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. 2014 May;4(Suppl 1):S387–S399. doi: 10.12980/APJTB.4.2014C775

Table 4. Animal species used by the Chinese community in Mauritius.

Animal/ Scientific name/ Family Part used Indication Preparation and administration FOC UV FL (%)
Ant/ Pachycondyla verenae/ Formicidae Whole body Premature graying hair Fried and eaten 2 0.04 100
Beef/ Bos taurus/ Bovidae Meat Cold, chesty cough, lung problems, pulmonary abscess-promotes coughing of thick sputum Boiled with pumpkin flesh and seeds in soup and added with seasonings 9 0.19 100
Centipede/ Scolopendra morsitans/ Scolopendridae Whole body (Dried) Painful headaches, spasms and convulsions, seizures Decoction. About 1-3 g in water. 3
3
0.13 50
50
Chicken/ Gallus domesticus/ Phasianidae 1. Bones and legs
2. Gizzard
1. Regaining strength when having fever
2. Kidney stones
1. Cooked in soup wiht salt, pepper, garlic, tomatoes and carrots. Consumed twice a day until feeling better
2. Cooked and consumed frequently
6
5
0.23 55
45
Cockroach/ Blatta orientalis/ Blattidae Whole body (Wingless) Amenorrhea, postpartum abdominal pain due to blood statis Killed by boiling in water and left to dry in sun 3
1
0.09 75
25
Deer / Lucanus cervus/ Cervidae 1. Horn
2. Musk (navel gland secretion)
1. Painful headaches
2. Facilitates downward passage of stillborns
1.Fatty substance from horn is wrapped around the head using a cloth
2. Powdered form. Consumed orally
4
4
0.17 50
50
Domestic goat/ Capra aegagrus hircus/ Bovidae 1. Bones Meat
2. Milk
1. Pain in joints and bones due to lack of calcium
2. Similar to breast milk; can be given to feeble, malnourished infants fatigue
1. Cooked in soup with salt, pepper, garlic, tomatoes and vegetables. Consumed frequently
2. Fresh milk consumed
7
2
1
0.17 70
20
10
Frog/ Rana clamitans/ Ranidae Whole body (Dried) Meat Wounds, bleeding, rheumatism Boiled in water and applied with washcloth or cooked and eaten 2
1
0.06 67
33
Leech/ Hirudo medicinalis/ Hirudinea 1. Whole body
2. Secretion
1. Amenorrhea, constipation
2. Inflammation of middle ear
1. Killed by boiling, cut length-wise, dried in the sun, then cooked or ground into powder for oral use
2. Secretion is collected from leech and used topically
2
1
1
0.09 50
25
25
Lizard/ Lacerta sp./ Lacertidae Secretion Eye inflammation Secretion is collected and applied topically 2 0.04 100
Lobster/Metanephrops spp./Nephropidae Flesh Measles Mix cornstarch with the lobster lightly to coat the pieces. Heat up oil in a frying pan, deep fry for 1 min. Add ginger, salt, sugar and pepper 8 0.17 100
Pigeon/ Columba livia/ Columbidae Whole body Anaemia Pigeon is throttled so as not to lose any blood when it is killed. It is then cooked in a soup and consumed frequently 5 0.11 100
Sea horse/ Hippocampus sp./ Syngnathidae Whole body (Dried) Arthritis, asthma, impotence, renal failure Cooked in soup wiht salt, garlic, pepper, tomatoes. Consumed once in 2-3 weeks. 2
1
3
2
0.17 25
13
37
25
Shark/ Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos/ Carcharhinidae Fin Renal failure Cooked in soup with salt, pepper and garlic. Consumed once a week. 3 0.06 100
Snail/ Helix pomatia/ Helicidae 1. Saliva
2. Slime
1. Wounds and injuries
2. Pain associated with rheumatism
Slime and saliva are collected from snail and applied topically 4
2
0.13 67
33
Snake/ Serpentes sp./ Colubridae 1. Meat
2. Skin (Dried)
1. Sore throats, hemorrhoids
2. Skin diseases, acne, boils
1. Cooked in soup with salt, pepper, garlic.
2. Powdered form and applied topically
1
2
2
0.11 20
40
40
White earthworms/ Enchytraeus buchholzi/ Megascolecidae Whole body 1. High fever, influenza
2. Ear infections
1.Washed then made into a decoction to drink
2. Ground and made into a paste and applied to infected area
1
2
0.06 33
67

FOC=Frequency of citation, UV=use value, FL=Fidelity level