Document Detail


The medicinal animal markets in the metropolitan region of Natal City, northeastern Brazil.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20460145     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigates the trade of animals for medicinal purposes in Natal metropolitan area, northeastern Brazil, to document which animal species are used, how and for what purposes. This study also discusses the implications of the use of zootherapeutics for wildlife conservation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on interviews with merchants of medicinal animals in all open fairs of the metropolitan region of Natal City, we calculated the informant consensus factor (ICF) to determine the consensus over which species are effective for particular ailments, as well as the species relative importance to determine the extent of potential utilization of each species. RESULTS: We describe the therapeutic effects of 23 animal species used medicinally. The zootherapeutical products sold commercially are used to treat 34 health problems that were classified into 14 broad categories. We also highlight those species valued for their effectiveness against a range of ailments. The highest ICF value (1.0) was cited for diseases of the circulatory system, which include relief of symptoms such as stroke, hemorrhage, varicose veins and edema. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our study indicated that the local population holds a great deal of ethnomedical knowledge about their local animal resources, and highlights the need for clinical investigations of these traditional remedies to test the safety and efficacy. The animal species identified in this study not only hold high medicinal value for local populations, but could potentially be a source of healing compounds that could aid pharmaceutical research. While the impact of these practices on animal populations is unknown, the high extractive value of these animal populations and the associated medicinal traditional knowledge, needs to be considered in any conservation strategy aimed at the faunistic resources of this area.
Authors:
Eduardo S Oliveira; Denise F Torres; Sharon E Brooks; Rômulo R N Alves
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2010-05-09
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of ethnopharmacology     Volume:  130     ISSN:  1872-7573     ISO Abbreviation:  J Ethnopharmacol     Publication Date:  2010 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-07-08     Completed Date:  2010-11-01     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7903310     Medline TA:  J Ethnopharmacol     Country:  Ireland    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  54-60     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Biociências, 59072-900 Natal-RN, Brazil.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Brazil
Medicine, Traditional*
Species Specificity

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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