Animal-based medicines used in ethnoveterinary practices in the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

This work documents the zootherapeutic practices in Ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM) of Pedra Lavrada (6°45'S, 36°28'W), Northeastern Brazil. We interviewed 23 people (22 men and 1 woman), who provided information on animal species used as remedies, body parts used to prepare the remedies, and illnesses for which the remedies were prescribed. We calculated the use-value to determine the most important species. Interviewees cited 11 animal taxa. The main species mentioned were ram -Ovis aries (UV=0.89), crab-eating fox -Cerdocyon thous (UV=0.79), common green iguana -Iguana iguana (UV=0.79), and South American rattlesnake -Caudisona durissa (Linnaeus, 1758) (UV=0.74). The most frequently cited treatments concerned to inflammatory and dermatological ailments or conditions, as well as to obstetric disorders. Similar to other studies, local ethnoveterinary establishes connections with human ethnomedicine. The results suggest that similarities in the repertoire of medicinal resources chosen by local residents reflect the local accessibility/ availability of the resources. Our results help to preserve ethnoveterinary knowledge, which is important in enhancing our understanding on the relationship among humans, society and nature, and also to elaborate more effective strategies for conserving natural resources. Other studies for scientific validation of the effects and side effects of these zootherapeutic products are needed before they can be recommended or not for use.

Ethno-medicinal uses of vertebrates in the Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, central Nepal

“…The male and female ratio may indicate the dominance of the males versus females among ethno-medicinal practitioners. Similar trends were reported in other studies [ 5 , 41 , 43 , 77 – 79 ] ( Table 2 ). About 43% of the respondents were farmers and healers who had broad knowledge of ethno-medicine.…”

The use of wild vertebrates in contemporary Spanish ethnoveterinary medicine

“…Brazil (Barboza et al, 2007;Confessor et al, 2009;Monteiro et al, 2011;Souto et al, 2011bSouto et al, , 2012aSouto et al, , 2012b and Mexico (Camacho-Escobar et al, 2008), we find a clear similarity in the vertebrate groups and body parts used and the animal illnesses treated:…”

Ethno-medicinal uses of vertebrates in Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, central Nepal

“…Furthermore, this study also indicated that more than 81% of vertebrate species used treating more than one ailment. Similar studies outside Nepal also reported the wide use of animals in ethnomedicines such as González et al [41] recorded use of 30 wild vertebrates to treat domestic animals in Spain; Souto et al [42,49] reported 11 animals for ethnoveterinary medicine in the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil and Gupta et al [43] reported a total of 11 species of vertebrates for treating various veterinary diseases in India.…”