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Table 1 Animals species used in popular medicine in the municipality of Bom Sucesso, Paraíba State, Brazil

From: Traditional uses of medicinal animals in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil

Family/species/local name

Number of citation

Use Value

Part used

Disease (or illness)

INSECTS

Apidae

Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758)–Africanised honey bee, “abelha italiana”

38

0.56

Honey (7,8)

Sore throat, flu, shortness of breath, cough, tuberculosis

Partamona cupira (Smith)–a stingless Bee, “Abelha cupira”

2

0.04

Honey (7,8)

Earache, menstrual cramps

Melipona subnitida (Ducke, 1910)–jandaíra

12

0.16

Honey (7,8)

Sore throat, flu, earache, hoarseness

Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille, 1811)–abelha mosquito

6

0.10

Honey(7,8)

Earache, sore throat

Cephalotrigona capitata (Smith 1854)–Abelha mumbuca

2

0.02

Honey (7,8)

Sore throat, nervous problems

Termitidae

Nasutitermes macrocephalus (Silvestri, 1903)–Termite, Cupim

2

0.02

Whole anima (7)

Bronchitis, whooping cough

Unidentified family

Unidentified species-beetle

1

0.02

Beetle’s Nest

Mumps

AMPHIBIANS

Bufonidae

Rhinella jimi (Stevaux, 2002), Toad

1

0.02

Abdomen (10)

Erysipelas

REPTILES

Chelidae

Phrynops geoffroanus (Schweigger, 1812)–Geoffroy’s side-necked turtle, “cágado”

5

0.06

Fat (3)

Swelling, sore throat, flu, stuffy nose

Teiidae

Tupinambis merianae (Duméril & Bibron, 1839)–Teju lizard, “tegu”, “tejuaçú”

44

0.88

Fat (3), meat (5)

Sore throat, thrombosis

Crotalidae

Crotalus durissus Linnaeus, 1758–South American rattlesnake, “Cascavel”

14

0.22

Fat (3)

Rheumatism, skin spots, eye problems, plantar fasciitis, Swelling, pain in general, hoarseness

Boidae

Boa constrictor (Linnaeus, 1758)–Boa, Cobra de veado

12

0.22

Fat (3)

Rheumatism, swelling, herniated intervertebral disk, bone fractures

Tropiduridae

Tropidurus hispidus (Spix, 1825)–Lizard, Lagartixa

1

0.02

Whole animal (9)

Sore throat

BIRDS

Phasianidae

Gallus gallus domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)–chicken, Galinha

31

0.38

Gizzard (5), fat (3 or 8), eggshells (2), egg yolk (6), meat (5)

Indigestion, sinusitis, shortness of breath, bronchitis, nervous problems, rheumatism, stuffy nose, weak bones, flu, weakness, sore throat, furuncle

Meleagrididae

Numida meleagris Linnaeus, 1758–Helmeted Guineafowl, “Guiné”

2

0.04

Meat (5)

whooping cough

Anatidae

Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758–Duck, Pato

1

0.02

Eggs (5)

Weakness

Corvidae

Cyanocorax cyanopogon (Wied-Neuwied, 1821)–White-naped Jay

1

0.02

Gizzard (5)

Asthma

MAMMALS

Trichechidae

Trichechus manatus (Linnaeus, 1758)–Manatee, Peixe-boi

3

0.02

Fat (3)

Headache, rheumatism, corporal lesions

Canidae

Canis lupus (Linnaeus, 1758)–Domestic dog, Cachorro

1

0.02

Faeces (1)

Measles

Dasypodidae

Dasypus novemcinctus (Linnaeus, 1758)–Nine-banded armadillo, Tatu-verdadeiro

2

0.04

Meat (5), tail (4)

Back ache, snake bite

Mustelidae

Conepatus semistriatus (Boddaert, 1785)–Striped hog-nosed skunk, “Ticaca”

1

0.02

Meat (5)

Rheumatism

Caviidae

Kerodon rupestris (Wied-Neuwied, 1820)–Rock cavy, “Mocó”

3

0.04

Meat (5)

Disorders after parturition (to accelerate recovery after parturition), weakness, thrombosis

Bovidae

Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758–Domestic cattle, “Boi”

12

0.20

Liver (5), horn (1,7), marrow (7), milk (8), urine (8), butter (8), hoof proteins (7)

Anaemia, the evil eye, nervous problems, whooping cough, weakness, eye problems, sore throat, baldness, tuberculosis

Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758–Sheep, “Carneiro”

31

0.36

Fat (4), suet (4)

Rheumatism, cracks in the sole of the feet inflammations, swelling, nervous problems, furuncle, one fractures, suck a splinter out of skin or flesh, mycosis

Hydrochaeridae

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Linnaeus, 1766), capybara, capivara

1

0.02

Fa (3)

Osteoporosis

  1. Legend: 1, Tea; 2, powder, to be ingested with food; 3, ointment to be rubbed on the affected area; 4, ear drops; 5, ingestion of the cooked part; 6, ingestion of the crude part; 7, beverage (‘garrafada’), obtained by mixing medicinal plants and animals; 8, taken as a drink; 9, concoction, taken as a drink; 10, Rubbed on the affected area.