Vertebrates as a Bactericidal Agent.

In Brazil, although a large number of animals are used in traditional medicine (at least 354 species), information about their biological activities is scarce. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the bactericidal potential of zootherapeutic by-products from animals used in Brazilian traditional medicine and discuss the ecological and cultural consequences of such practices. The species analyzed were: Tupinambis merianae (skin), Iguana iguana (skin and body fat), Crotalus durissus (skin and body fat), Boa constrictor (skin), Euphractus sexcinctus (body fat) and Coendou prehensilis (quills). Experiments were performed with standard clinical strains of Escherichia coli (EC-ATCC10536) and Staphylococcus aureus (SA-ATCC 25923). For the microbiological assay, the zootherapeutics were evaluated using serial microdilutions. The results indicate that none of the samples possess inhibitory activity against standard bacterial strains. The in vitro ineffectiveness of the analyzed products demonstrate a necessity for new pharmacological research that encompass a large number of species of medicinal animals as well as highlight the importance of zootherapy in the context of plans for animal conservation.

Ethnozoology in Brazil: analysis of the methodological risks in published studies.

There has been a growth in the field of Ethnozoology throughout the years, especially in Brazil, where a considerable number of scientific articles pertaining to this subject has been published in recent decades. With this increase in publications comes the opportunity to assess the quality of these publications, as there are no known studies assessing the methodological risks in this area. Based on this observation, our objectives were to compile the papers published on the subject of ethnozoology and to answer the following questions: 1) Do the Brazilian ethnozoological studies use sound sampling methods?; 2) Is the sampling quality influenced by characteristics of the studies/publications? The studies found in databases and using web search engines were compiled to answer these questions. The studies were assessed based on their nature, sampling methods, use of hypotheses and tests, journal's impact factor, and animal group studied. The majority of the studies analyzed exhibited problems associated with the samples, as 144 (66.98%) studies were classified as having a high risk of bias. With regard to the characteristics analyzed, we determined that a quantitative nature and the use of tests are essential components of good sampling. Most studies classified as moderate and low risk either did not provide these data or provided data that were not clear; therefore, these studies were classified as being of a quali-quantitative nature. Studies performed with vertebrate groups were of high risk. Most of the papers analyzed here focused on fish, insects, and/or mollusks, thus highlighting the difficulties associated with conducting interviews regarding tetrapod vertebrates. Such difficulties are largely related to the extremely strict Brazilian laws, justified by the decline and extinction of some species, related to the use of wild tetrapod vertebrates.

Ethnozoology in Brazil: analysis of the methodological risks in published studies / Etnozoologia no Brasil: análise de riscos metodológicos nos trabalhos publicados

Abstract There has been a growth in the field of Ethnozoology throughout the years, especially in Brazil, where a considerable number of scientific articles pertaining to this subject has been published in recent decades. With this increase in publications comes the opportunity to assess the quality of these publications, as there are no known studies assessing the methodological risks in this area. Based on this observation, our objectives were to compile the papers published on the subject of ethnozoology and to answer the following questions: 1) Do the Brazilian ethnozoological studies use sound sampling methods?; 2) Is the sampling quality influenced by characteristics of the studies/publications? The studies found in databases and using web search engines were compiled to answer these questions. The studies were assessed based on their nature, sampling methods, use of hypotheses and tests, journal’s impact factor, and animal group studied. The majority of the studies analyzed exhibited problems associated with the samples, as 144 (66.98%) studies were classified as having a high risk of bias. With regard to the characteristics analyzed, we determined that a quantitative nature and the use of tests are essential components of good sampling. Most studies classified as moderate and low risk either did not provide these data or provided data that were not clear; therefore, these studies were classified as being of a quali-quantitative nature. Studies performed with vertebrate groups were of high risk. Most of the papers analyzed here focused on fish, insects, and/or mollusks, thus highlighting the difficulties associated with conducting interviews regarding tetrapod vertebrates. Such difficulties are largely related to the extremely strict Brazilian laws, justified by the decline and extinction of some species, related to the use of wild tetrapod vertebrates.

Resumo Ao longo dos anos a Etnozoologia vem crescendo, principalmente no Brasil, no qual se observa um expressivo número de publicações científicas nas últimas décadas. Com isto abriu-se a oportunidade para avaliar a qualidade das publicações, já que não existem pesquisas que avaliem os riscos metodológicos na área. Partindo desta premissa objetivamos compilar os artigos publicados na área e responder as seguintes questões: os trabalhos etnozoológicos brasileiros possuem boa qualidade amostral? A qualidade amostral é influenciada por características dos estudos/publicações? Para responder tais perguntas foi realizado levantamento das publicações em bases de dados e sites de busca. As características avaliadas foram relacionadas à natureza, amostragem, uso de hipóteses e testes, fator de impacto do periódico e grupo animal pesquisado. A maior parte dos artigos analisados apresentaram problemas amostrais, 144 (66,98%) foram classificados como sendo de alto risco de viés. Quanto às características analisadas percebemos que a natureza quantitativa e a utilização de testes, são essenciais para uma boa amostragem. A maioria das publicações classificada com moderado e baixo risco não apresentava ou não deixava claro esses dados, sendo classificadas como de natureza quali-quantitativa. Percebemos também que artigos desenvolvidos com grupos vertebrados apresentaram alto risco, levando a crer que as restrições da legislação brasileira limitam as informações mais precisas a respeito do tema.

Ethnozoology in Brazil: analysis of the methodological risks in published studies

Abstract There has been a growth in the field of Ethnozoology throughout the years, especially in Brazil, where a considerable number of scientific articles pertaining to this subject has been published in recent decades. With this increase in publications comes the opportunity to assess the quality of these publications, as there are no known studies assessing the methodological risks in this area. Based on this observation, our objectives were to compile the papers published on the subject of ethnozoology and to answer the following questions: 1) Do the Brazilian ethnozoological studies use sound sampling methods?; 2) Is the sampling quality influenced by characteristics of the studies/publications? The studies found in databases and using web search engines were compiled to answer these questions. The studies were assessed based on their nature, sampling methods, use of hypotheses and tests, journals impact factor, and animal group studied. The majority of the studies analyzed exhibited problems associated with the samples, as 144 (66.98%) studies were classified as having a high risk of bias. With regard to the characteristics analyzed, we determined that a quantitative nature and the use of tests are essential components of good sampling. Most studies classified as moderate and low risk either did not provide these data or provided data that were not clear; therefore, these studies were classified as being of a quali-quantitative nature. Studies performed with vertebrate groups were of high risk. Most of the papers analyzed here focused on fish, insects, and/or mollusks, thus highlighting the difficulties associated with conducting interviews regarding tetrapod vertebrates. Such difficulties are largely related to the extremely strict Brazilian laws, justified by the decline and extinction of some species, related to the use of wild tetrapod vertebrates.

Resumo Ao longo dos anos a Etnozoologia vem crescendo, principalmente no Brasil, no qual se observa um expressivo número de publicações científicas nas últimas décadas. Com isto abriu-se a oportunidade para avaliar a qualidade das publicações, já que não existem pesquisas que avaliem os riscos metodológicos na área. Partindo desta premissa objetivamos compilar os artigos publicados na área e responder as seguintes questões: os trabalhos etnozoológicos brasileiros possuem boa qualidade amostral? A qualidade amostral é influenciada por características dos estudos/publicações? Para responder tais perguntas foi realizado levantamento das publicações em bases de dados e sites de busca. As características avaliadas foram relacionadas à natureza, amostragem, uso de hipóteses e testes, fator de impacto do periódico e grupo animal pesquisado. A maior parte dos artigos analisados apresentaram problemas amostrais, 144 (66,98%) foram classificados como sendo de alto risco de viés. Quanto às características analisadas percebemos que a natureza quantitativa e a utilização de testes, são essenciais para uma boa amostragem. A maioria das publicações classificada com moderado e baixo risco não apresentava ou não deixava claro esses dados, sendo classificadas como de natureza quali-quantitativa. Percebemos também que artigos desenvolvidos com grupos vertebrados apresentaram alto risco, levando a crer que as restrições da legislação brasileira limitam as informações mais precisas a respeito do tema.

Antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of fixed oil extracted from the body fat of the snake Spilotes pullatus.

CONTEXT: Ethnozoological studies have shown that Spilotes pullatus Linn. (Colubridae: Ophidia), is associated with medicinal and magic-religious uses in Brazil. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to determine the chemical composition of the oil extracted from the body fat of S. pullatus and to test its antimicrobial properties, alone and in association with aminoglycosides, against fungi and bacterial strains in concentrations ranging between 1024 and 0.5 µg/mL. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The snakes were collected in the Chapada do Araripe, county of Crato, Ceará State, Brazil. The oil was extracted in a Soxhlet apparatus using hexane. The methyl esters of the fatty acids present in the samples were identified using GC-MS. The antimicrobial and drug modulatory activities of oil were tested by microdilution against fungal and bacterial strains. RESULTS: The chemical composition of the fixed oils of S. pullatus identified 10 constituents representing 94.97% of the total sample. The percentages of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were 33.59 and 61.38%, respectively, with the most abundant components being elaidic (37.26%). The oil did not demonstrate any antimicrobial or antifungal activity when tested alone, presenting MIC values ≥ 1024 µg/mL. However, when associated with antibiotics, it demonstrated synergistic effects with gentamicin against all the bacterial lineages assayed, and antagonistic effects with amikacin and neomycin against strains of Escherichia coli. CONCLUSIONS: Oil extracted from the body fat of S. pullatus did not demonstrate any inhibitory effects on bacterial or fungal activities, but was effective in modulating the effects of certain antibiotics.

Feeding habits, sexual dimorphism and size at maturity of the lizard Cnemidophorus ocellifer (Spix, 1825) (Teiidae) in a reforested restinga habitat in northeastern Brazil.

The feeding habits, the sexual dimorphism in size and sexual maturity of the actively foraging lizard Cnemidophorusocellifer were analysed in an area of a reforested Restinga habitat located in the municipality of Mataraca, along the northern-most coast of Paraíba State, Brazil. Seventy-five specimens of C. ocellifer were examined (46 males and 29A females). Of this total, only 23 specimens had prey in their stomachs. The most frequent prey consumed items were orthopterans (50%), coleopterans (23.9%) and arachnids (10.9%); termites and insect larvae were less consumed (both with 2.2%). There were no significant differences observed between the numbers of prey consumed by either males or females. There were significant differences in SVL (snout-vent length) between the sexes, with males attaining larger SVL values. When the influence of SVL was removed from the analyses, sexual dimorphism in the form was still reflected in the head size of these lizards. Sexual maturity in females and males was attained with SVL of 42.2 and 49.0 mm respectively. Although no significant difference was observed between the SVL of the females and the number of eggs produced, there was a clear tendency for larger females to produce more eggs. The low structural complexity of the vegetation and the poor soil quality in the reforested restinga area examined does not furnish favourable habitat for insect and termite larvae, contributing to the marked differences in the diet of the population of C. ocellifer observed in the present study in relation to the diet of their conspecifics in undisturbed areas of restinga, cerrado and caatinga.

Prevalence and intensity of infection by Raillietiella gigliolii Hett, 1924 (Pentastomida) in Amphisbaena alba Linnaeus, 1758 and A. vermicularis Wagler, 1824 (Amphisbaenidae) from Northeastern Brazil.

Raillietiella gigliolii is a Neotropical pentastomid parasite found in Amphisbaena alba. Collections were made in northeastern Brazil in a remnant area of Atlantic Forest (07 masculine 10' S and 35 masculine 05' W) in the municipality of Cruz do Espírito Santo, Paraíba State, and in a Humid Forest area (07 masculine 16' S and 39 masculine 26' W) on the slopes of the Chapada do Araripe Mountains, municipality of Crato, Ceará state, Brazil. Nine specimens of A. alba and 12 of A. vermicularis were collected to gather basic ecological data (prevalence and mean intensity of infection) concerning these parasites. Raillietiella gigliolii was found infecting the lungs of both species. The prevalence for A. alba was 55.5% (5/9), with a mean intensity of infection of 5.0 +/- 2.53 and amplitudes of 1-13. A. vermicularis demonstrated prevalence of 50%, with a mean intensity of infection of 5.3 +/- 2.1 and amplitudes of 1-14. This represents the first record of R. gigliolii as a parasite of A. vermicularis. Our results suggest that R. gigliolii is a generalist parasite species and that an overlapping diet is the determinant factor in the sharing of its final hosts.