Zootherapy in the Amazon: green anaconda ( Eunectes murinus ) fat as a natural medicine to treat wounds

Souza, Érika; Werneck, Fernanda P.; Matos, Leonardo Brandão; Fraga, Rafael de

doi:10.1590/1809-4392201702202

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 39 publications

(38 reference statements)

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“…Reptile skin has long been considered a major fashion product due its strength and diversity of patterns [ 9 ]. Reptile flesh, eggs [ 8 ] and other subproducts [ 10 ] also have nutritional and medicinal value for traditional human communities [ 11 ]. Commercial hunting of Neotropical reptiles dates from the beginning of the 18th century, starting as a source of oil [ 12 ], with the fashion industry becoming a notable driver of wild reptile harvest in the 1920s.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the sustainability of yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) harvest

et al. 2023

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Sustainable wildlife management is necessary to guarantee the viability of source populations; but it is rarely practiced in the tropics. The yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) has long been harvested for its leather. Since 2002 its harvest has operated under a management program in northeastern Argentina, which relies on adaptive management practices, that limit the minimum body length permitted for harvesting, the number of active hunters and the length of hunting seasons. Here we investigated the effects of yellow anaconda harvest on its demography based on 2002–2019 data and show that exploitation levels are sustainable. The gradual reduction in annual hunting effort, due to a decrease in the number of hunters and hunting season duration, reduced the total number of anacondas harvested. Conversely, captures per unit effort increased across the study period. The body size of anacondas was not influenced by the harvesting, and more females than males were caught. We also found that a decrease in mean temperature positively influenced anaconda harvest and the capture of giant individuals. Because sustainable use is a powerful tool for conservation, and anacondas are widespread in South America, these discoveries are highly applicable to other species and regions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the sustainability of yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) harvest

et al. 2023

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“…Additionally, reptile esh, eggs 2,3 and other subproducts 4 have nutritional and medicinal value to traditional human communities [5][6][7] . Commercial hunting of Neotropical reptiles dates from the beginning of the 18th century, starting as a source of oil 8 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the sustainability of yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) harvest in northeastern Argentina

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et al. 2020

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Sustainable wildlife management is required to guarantee source species viability; however, it is practiced rarely in the tropics. The yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) has a long history of being harvested for its leather. Since 2002 its harvest has operated under a management program in northeastern Argentina, which relies on adaptive management through limiting the minimum anaconda length, number of hunters and restricting the hunting season. We investigated the effects of the anaconda harvest on its biological parameters based on 2002-2016 data. Here we show that the levels of species exploitation are sustainable. The gradual reduction in the annual hunting effort, due to a decrease in number of hunters and hunting season duration, reduced the total number of anacondas harvested. Conversely, captures per unit effort increased across the study time-period. There was no variation in the mean length of anacondas harvested, or in largest anaconda sizes. Though more females than males were caught, the sex ratio did not vary significantly. We also found that a decrease in mean temperature positively influenced anaconda harvest and the captures of giant individuals. Because sustainable use is a powerful tool for conservation, those discoveries are highly applicable to other species and regions.

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Zootherapeutic practices in the Amazon Region: chemical and pharmacological studies of Green-anaconda fat (<em>Eunectes murinus</em>) and alternatives for species conservation

et al. 2021

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The treatment of diseases with animal resources or their derivatives is a traditional practice worldwide, representing a wide field of research for the elaboration of strategies of management and conservation of the fauna, and contributing to the search for sustainable therapy alternatives. This study presents the therapeutic applications of animal fats to the treatment of several diseases in Pimenteiras do Oeste, state of Rondônia, Brazil. Twelve animals including: mammals, fishes, reptiles and birds are reported as a source of medicinal lard for the treatment of respiratory illnesses (asthma, flu, bronchitis, cough), rheumatism, and earache and as a healing agent (dislocation and wounds). The ethnopharmacological focus of the study was on Green-anaconda fat (Eunectes murinus), which stands out for its frequent local use and the lack of previous chemical studies. The chemical composition of E. murinus fat was analyzed by gas and liquid chromatography, both coupled to mass spectrometry. The main fatty acids identified were oleic, linoleic and palmitic acids, which were also predominant in the composition of the triglycerides. Pharmacological analysis of Green-anaconda fat showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect, which is related to its use by traditional communities. Having confirmed the pharmacological potential of Green-anaconda fat, its fatty acid composition was used as a parameter in the search for vegetable oils from the Amazon Region with a similar composition. This comparative analysis can be of help by proposing therapeutic alternatives for the Amazonian population. The use of plant sources can contribute to the conservation of the aforementioned species.

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Zootherapy in the Amazon: green anaconda ( Eunectes murinus ) fat as a natural medicine to treat wounds

Cited by 3 publications

References 39 publications

Assessing the sustainability of yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) harvest

Assessing the sustainability of yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) harvest

Assessing the sustainability of yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) harvest in northeastern Argentina

Zootherapeutic practices in the Amazon Region: chemical and pharmacological studies of Green-anaconda fat (<em>Eunectes murinus</em>) and alternatives for species conservation

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