Table 2.
Animal taxa recorded as having medicinal properties.
| Family/species/local name | Number of mentions | Relative importance (UV) | Part used and way of administration | Disease (or illness) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echinoderms | ||||
| Oreasteridae | ||||
| Oreaster reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758)-Starfish, “estrela-do-mar” | 7 | 0.106 | Whole animal (3, 5) | Asthma |
| Mollusks | ||||
| Megalobulimidae | ||||
| Megalobulimus oblongus (MÏller, 1774)-clam | 4 | 0.06 | Whole animal (5) | Asthma |
| Donacidae | ||||
| Iphigenia brasiliensis (Lamarck, 1818)-“concha-do-mar” | 3 | 0.045 | Shell (8) | Teething |
| Arthropods | ||||
| Apidae | ||||
| Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758) “abelha” (Africanized honey bee) | 22 | 0.333 | Honey (4, 18) | Bronchitis, “catarrh in the chest”, coughs, influenza, sore throat, sinusitis, tonsillitis, hoarseness, tuberculosis and whooping cough |
| Blattidae | ||||
| Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758)-American cockroach, “barata” | 14 | 0.212 | Offal (9) | Earache |
| Whole animal (3) | Asthma | |||
| Formicidae | ||||
| Acromyrmex landolti (Emery, 1980)-“saúva” | 11 | 0.166 | Whole animal (5) | Asthma |
| Atta cephalotes-“tanajura” | 47 | 0.712 | Abdomen (4) | Sore throat, “catarrh in the chest”, cough and hoarseness |
| Termitidae | ||||
| Nasutitermes macrocephalus (Silvestri, 1903)-Termite, “cupim” | 39 | 0.590 | Whole animal (16) | Bronchitis, “catarrh in the chest” coughs, influenza, sore throat, sinusitis, tonsillitis and hoarseness |
| Vespidae | ||||
| Protonectarina sylveirae (Saussure, 1854)-“marimbondo-preto” “marimbondo-mosquito” | 34 | 0.515 | Nest (19, 5) | Mumps, hemorrhage, blooding and menstrual problems |
| Fishes | ||||
| Gadidae | ||||
| Gadus morhua, Linnaeus, 1758VU-Atlantic cod “Bacalhau” | 3 | 0.045 | Fat (2, 6, 4) | Backache and rheumatism |
| Amphibians | ||||
| Hylidae | ||||
| Leptodactylus vastus, Lutz, 1930-“Jia” | 18 | 0.272 | Fat (4), meat (1, 12) | Sore throat |
| Reptiles | ||||
| Chelidae | ||||
| Mesoclemmys tuberculata (Luederwaldt, 1926)-Tuberculate toadhead turtle, “cágado”, “cágado-d'água” | 38 | 0.575 | Fat (2, 6, 17) | Column pain backache, rheumatism, swell, furuncles and tumors |
| Crotalidae | ||||
| Crotalus durissus (Linnaeus, 1758)DD/III-Neotropical rattlesnake, “cascavel” | 46 | 0.696 | Fat (2, 6, 4) | Rheumatism, pains in general, backache, and inflammation |
| “Maracá” (rattle) (8) | Snake bite | |||
| Iguanidae | ||||
| Iguana iguana (Linnaeus, 1758)DD/II-Common iguana, “camaleão” | 43 | 0.651 | Fat (2, 6, 4, 9) | Rheumatism, pains in general, column pain, sore throat, earache, arthritis, osteoarthritis, furuncles and tumors |
| Bones (3, 14) | Rheumatism, arthritis and osteoarthritis | |||
| Teiidae | ||||
| Tupinambis merianae (Duméril & Bibron, 1839)DD/II - Lizard,“teju”, “tejuaçú” | 59 | 0.893 | Fat (4, 9, 2, 6, 17) | Sore throat, earache, “catarrh in the chest”, coughs, influenza, hoarseness, tumor and swelling |
| Testudinidae | ||||
| Chelonoidis carbonaria (Spix, 1824)DD/II-Red-footed tortoise, “jabuti” | 9 | 0.136 | Fat (2, 6, 17) | Furuncles, tumors and pains in general |
| Whole animal (11) | Asthma | |||
| Tropiduridae | ||||
| Tropidurus hispidus (Spix, 1825)-“lagartixa” (Lizard) | 34 | 0.515 | Offal (6) | Erysipelas, chilblain, warts, skin spots and cracks in the sole of the feet |
| Tail (5) | Asthma | |||
| Whole animal (1, 5, 6) | Asthma, chilblain, warts and skin spots | |||
| Birds | ||||
| Accipitridae | ||||
| Buteogallus urubitinga (J. F. Gmelin, 1788)-“gavião-cauã” | 3 | 0.045 | Bones (3, 14) | Backache, Column pain and rheumatism |
| Anatidae | ||||
| Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758-“patos” (Domestic duck) | 27 | 0.409 | Eggs (4, 12) | Male impotence, and weakness |
| Netta erythrophthalma (Wied-Neuwied, 1833)-“paturi” | 19 | 0.287 | Eggs (4, 12) | Male impotence and weakness |
| Cathartidae | ||||
| Coragyps atratus (Bechstein, 1793)-“urubu” (Black vulture) | 18 | 0.272 | Liver and feather (3, 5, 15) | Asthma, alcoholism |
| Whole animal (16) | Tuberculosis | |||
| Columbidae | ||||
| Columba livia (Gmelin, 1789)-“pombo” (Rock pigeon) | 6 | 0.090 | Meat (12) | Asthma |
| Columba picazuro, Temminck, 1813-“asa-branca” | 5 | 0.075 | Whole animal (1, 12) | Sore throat, tonsillitis, bronchitis and hoarseness |
| Leptotila rufaxilla (Richard & Bernard, 1792)-Gray-fronted dove, “juriti” | 8 | 0.121 | Gizzard (10) | Pterygium |
| Corvidae | ||||
| Cyanocorax cyanopogon (Wied, 1821)-White-naped jay, “cancão” | 21 | 0.318 | Whole animal (11) | Asthma |
| Falconidae | ||||
| Herpetotheres cachinnans (Linnaeus, 1758)LR/II-“acauã” (Laughing falcon) | 3 | 0.045 | Whole animal (1) | Sore throat, tonsillitis and hoarseness |
| Meleagrididae | ||||
| Meleagris gallopavo Linnaeus, 1758-turkey, “peru” | 13 | 0.196 | Fat (17, 2, 6) | Furuncles, tumors and cracks in the sole of the feet |
| Feather (3) | Asthma | |||
| Numinidae | ||||
| Numida meleagris Linnaeus, 1758-Helmeted Guineafowl, “Guiné” | 9 | 0.136 | Fat (6, 17) | Tumors and furuncles |
| Whole animal (1) | Pertussis | |||
| Phasianidae | ||||
| Coturnix coturnix (Linnaeus, 1758)-“codorna” | 37 | 0.560 | Eggs (4, 12) | Male impotence, urinary infection and weakness |
| Gallus gallus domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)-Domestic chicken, “galinha” | 59 | 0.893 | Fat (4, 2, 6, 17, 9) | Bronchitis, “catarrh in the chest”, coughs, influenza, sore throat, sinusitis, tonsillitis, swelling, furuncles, tumors, and earache |
| Gizzard (5) | Poor digestion | |||
| Eggs (6) | Problems of navel, Healing of umbilical cord of newborn baby | |||
| The whole animal (13) | It is long of the child to begin to speak to assist children who take longer than usual to start walking | |||
| Pavo cristatus Linnaeus, 1758-“pavão”, Indian peafowl | 16 | 0.242 | Featherses (3) | Asthma |
| Psitacidae | ||||
| Amazona aestiva (Linnaeus, 1758)-“papagaio” | 5 | 0.075 | Feces (5, 6) | Asthma, skin spots and acne |
| Rheidae | ||||
| Rhea americana (Linnaeus, 1758) LR/II-Greater rhea, “ema” | 4 | 0.060 | Eggs (4, 12) | Weakness and malnutrition |
| Fat (2, 6) | Pains in general | |||
| Tyrannidae | ||||
| Fluvicola nengeta (Linnaeus, 1766)-Masked water-tyrant, “lavandeira” | 12 | 0.181 | The whole animal (3) | Asthma |
| Mammalia | ||||
| Bovidae | ||||
| Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758-“gado” (cattle) (cow) | 42 | 0.636 | Bone marrow (1, 12) | Problems in the nerves and weakness |
| “Fel” (bile) (2, 6) | Suck a splinter out of skin or flesh | |||
| Excretion urinary (2, 4) | Chilblain, diabetes and conjunctivitis | |||
| Penis (3, 5) | Asthma | |||
| Capra hircus Linnaeus, 1758-“cabra”, “bode” (Domestic goat) | 33 | 0.5 | Milk (4, 12) | Weakness and malnutrition |
| Hair (3) | Asthma | |||
| Ovis aries (Linnaeus, 1758)-“carneiro” (Sheep) | 56 | 0.848 | Suet (2) | Hard nerve, suck a splinter out of skin or flesh, cardiac problems, inflammation, sprains and swelling |
| Canidae | ||||
| Canis lupus familiaris (Linnaeus, 1758)-“cachorro” (Domestic dog) | 19 | 0.287 | Feces (5) | Measles and chicken pox |
| Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766)LR/II- “raposa” (Fox) | 49 | 0.742 | Fat (2) | Arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, rheumatism, column pain, sprain and swelling |
| Caviidae | ||||
| Cavia aperea Erxleben, 1777-“Preá” | 16 | 0.242 | Fat (2, 6) | Crack in the feet cracks in the sole of the feet, |
| Teeth (8), head (1) and whole animal (1) | Teething | |||
| Kerodon rupestris (Wied-Neuwied, 1820)-“Mocó” (Rock cavy) | 15 | 0.227 | Fat (9) | Deafness |
| Estomach (5) | Thrombosis and effusion | |||
| Dasypodidae | ||||
| Dasypus novemcinctus, (Linnaeus, 1758)-“tatu” | 43 | 0.651 | Tail (9) | Deafness and earache |
| Didelphidae | ||||
| Didelphis albiventris (Lund, 1840)-“timbú” (Common opossum) | 8 | 0.121 | Fat (2, 6) | Arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, backache, rheumatism and sprains |
| Equidae | ||||
| Equus asinus Linnaeus, 1758-“jumento” (Asino) | 37 | 0.560 | Milk (4) | Weakness and malnutrition to assist children who take longer than usual to start walking |
| “Trace” (footprints) (6) | ||||
| Equus caballus (Linnaeus, 1758)-“cavalo” (Horse) | 7 | 0.106 | Hair (7) | Warts |
| Felidae | ||||
| Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758, 1775-“gato” (Domestic cat) | 4 | 0.06 | The whole animal (6) | Rubella |
| Hominidae | ||||
| Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758-“gente” (People) | 11 | 0.166 | Excretion Urinary (2, 6, 4) | Itching, insect bite, conjunctivitis and diabetes |
| Mustelidae | ||||
| Conepatus semistriatus (Boddaert, 1785)-“tacaca” (Striped hog-nosed skunk) | 11 | 0.166 | Fat (2, 4) | Arthritis and osteoporosis |
| Suidae | ||||
| Sus scrofa (Linnaeus, 1758)-“porco” (Pig) | 28 | 0.424 | Fat (2, 6) | Crack in the feet, burns and wounds |
| “Fel” (bile) (2, 6) | Suck a splinter out of skin or flesh | |||
| Trichechidae | ||||
| Trichechus inunguis (Nattrer, 1883)VU/I- “peixe-boi” (Amazonian manatee) | 5 | 0.075 | Fat (2, 4) | Wounds, inflammation, sprain, muscle strain, suck a splinter out of skin or flesh, arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and rheumatism |
| Molossidae | ||||
| Molossus molossus (Pallas, 1766), Pallas' free-tailed bat (Bat) | 2 | 0.03 | The whole animal (3) | Asthma |
(1) ingestion of the cooked broth; (2) ointment to be rubbed in the affected area; (3) tea of the toasted powder; (4) ingestion of the raw part; (5) tea; (6) to place on the affected area; (7) to use as cable; (8) to use as amulet; (9) introduced in the ear; (10) powder on the affected area; (11) to create as estimate animal; (12) ingestion of the cooked part; (13) introduced in the mouth; (14) powder ingested with food; (15) mixed with alcoholic drink and taken as drink; (16) mixed with sugar and taken as syrup; (17) mixed with plants to do cataplasm; (18) mixed with plants and taken as drink; (19) dissolved and used as cataplasm. IUCN Red List Categories: DD: Deficient Data, LR: Least Concern, VU: Vulnerable. Cites Appendix-I, II or III.