title: Documentation and quantitative analysis of local ethnozoological knowledge among traditional healers of Theni district, Tamil Nadu, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the use of animals among the traditional healers in Theni district of Tamil Nadu, India. The data regarding the medicinal animals/animal products were documented and their usages were analyzed quantitatively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on free list interviews with the traditional healers, we documented the medicinal usage of animals/animal products and calculated the indices such as informant consensus factor (Fic) to determine the consensus over the species for an illness category, as well as the Index Agreement on Remedies (IAR) to determine the extent of potential utilization of each species.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, 69 medicinal animals/animal products were documented with the help of standardized questionnaires among the local healers. The results were tabulated and Fic value for each illness category was calculated. Three illness categories viz., jaundice (milk of Capra aegagrus hircus), orthopedics (egg white and meat of Gallus gallus domesticus) and pediatrics (milk of Equus africanus asinus) had got high Fic values. Fifteen illness categories had moderate Fic values. Highly cited animals in these illness categories were: Rusa unicolor (antiemetic), Reticulitermes spp. (diabetes), flesh of Varanus benghalensis (oral ailments), milk (eye ailments, fever) and urine (antidote) of Homo sepians, meat of Trachypithecus johnii (respiratory ailments), various parts of C. aegagrus hircus (blood ailments, coolants, diarrhea, pulmonary and urinary ailments), flesh of Chamaeleon zeyalnica (neural ailments), meat of Passer domesticus (aphrodisiac), curd and dung of Bos primigenius taurus (dermatological ailments), meat of G. domesticus (musculo-skeletal disorders, analgesic), meat of Lissemys punctata (hemorrhoids), and Pherthima posthuma (psychological ailments). Six illness categories had low Fic values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicated that the animals are still being used by the local healers of Theni district, to treat various illnesses. Cross-disciplinary approaches to explore the full potential of animal-derived medicines will help to improve the health of local people.
authors.affiliation: Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chellappandian
authors.affiliation: Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pandikumar
authors.affiliation: Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mutheeswaran
authors.affiliation: Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gabriel Paulraj
authors.affiliation: Zoological Survey of India, Southern Regional Center, Santhome High Road, Chennai 600 028, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prabakaran
authors.affiliation: Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Botany and Microbiology, Addriyah Chair for Environmental Studies, College of Science, King Saud, University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Duraipandiyan
authors.affiliation: Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Botany and Microbiology, Addriyah Chair for Environmental Studies, College of Science, King Saud, University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: entolc@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ignacimuthu
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Microbiology, Addriyah Chair for Environmental Studies, College of Science, King Saud, University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Al-Dhabi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D009945:Organotherapy
keywords: India; Medicinal animals/animal products; Quantitative ethnozoology; Tamil Nadu