Table 2 Pangolin’s items used in traditional medecine and spiritual practices in Benin. Spiritual purposes are in bold. Use report (UR), International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Use Value (UV)

Scales

Physical strength, oedema, cough, hiccups, rheumatism, convulsion of new born, pharyngitis, healing wound, snake bite, measles, man dominance in household, healing fire burns, defeating the opponent in case of litigation, facilitate delivery, infertility, scabies, sexual bewitchment, ringworm, joint pain, stomach aches, vigour of new born, breast cancer, dizziness, heart palpitations, late infantile spinal muscular atrophy, osteoarthritis and asthma

56

14

1.56

Tongue

Stomach aches, pneumonia, hip pain, developmental language disorders, protection against sexual bewitchment, Epilepsy, incantation, defeating the opponent in case of litigation, sterility, thief sickness and stop women’s infidelity

12

7

0.33

Bones

Hiccups, cough, osteoarthritis, healing wound, ataxia, asthma, coxarthrosis, developmental language disorders and late infantile spinal muscular atrophy.

11

6

0.31

Head

Oedema, pharyngitis, epilepsy, defeating the opponent in case of litigation, vigour of new born, unnatural power and luck

9

5

0.25

Xiphisternum

Impotence, sexual bewitchment

4

2

0.11

Blood

Asthma and convulsion of new born

3

2

0.08

Heart

Man dominance in household

1

1

0.03