Zootherapy and ethnozoological studies of Medicinal animals and their products used by the tribal communities in Goa

Abstract

Traditional medicine is also known by several other terms such as alternative or complementary or folk medicine'. It includes the sum of the total knowledge, health practices approaches and beliefs incorporating plants, animals, minerals, medicines, spiritual therapies, yoga and physical exercises used by different cultures for generations to prevent, diagnose and treat physical and mental illness or to maintain health in a holistic sense. Documentation and evaluation of this indigenous remedial knowledge is essential for the development of the pharmaceutical industry.  Some researchers have made an attempt to study and document the usage of medicinal animals by traditional healers. However, there is no scientific documentation on the use of medicinal animals in the treatment for various diseases in the primary health care system by the tribal communities in Goa.  Present study is aimed to document different zoo therapeutic medicinal animals and their utilization in the traditional health care system among the Gawda and Dhangar communities, the native tribes of Goa.