Traditional knowledge on zootherapeutic uses by the Saharia tribe of Rajasthan, India

The present zootherapeutic study describes the traditional knowledge related to the use of different animals and animal-derived products as medicines by the Saharia tribe reside in the Shahabad and Kishanganj Panchayat Samiti's of Baran district of Rajasthan, India. A field survey was conducted from April to June 2006 by performing interview through structured questionnaire with 21 selected respondents, who provided information regarding use of animals and their products in folk medicine. A total of 15 animal species were recorded and they are used for different ethnomedical purposes, including cough, asthma, tuberculosis, paralysis, earache, herpes, weakness, muscular pain etc. The zootherapeutic knowledge was mostly based on domestic animals, but some protected species like the peacock (Pavo cristatus,), hard shelled turtle (Kachuga tentoria), sambhar (Cervus unicolor) were also mentioned as medicinal resources. We would suggest that this kind of neglected traditional knowledge should be included into the strategies of conservation and management of faunistic resources. Further studies are required for experimental validation to confirm the presence of bioactive compounds in these traditional remedies and also to emphasize more sustainable use of these resources

Effect of the subterranean termite used in the South Indian folk medicine

376-379The present investigation reports the effect of the termite, Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki, most commonly used by the South Indian tribes as food for enhancing lactation in women, on growth and reproduction in Swiss albino mice, Mus musculus Linn. Dietary supplementation with termite to Swiss albino mice significantly increased the percentage growth rate and number of litters delivered, when compared to the control groups fed with normal rodent pellets. The percentage growth rate of experimental male and female mice fed on Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki showed a significant increase (P<0.01), when compared to the respective control groups. Results on litter production revealed a 22% increase in the experimental groups supplemented with termite, when compared to the control groups. The present results suggest that termite can be used as a viable protein rich feed. Studies on termite culture on a commercial scale and its use, as an alternative protein rich feed for poultry would probably go a long way

Antibacterial activity of subterranean termites used in South Indian folk medicine

559-562The investigation reports antimicrobial activity of the termite species most commonly used by the South Indian tribes for treating diseases likely to be associated with microorganisms. The antibacterial activities of 90% alcohol extracts of three species of subterranean termites, viz: Microtermes obes Holmgren, Macrotermes estherae (Desneux), and Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki, their mounds and nearby soil extracts collected from three different sites of South India were assayed against various bacterial strains. The antibacterial activity was most apparent in Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki, and its mound extracts, which inhibited all the bacterial strains studied. The highest antibacterial activity was encountered in Odontotermes formosanus (12.6 ±0.5 mm) and its mound extracts (14.3 ± 1.1 mm) against E. coli BL21. The MIC values also varied with the extracts and test organisms used and ranged from 10 µg/disc to 50 µg/disc. No activity was observed in the negative control as well as soil extracts collected from near by the termite mounds. Since, the traditional knowledge of indigenous people throughout the world has played an important role in identifying natural resources worthy of commercial exploitation and the search for new pharmaceuticals from naturally occurring biological material has been guided by ethnobiological data, the results are of significance to modern medicine

Antigenotoxic activity of the subterranean termite on Swiss albino mice

406-411The paper reports the antigenotoxic potential of the termite (Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki) supplemented food on acephate and endosulfan induced toxicity in the Swiss albino mice (Mus musculus). Dietary supplementation with termite to male and female mice Mus musculus treated with acephate and endosulfan significantly decreased the percentage of chromosomal aberration and micronuclei in the bone marrow cells than in pesticide treated F0 and F1 generations (P < 0.01). The chromosomal aberrations induced by acephate and endosulfan included minute, gap, inversion, ring, pulverization and tetraploids. The experimental groups treated with acephate/endosulfan and supplemented with termite food did not show critical genotoxic aberration markers like pulverization and ploidy suggesting a strong antigenotoxic effect of the termite components

<b style="">Traditional therapeutic uses of animals among tribal</b> <b style="">population of Tamil Nadu</b>

198-205 Studies on the therapeutic use of animals and animal parts have been neglected compared to plants. This paper presents the findings of an ethno-zoological study carried out among nine tribes spread over four districts of Tamil Nadu, India. Detailed information was obtained on the traditional therapeutic uses of sixteen different animal species, consisting of mammals (6), birds (5), reptiles (2), arthropods (2) and annelid (1), for the treatment of over 17 kinds of diseases or ailments, including asthma, arthritis, epilepsy, paralysis, hydrocele and leprosy. Community research to confirm the medicinal value of these traditional remedies would go a long way leading to the discovery of novel drugs from bugs. </smarttagtype