Ethnozoological study of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of Golaghat district, Assam

Animals have played an important role in human life from ancient times. The knowledge on the use of many animals and their by-products in traditional medicines by various ethnic communities is generally passed verbally from one generation to the next. The present study was carried out on ethnozoolog...

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Main Authors: Gitashri Saikia, Raju N.L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Director of Academics and Research, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University 2023-12-01
Series:Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jvas.in/public_html/upload/article_file/article_file_s6kfqq.pdf?t=s6kfqq
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author Gitashri Saikia
Raju N.L.
author_facet Gitashri Saikia
Raju N.L.
author_sort Gitashri Saikia
collection DOAJ
description Animals have played an important role in human life from ancient times. The knowledge on the use of many animals and their by-products in traditional medicines by various ethnic communities is generally passed verbally from one generation to the next. The present study was carried out on ethnozoological survey of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of Golaghat District, Assam. A total six communities viz., Koch, Kalita, Chutia, Ahom, Nath and Mising have been chosen based on semi-structured questionnaire through interactive personal interview and group discussion on the use of traditional animal based medicines by these local people for the treatment of various diseases. During the survey around 200 respondents were interviewed including 30 traditional practitioners. A total 40 distinct species were identified along with the formulations they utilize to cure various ailments. The study showed that the use of traditional medicines are still popular in rural areas which may depict a scenario of their strong belief on their formulations or may be due to inaccessibility of health care facilities in availing modern medicines. It is evident that the ethnozoological information regarding the therapeutic uses of different animals in traditional medicine is fading and there is an urgent need for its documentation before much of it is completely lost..
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spelling doaj.art-887cc7f9f17d4d899c49b6af2adedd982024-01-12T09:21:52ZengDirector of Academics and Research, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences UniversityJournal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences0971-07012582-06052023-12-0154486387410.51966/jvas.2023.54.4.863-874Ethnozoological study of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of Golaghat district, AssamGitashri Saikia0https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2609-9640Raju N.L.1https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7374-693XM.Sc. Student, Department of Life Science & Bioinformatics, Assam University Diphu Campus (A Central University), Diphu – 782 462, Karbi Anglong District, Assam, IndiaAssistant Professor, Department of Life Science & Bioinformatics, Assam University Diphu Campus (A Central University), Diphu – 782 462, Karbi Anglong District, Assam, IndiaAnimals have played an important role in human life from ancient times. The knowledge on the use of many animals and their by-products in traditional medicines by various ethnic communities is generally passed verbally from one generation to the next. The present study was carried out on ethnozoological survey of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of Golaghat District, Assam. A total six communities viz., Koch, Kalita, Chutia, Ahom, Nath and Mising have been chosen based on semi-structured questionnaire through interactive personal interview and group discussion on the use of traditional animal based medicines by these local people for the treatment of various diseases. During the survey around 200 respondents were interviewed including 30 traditional practitioners. A total 40 distinct species were identified along with the formulations they utilize to cure various ailments. The study showed that the use of traditional medicines are still popular in rural areas which may depict a scenario of their strong belief on their formulations or may be due to inaccessibility of health care facilities in availing modern medicines. It is evident that the ethnozoological information regarding the therapeutic uses of different animals in traditional medicine is fading and there is an urgent need for its documentation before much of it is completely lost..https://jvas.in/public_html/upload/article_file/article_file_s6kfqq.pdf?t=s6kfqqethnozoologygolaghattraditional practitionerszootherapy
spellingShingle Gitashri Saikia
Raju N.L.
Ethnozoological study of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of Golaghat district, Assam
Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
ethnozoology
golaghat
traditional practitioners
zootherapy
title Ethnozoological study of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of Golaghat district, Assam
title_full Ethnozoological study of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of Golaghat district, Assam
title_fullStr Ethnozoological study of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of Golaghat district, Assam
title_full_unstemmed Ethnozoological study of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of Golaghat district, Assam
title_short Ethnozoological study of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of Golaghat district, Assam
title_sort ethnozoological study of animal based medicines used by traditional healers from south eastern area of golaghat district assam
topic ethnozoology
golaghat
traditional practitioners
zootherapy
url https://jvas.in/public_html/upload/article_file/article_file_s6kfqq.pdf?t=s6kfqq
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