Table 1.

Categories of diseases treated with zootherapeutic remedies in surveyed area (Queimadas, Paraiba State), according to the Brazilian Centre for the Classification of Diseases.

Categories	Diseases and illnesses mentioned by respondents	Total
1	Teething, inflammation, hoarseness, cracks in the sole of the feet, general pain, to assist children who take longer than usual to start walking, children that speak with lateness, itching, problems of navel, “hard nerve” and healing of umbilical cord of newborn baby	11
2	Erysipelas, oral mycosis, athlete's foot, measles, rubella, chickenpox, tuberculosis, warts, whooping cough and mumps, moniliasis	11
3	Asthma, bronchitis, effusion, catarrh, cough, flu, sore throat, sinusitis and tonsillitis	9
4	Poor digestion	1
5	Burns, wounds, muscle strain, luxation, distension and sprains	6
6	Arthritis, arthrosis, backache, osteoporosis and rheumatism	5
7	Hemorrhage, cardiac problems, thrombosis and cerebral hemorrhage	4
8	Menstrual problems and urinary infection	2
9	Alcoholism, snakes bite, insect bite, to suck a splinter out of skin or flesh, swelling and bleeding	6
10	Boils, skin spots and acne,	3
11	Problems in nerves	1
12	Tumors	1
13	Deafness, earache	2
14	Diabetes, weakness and malnutrition	3
15	Sexual impotence	1
16	Conjunctivitis and pterygium	2
Total		68

(1) undefined diseases; (2) some infections and parasitic diseases; (3) respiratory system; (4) digestive system; (5) injuries, poisoning and other consequences of external causes; (6) osteomuscular system and conjunctive tissue; (7) circulatory system; (8) urinogenital system; (9) external causes of morbidity and mortality; (10) skin and subcutaneous tissue; (11) nervous system; (12) Symptoms, signs and abnormal findings from medical and laboratorial examination, not categorized in other part or section; (13) ear (middle and inner ear) and mastoid apophysis; (14) diseases of the endocrine glands, metabolism and nutrition; (15) mental and behavioral perturbations; (16) ophthalmological diseases.