The Role of Animal-derived Remedies as Complementary Medicine in Brazil

RÔMULO R. N. ALVES; IERECÊ L. ROSA; GINDOMAR G. SANTANA

doi:10.1641/B571107

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RÔMULO R. N. ALVES,^* IERECÊ L. ROSA,^**,*** GINDOMAR G. SANTANA^****,*****

^*Rômulo R. N. Alves (e-mail: romulo_nobrega@yahoo.com.br) is a professor in the biology department at the Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Brazil. His research interests include ethnozoology and wildlife conservation.
^**Ierecê L. Rosa is a professor, in the department of systematics and ecology at the Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil.
^***Rosa is an ichthyologist whose work focuses on the conservation of marine resources.
^****Gindomar G. Santana is a PhD student, in the department of systematics and ecology at the Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil.
^*****Santana's main research interest is the ecology of frogs and lizards.

Abstract

Although animal-derived remedies constitute an integral part of folk medicine in many parts of the world, particularly for people with limited or no access to mainstream medical services, their role in health care has generally been overlooked in discussions about public health, conservation and management of faunistic resources, and ecosystem protection. In this article, we report on the use of 283 medicinal animal species in Brazil, 96% of which are wild caught and 27% of which are on one or more lists of endangered species. Further population declines may limit users' access to these bioresources and diminish the knowledge base upon which traditional medicine is built.

Citation Download Citation

RÔMULO R. N. ALVES, IERECÊ L. ROSA, and GINDOMAR G. SANTANA "The Role of Animal-derived Remedies as Complementary Medicine in Brazil," BioScience 57(11), 949-955, (1 December 2007). https://doi.org/10.1641/B571107

Published: 1 December 2007