Fauna of the African continent: an under-utilized treasure and a neglected pharmaceutical asset

Background: Phytotherapy and zootherapy are both employed by all tribes and cultures of the world in traditional medicine. In most cases, a combination of plants or plant products with animal parts or products are included in the recipes for the management, treatment or cure of illnesses and diseases, while in other cases only animal parts and products are used as medications.

Objective: The various plants and plant products used in different cultures have been documented and are well reported. However, the inventory and recipes involving the use of animal parts and products in traditional medicine are scanty particularly in the African traditional medicine and mainly Nigeria.

Methods: The information on animal parts and products used as medication were obtained from reference, established literature of the various regions and cultures, as well as information on animals and animal products in southwestern Nigeria as they are used in the community.

Results: Animal parts and products from the Asian cultures are included in medications sold in the pharmacies. Some of the animal part products used as medication and part of medications in various regions of the world have been reported. In addition, a comparison of the animal part products from Latin America and various regions in Asia, Indo-Asia have been made with those from the African continent, particularly Nigeria. Furthermore, a few alternative species of Animal parts and products abundant in Nigeria that can serve the same purpose as those identified and reported in other parts of the world have been identified.

Conclusion: It is therefore necessary to create awareness of animal parts and products in the Nigerian traditional medicine observed to be effective in the treatment, management of diseases and the need to inventory these animals before the knowledge of their values are lost, as well as the need to carry out their scientific evaluation to establish their efficacy and possible lead to novel drugs.