Parallels between zootherapeutic practices in ethnoveterinary and human complementary medicine in northeastern Brazil

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study was to describe the local zootherapeutic practices in ethnoveterinay 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 products. In this sense, we sought to determine the connections between human and animal ethnopharmacology and their implications for ethnoveterinary medicine in northeastern Brazil.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study we analyze data gathered through fieldwork conducted in the semi-arid of Paraiba State, NE Brazil, where 123 people (98 men and 25 women) provided information on animal species used as medicine, body parts used to prepare the remedies and illnesses to which the remedies were prescribed. The information obtained through semi-structured interviews was complemented by free interviews and informal conversations.

RESULTS

A total of 46 animal species (43 vertebrates and 3 invertebrates) were found to be used to treat 33 different ailments in livestocks and pets and 62 conditions in humans. Interviewees cited a wide range of materials derived from animal bodies (or their metabolic products) that are used as remedies in local EVM, nonetheless, fats (and/or suet) is the most frequently reported natural remedies. EVM practices have close relationships with human complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and probably evolved based on traditional human medicine practices; as such, the division between EVM and CAM is not always obvious from the viewpoint of the local residents. Descriptions of diseases, symptoms or treatments were often associated with both humans and animals (especially livestock), and 24 animal species (52%) were prescribed to treat similar ailments in both humans and animals based on local knowledge about CAM.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that traditional knowledge of animal-based medicines in ethnoveterinary practices co-evolved with traditional knowledge of human ethnomedicine. The examination of folk knowledge and animal health practices will give us a better understanding of human interactions with their local environment and aid in formulating appropriate strategies for the validation of traditional remedies and for natural resource conservation.

Animal-based remedies as complementary medicines in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil

Animals (and their derived products) are essential ingredients in the preparation of many traditional remedies. Despite its prevalence in traditional medical practices worldwide, research on medicinal animals has often been neglected in comparison to medicinal plant research. This work documents the medicinal animals used by a rural community in the semi-arid region, inserted in Caatinga Biome, where 66 respondents provided information on animal species used as medicine, body parts used to prepare the remedies and illnesses to which the remedies were prescribed. We calculated the informant consensus factor to determine the consensus over which species are effective for particular ailments, as well as the species use value to determine the extent of utilization of each species. We recorded the use of 51 animal species as medicines, whose products were recommended for the treatment of 68 illnesses. The informant consensus in the use of many specific remedies is fairly high, giving an additional validity to this folk medicine. Eight species not previously reported as having medicinal use were recorded. The local medicinal fauna is largely based on wild animals, including some endangered species. Given a high proportion of medicinal animals observed in the study area, it is logical to conclude that any conservation strategy should include access to modern health care.