Traditional knowledge of invertebrates used for medicine and magical-religious purposes by traditional healers and indigenous populations in the Plateau Department, Republic of Benin
Datos Bibliográficos
Background Since ancient times, invertebrates have played an important role in the traditional medicine in many parts of the world. In south-eastern Benin, more specifically in the Plateau Department, invertebrates are widely used in folk medicine. However, studies on their therapeutic use has been neglected and their magical-religious purposes are poorly understood. The present study aims to document traditional knowledge related to the use of invertebrates for medicinal and magical-religious purposes by traditional healers and indigenous people of Plateau Department. Methods An ethno-sociological survey was conducted with 145 informants (80 traditional healers, 12 merchants of medicinal animals and 53 households) belonging to six ethnic groups, in 20 villages located in Plateau of Benin. Data were collected through the participatory rural appraisal method involving individual interviews and direct observations with semi-structured questionnaires. The collected data regarding various medicinal and magical-religious uses of invertebrates were analysed through informant consensus factor (ICF), use value (UV) and, fidelity level (FL). Results A total of 20 families and 38 species of invertebrates, distributed among 6 taxonomic categories, were found to be used to treat 50 different ailments. Insects occupied 64.7% of the total invertebrates listed. The African earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae K. and African giant snail Achatina achatina L. had the highest use values. The highest ICF value (1.0) was cited for diseases of the blood or blood-forming organs. A principal component analysis (PCA) revealed the influence of ethnic groups in the diseases treated with invertebrates. The highest FL (100%) was recorded for 12 invertebrate species treating various ailments. Most of invertebrate-based remedies were associated with plant species. The mode of administration was mainly oral and topical. Most of the invertebrate drugs were traditionally collected in nature or imported, mainly from Nigeria. In addition, 7 magical-religious practices are documented. Conclusions Our results reveal that several invertebrate species play an important role in healing practices and magical-religious rituals in the Plateau Department. We suggest further studies to confirm the presence of any bioactive compounds on invertebrate species use in traditional medicine. In addition, this study highlights the need for ecological investigations of these species, in order to develop strategies for their conservation and sustainable use
Agriculture · Biodiversity · Biology · Ethnic group · Geography · Indigenous · Invertebrate · Participatory rural appraisal · Plateau (mathematics · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Traditional knowledge · Traditional medicine · Animal and Plant Science Education · Anthropology · Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies · Insect Utilization and Effects · Medicine · Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research · Ecology
Medicinal invertebrates used in African traditional medicine
Global synthesis reveals that ecosystem degradation poses the primary threat to the world's medicinal animals
Medicinal insects used in Côte d'Ivoire
Livelihoods from local-level commercialisation of alate termites as food and feed in Thulamela Local Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Dayak Benawan Indigenous Futures
Cultural significance of locusts, grasshoppers, and crickets in sub-Saharan Africa
Values and Perceptions of Invertebrates
Ethnoecology of the palm Brahea dulcis (Kunth) Mart. in central Mexico
Traditional medicine and its practitioners among the yoruba of Nigeria
Entomotherapy, or the Medicinal Use of Insects
Therapeutic arthropods and other, largely terrestrial, folk-medicinally important invertebrates
Zootherapeutic practices among fishing communities in North and Northeast Brazil
Informant consensus factor and antibacterial activity of the medicinal plants used by the people of San Rafael Coxcatlán, Puebla, México
Cytotoxicity and modes of action of four Cameroonian dietary spices ethno-medically used to treat Cancers
Aqueous ethanol extract of the fruit of Xylopia aethiopica (Annonaceae) exhibits anti-anaphylactic and anti-inflammatory actions in mice
Folk medicinal use of fauna in Mapimi, Durango, México
Ethnozoological study of medicinal animals on Jeju Island, Korea
From cnidarians to mammals
Cardiovascular and diuretic activity of kaurene derivatives of Xylopia aethiopica and Alepidea amatymbica
Insects and other arthropods used as drugs in Korean traditional medicine
Commercialization of animal-derived remedies as complementary medicine in the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil
Implications and applications of folk zootherapy in the state of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil
Common sense
The faunal drugstore
A study on use of animals as traditional medicine by Sukuma Tribe of Busega District in North-western Tanzania
Vertebrates used for medicinal purposes by members of the Nyishi and Galo tribes in Arunachal Pradesh (North-East India)
Ethnozoological study of animals based medicine used by traditional healers and indigenous inhabitants in the adjoining areas of Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India
Utilisation of Pangolin (Manis sps) in traditional Yorubic medicine in Ijebu province, Ogun State, Nigeria
Traditional medicinal animal use by Xhosa and Sotho communities in the Western Cape Province, South Africa
Therapeutic and prophylactic uses of invertebrates in contemporary Spanish ethnoveterinary medicine
Traditional knowledge on zootherapeutic uses by the Saharia tribe of Rajasthan, India
Fauna used in popular medicine in Northeast Brazil
Healing with animals in the Levant from the 10th to the 18th century
Why study the use of animal products in traditional medicines
Animals for the Gods
| Obras citantes distintas | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citas por año | 1,2 |
| Intervalo de citas | 2021 - 2026 (6) |
| Velocidad de citación | current |
| Altamente citado | No |
| Tipos de cita | Neutras: 3 |