractive Reserve, in Northern Brazil.MethodsWe used the methods of participant observation and semi-structured interviews, applied to 25 informants. We employed the combined properties of two indices to measure the medicinal importance of each cited species to the studied community, as well as their versatility in the treatment of diseases: the well known Use Value (UV) and the Medicinal Applications Value (MAV) that we developed.ResultsWe recorded 31 species of medicinal animals from six taxonomic categories, seven of which are new to science. The species are used for the treatment of 28 diseases and one species is used as an amulet against snakebites. The five species with the highest UV indices are the most popular and valued by the studied community. Their contrasting MAV indices indicate that they have different therapeutic properties: specific (used for the treatment of few diseases; low versatility) and all-purpose (several diseases; high versatility). Similarly, the most cited diseases were also those that could be treated with a larger number of animal species. Ten species are listed in the CITES appendices and 21 are present in the IUCN Red List. The knowledge about the medicinal use of the local fauna is distributed evenly among the different age groups of the informants.ConclusionsThis study shows that the local fauna represents an important medicinal resource for the inhabitants of the protected area. The combined use of the UV and MAV indices allowed identifying the species with the highest therapeutic potential. This type of information about a species may be of interest to pharmacological research, and is crucial to its conservation, since it helps signaling the species that may undergo higher hunting pressures. Data on zootherapy can also be of interesting to ecologists by contributing to indicators of local biodiversity richness.

Ethical Boundary-work in the Animal Research Laboratory

The use of animals in scientific experiments continues to attract significant controversy, particularly in the UK. This article draws on in-depth interviews with senior laboratory scientists who use animals in their research. A key claim is that animal research is necessary for medical advance. However, this promissory discourse relies on the construction of three boundaries. The first is between humans and non-human animals. The second is between the positive and less positive impacts of Home Office regulation. The third is between the use of animals in medicine versus other domains such as farming. The article analyses these discourses and evaluates the applicability of 'ethical boundary-work' (Wainwright et al., 2006a). I conclude that the concept is a potentially useful device for foregrounding ethics but argue that it carries several dangers for sociologists interested in claim-making in areas of controversy.

Medicinal animals used in ethnoveterinary practices of the 'Cariri Paraibano', NE Brazil

BackgroundZootherapy is important in various socio-cultural environments, and innumerous examples of the use of animal derived remedies can currently be found in many urban, semi-urban and more remote localities in all parts of the world, particularly in developing countries. However, although a number of ethnobiological inventories concerning the use of medicinal animals in human health care have been compiled in Brazil in recent years, zootherapeutic practices in ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM) are poorly described and neglected in favor of human ethnomedicine. In this sense, the purpose of this study was to describe the local zootherapeutic practices in ethnoveterinary medicine of semi-arid of NE Brazil (Caatinga biome) and to contribute to future research about the validation of the effects and side effects of these animal productsMethodsThe information obtained through semi-structured interviews was complemented by free interviews and informal conversations. A total of 67 people were interviewed (53 men and 14 women) about the use and commercialization of medicinal animals. To determine the relative importance of each local known species, their use-values (UV) were calculated. Diversity of species utilized was compared, between localities, using rarefaction curves and diversity estimate (Chao2)Results and ConclusionsA total of 44 animal species (37 vertebrates and 7 invertebrates), distributed among 6 taxonomic categories were found to be used to treat 30 different ailments in livestock and pets. The results of our surveys revealed a rich traditional knowledge of local residents about the use of animals in traditional veterinary medicine. Although it is gradually being discontinued, the perceived efficacy, economic and geographic accessibility were main reasons for popularity of zootherapy in studied areas.

Animals used for medicinal and magico-religious purposes in western Granada Province, Andalusia (Spain)

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThis paper serves to document and make known the folk medicinal uses of animals and animal products in the western part of the province of Granada (Andalusia, Spain), analyzing not only the species used, the administration methods and the ailments treated, but also the cultural implications of this traditional knowledge and the large percentage of magico-religious or ritual practices. Materials and methodsThe information was gathered through semi-structured open interviews of a total of 42 people, as a part of an in-deep ethnobiological research in 16 different municipalities within the study area. The use-value index was calculated for highlighting the most important species for the population. ResultsIn this part of Granada, 26 different animals have been employed in the treatment of 26 conditions from 10 different pathological groups, amounting 150 total reports (7% of the total ones including plant and animal medicinal resources). Although some of the uses were included in several classical and anthropological works, most remain unpublished. Cultural and environmental implications are discussed. ConclusionsThe traditional use of animals in medicine is low known for southern Europe. 26 species constitute a significant number of animals used, considering the socio-economic and cultural context in which the study area is situated, and its small size. Albeit the main part of the information presented in this paper can be more important in an historical or anthropological standpoint, most of the medicinal resources presented have not been deeply studied.

A Global overview of canids used in traditional medicines

Canids are among the mammal species most frequently used in traditional folk medicine around the world. In this context, this paper assesses the global use of canids in traditional folk medicine and their implications. Our review indicated that 19 species of canid are used in traditional medicine worldwide, representing 54.2% of described canid species. Of the species in medicinal use, two are listed as Endangered and three as near threatened on the IUCN Red List. For some species medicinal use represents an additional direct pressure that may have contributed to declines of natural populations. In addition, use of medicinal animals may have indirect impacts on the conservation of other species through the spread of disease. To minimize both harvest impacts and disease spread, guidance on use of medicinal species may be useful. This could include an exploration of the use of alternatives and implementation of sanitary measures.

Zootherapeutics utilized by residents of the community Poço Dantas, Crato-CE, Brazil

BackgroundAnimals have been used as a source of medicine in Brazil since ancient times, and have played a significant role in healing practices. Specifically in Northeast Brazil, zootherapy is a very common practice, and together with medicinal plants, it plays an important role as a therapeutic alternative. In the state of Ceara, no works have been carried out on rural communities with regard to use of zootherapeutics, even though the practice of zootherapy is common in this region. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the use of medicinal animals in a rural community (Poco Dantas) in the municipality of Crato, Ceara, Brazil.MethodsThe field survey was carried out from October 2008 to January 2009 by conducting interviews using structured questionnaires with 72 people (33 men and 39 women), who provided information on animal species used as remedies, body parts used to prepare the remedies, and ailments for which the remedies were prescribed. We calculated the informant consensus factor (ICF) to determine the consensus over which species are effective for particular ailments, as well as the species use value (UV) to determine the extent of utilization of each species.ResultsA total of 29 species, distributed in 17 families were categorized as having some medicinal property. The taxa most represented were: mammals (9), insects (7), reptiles and birds (4). Progne chalybea, a species not previously recorded as being of medicinal use, was cited in the present work, where it is utilized in the treatment of alcoholism. The animals are used in the treatment of 34 diseases or symptoms, where sore throat, inflammations and cough are the ailments with the greatest number of citations.ConclusionThe data show that zootherapy represents an important therapeutic alternative for the inhabitants of the community. New studies on medicinal fauna should be conducted with the aim of determining the exploitation level of the species utilized, promoting sustainable development of medicinal species that are eventually threatened, and preserving and disseminating the knowledge developed by traditional individuals of the community.

Animais medicinais: conhecimento e uso entre as populações ribeirinhas do rio Negro, Amazonas, Brasil

O estudo tem por objetivo documentar o uso de animais na medicina caseira entre ribeirinhos do rio Negro, Amazonas, Brasil. Os dados foram coletados por meio de 92 entrevistas e de observações sobre o conhecimento e as práticas cotidianas de uso de animais medicinais. Cerca de 60 espécies animais são conhecidas com propósitos medicinais. O conhecimento é bem distribuído entre os sexos (homens e mulheres) e entre localidades (urbano e rural). O uso de animais medicinais está imerso em conceitos etiológicos e envolve uma complexa visão cosmológica do processo de cura. O êxodo rural e o acesso facilitado à medicina ocidental podem promover a perda dos conhecimentos tradicionais, o que pode ser mitigado através da valorização e da transmissão desses saberes às futuras gerações.