Utilitarian redundancy in local medical systems - theoretical and methodological contributions

Healing from the wild: an ethnozoological exploration of animal-based medicine in Jhargram, West Bengal, India

BACKGROUND

India possesses immense faunal, floral, and cultural diversity that supports numerous ethnic communities relying on traditional medicine for primary healthcare. The Jhargram district, an underprivileged area in West Bengal, India, and part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, is rich in biodiversity. This area is home to various ethnic communities that practice their own ethnobiological medicine. Despite this, there is a lack of documented use of animal-based traditional medicine in this region. This study aims to explore and document the use of animal parts/products for medicinal purposes among indigenous communities in Jhargram. A summary of the study is presented in the Graphical Abstract.

METHOD

The study was conducted in Jhargram district, West Bengal, India, from March 2023 to January 2024. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to conduct face-to-face interviews with 55 selected individuals (29 males and 26 females) to document the medicinal uses of animals in the traditional healthcare system. The questionnaire included queries about the local names of animals, modes of preparation, applications, and other ethnozoological details. The photographs were also recorded using a camera. The collected data were analyzed using a Microsoft Excel 2019; quantitative ethnobiological indices such as the informant consensus factor (ICF) and the degree of fidelity (FL) were calculated to assess the reliability and significance of the information provided by the respondents. Additionally, use value (UV), Jaccard index (JI), and frequency of citation (FC) were also calculated.

RESULT

This study recorded 57 species from 57 distinct genera across 47 families, used by ethnic communities in Jhargram addressing a wide range of ailments categorized into 14 groups. Birds accounted for the highest proportion (33%) of utilized species. Apis cerana exhibited the highest use value (UV = 5.69). Apis cerana and Homo sapiens sapiens recorded the highest fidelity levels (FL = 94.54%), indicating their critical roles in treating respiratory ailments and wound healing, respectively. Conversely, Dinopium benghalense had the lowest FL (FL = 3.63%), reported for kidney stone treatment. Four species, including Hydrophilus sp., demonstrated the lowest use value (UV = 1.00), suggesting their specialized or rare application in the community's ethnomedicinal practices. In terms of informant consensus, infectious diseases recorded the highest informant consensus factor (ICF = 1.00), followed closely by eye ailments (ICF = 0.99). Common preparation methods included cooking, boiling, roasting, and frying, with oral administration being the most frequently used method, followed by topical, inhalation and anal applications.

CONCLUSION

This study documents 57 species, including several novel species and their therapeutic uses, within the indigenous communities of Jhargram. It emphasizes the continued relevance of animal-based traditional medicine in addressing a broad spectrum of health issues. The observed variability in fidelity level and use value across species highlights the dynamic role of these resources in local healthcare systems. The discovery of novel species and previously undocumented uses significantly contributes to the expansion of ethnobiological knowledge. As traditional medicine remains a primary healthcare resource in areas with limited access to modern medical facilities, it is crucial to prioritize the documentation, conservation, and sustainable use of these species. This study provides a valuable framework for integrating traditional knowledge into contemporary healthcare and biodiversity conservation strategies. Preserving and safeguarding this knowledge is essential not only for maintaining cultural heritage but also for exploring potential biomedical applications that could benefit modern healthcare systems.

Use and utility redundancy of medicinal plants in ethnoveterinary medicine by local populations of the Brazilian Caatinga

BACKGROUND

The predominance of agropastoral activities in the Brazilian semiarid region is an important factor for human populations to continue using medicinal plants in ethnoveterinary medicine. Thus, we sought to document the Caatinga plants known for treating diseases in ethnoveterinary medicine and to evaluate the useful redundancy of diseases indicated by local populations in the Cariris Velhos region, state of Paraíba, in the Brazilian semiarid region.

METHODS

Questionnaires with semi-structured forms were applied in rural communities in the Brazilian Caatinga region. A total of 120 people were interviewed using the snowball technique.

RESULTS

Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Rubiaceae were the families that obtained the highest number of citations. Heliotropium indicum was the species most cited by the local population. The stem bark and the leaves were the most cited parts used of the plants. Using the bark juice was the most prominent method in preparing the medicinal remedies. The disease which presented the greatest degree of utility redundancy was inflammation and the one with the least redundancy was fracture.

CONCLUSION

A study on the use of medicinal plants by ethnoveterinary medicine in a region with a high incidence of agricultural and pastoral activities helps to preserve living knowledge.

Effects of socioeconomic and human-modified landscape variables on medicinal species richness at a macroscale: the case of the Caatinga, Brazil

BACKGROUND

Ethnobiological studies at local scales have shown that knowledge of medicinal species tends to decrease as socioeconomic status and the extent of human-modified landscapes increase. However, it remains largely unknown whether these same factors can predict knowledge of useful species at broader scales and whether their interaction might create scenarios that enhance knowledge of medicinal species.

METHODS

To address this, we tested whether knowledge of woody medicinal species-measured as the number of species known-is influenced by socioeconomic status, human-modified landscapes, and their interaction. We compiled and curated data on woody medicinal species from a systematic review encompassing diverse communities across the Caatinga region in North-east Brazil. Using the locations of these communities, we extracted data on socioeconomic status (measured by the Human Development Index, HDI) and human-modified landscapes (quantified as the percentage of forest loss).

RESULTS

Our results indicate that forest loss reduces the knowledge of medicinal woody species among Indigenous People and Local Communities. The interaction between human-modified landscapes and socioeconomic status revealed a significant nonlinear relationship, with different combinations yielding varying levels of knowledge about woody medicinal species. Interestingly, socioeconomic status alone does not appear to influence this knowledge. These findings underscore that the processes shaping knowledge of medicinal species differ across scales and suggest the existence of yet unidentified emergent properties that influence medicinal species knowledge at broader scales.

CONCLUSION

The conversion of habitats for anthropogenic use poses a significant risk to the well-being of these populations, as it reduces the availability of species used for prophylactic purposes. In contrast, the cultural traditions of Indigenous People and Local Communities, along with the implementation of regional public policies, may explain why socioeconomic status does not affect local knowledge. Moreover, our study highlights that the processes influencing knowledge of medicinal species at broader scales are not simply the aggregation of local-scale observations. Finally, we propose strategies to advance the field of macroethnobiology.

Zootherapeutic uses of animals and their parts: An important element of the traditional knowledge of the Safi province, Morocco

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The Moroccan population harbors rich traditional knowledge used to treat various human diseases. This is the first study aimed at exploring the ethnozoological practices in Morocco. Materials and methods: Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires to interview 42 traditional healers and merchants of medicinal animals. Collected ethnozoological data were analyzed using appropriate quantitative indices. Results: 42 animal species belonging to eight taxonomic groups were gathered, with Mammalia being the most mentioned (15 species), followed by Aves (12 species). Camelus sp. (RFC = 0.81), and Sepia officinalis (RFC = 0.71), had the highest RFC. With 8.00 units, Atelerix algirus was the species with the highest level of therapeutic redundancy. The most important diseases cited were circulatory system disorders (ICF = 1.00), oncology (ICF = 1.00), oro-dental problems (ICF = 0.86), and nervous system disorders (ICF = 0.86). The following animal species gained an FL value of 100 %: Anas platyrhynchos domesticus (for skin diseases), Coturnix coturnix (for endocrine disorders), Mustela nivalis (for gastrointestinal disorders), Cymothoa exigua (for nervous system disorders), and Upupa epops (for culture-bound diseases). The most versatile species were Apis sp. (RI = 100 %) and Aterix algirus (RI = 88.89 %). The most culturally important species included Chamaeleo chamaeleon (CII = 57.14) and Atelerix algirus (CII = 40.48). According to the IAR value, Cymothoa exigua (nervous system disorders) and Upupa epops (IAR = 1.00) had the highest scores. The highest CAI value was for Chamaeleo chamaeleon (CAI = 48.98). Conclusion: The local population of the Safi region possesses valuable knowledge about the use of medicinal animals to treat a plethora of health concerns. Atelerix algirus and Chamaeleo chamaeleon were the most versatile species and were indicated as ideals for being cultural keystone species. They must be prioritized in future research and conservation studies.

The influence of exotic and native plants on illnesses with physical and spiritual causes in the semiarid region of Piauí, Northeast of Brazil

BACKGROUND

Local medical systems (LMS) include native and exotic plants used for the treatment of diseases of physical and spiritual nature. The incorporation of exotic plants into these systems has been the subject of many studies. In this context, an analysis was conducted on the influence of the origin of plants on diseases of physical and spiritual nature in order to evaluate the therapeutic versatility of native and exotic species in these therapeutic targets, to investigate whether exotic plants mainly fill gaps not met by native plants (diversification hypothesis), and identify which species are prioritized in the redundant targets in these two therapeutic groups in the rural community of Morrinhos, Monsenhor Hipólito, Piauí.

METHODS

Data collection took place in 2 stages. First, free lists and semi-structured interviews with local residents (n = 134) were conducted to survey plants used for therapeutic purposes and the associated illnesses. Then, another phase of interviews was carried out to evaluate the prioritization between native and exotic plants in redundant therapeutic targets. To test the diversification hypothesis (DH) in each group of illnesses, data were analyzed using generalized linear models (Poisson and Binomial GLMs); versatility was measured by the number of therapeutic indications and compared between resources using the Mann-Whitney test, and prioritization in each group was verified by comparing the proportions of native and exotic plants with the χ2 test.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty-two species of plants were surveyed, being 71 exotic and 61 native, with indications for physical and spiritual illnesses. The results revealed that the diversification hypothesis did not explain the inclusion of exotic plants in the local medical system to treat physical or spiritual illnesses and that the therapeutic versatility of exotic and native resources in the two groups was also similar (p > 0.05). However, exotic plants were prioritized in illnesses with physical causes and native plants in illnesses with spiritual causes.

CONCLUSIONS

The local medical system presents similar and distinct patterns in the therapeutic targets, depending on the perspective evaluated. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the patterns of use of medicinal plants in different sociocultural contexts in order to broaden the debate about the role of plant origin in the selection of treatments for illnesses with different causes.

Plant parentage influences the type of timber use by traditional peoples of the Brazilian Caatinga

Local populations select different plants to meet their demands, so that morphologically similar species can be more used for a given use. Herein, we seek to understand whether plant species that are phylogenetically closer together are used more similarly than distant species in the phylogeny. Ethnobotanical data were collected in five rural communities in a semi-arid region of Brazil. A total of 120 local experts were selected and interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. The people's knowledge of plants was organized into usage subcategories. We estimated the redundancy values for the mentioned species, and we compiled data from the literature on the wood density values of the cited species. We constructed our phylogenetic hypothesis of useful plants and used comparative phylogenetic methods to estimate the signal. Our results showed a strong phylogenetic grouping for both tool handle and craft uses. We observed a moderate phylogenetic grouping in which related cited plants exhibit similar redundancy and a weak grouping in which cited plants present similar wood density values. Our results revealed the importance of using phylogeny for useful plants. We conclude the phylogenetic proximity of useful plants and the lower redundancy for some species in our study may suggest greater use pressure, given that few species fulfill the same function.

Local Knowledge and Use of Medicinal Plants in a Rural Community in the Agreste of Paraíba, Northeast Brazil

The use of medicinal plants is an important source of therapeutic resources in rural communities and the wide versatility of some species may attract interest for prospecting studies. The aim of this study was to record and analyze local knowledge and the use of medicinal plants in the rural community of Malícia, municipality of Araçagi, Paraíba State, Northeastern Brazil, applying quantitative methods to calculate the Relative Importance (RI) and the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 46 heads of households. The interviews addressed questions about the used parts of the plants, therapeutic indications, and form of use. Therapeutic indications were classified into categories of body systems. The Relative Importance Index (RI) was calculated to verify the species versatility, and the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was calculated to verify the consensus of use among informants regarding the body systems. A total of 111 plant species were recorded, inside 101 genera and 47 families. Fabaceae (16 spp.), Lamiaceae, and Myrtaceae (each one with 7 spp.) were the most representative families. Mentha arvensis, Aloe vera, and Myracrodruon urundeuva had the highest RI. A high consensus of use was observed among the informants for neoplasms, nervous system diseases, and infectious and parasitic diseases. Leaves were the part most cited for medicinal use. Regarding the method of preparation, the decoction and the oral administration route stood out. Neoplasms and respiratory system diseases had the highest ICF values. The results indicate a diversified knowledge of the local pharmacopeia and the need for in-depth studies to corroborate the effectiveness of medicinal plants and to understand the dynamics of local knowledge.