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Kanthaswamy S. Review: Wildlife forensic genetics-Biological evidence, DNA markers, analytical approaches, and challenges. Anim Genet 2024; 55:177-192. [PMID: 38123142 DOI: 10.1111/age.13390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife-related crimes are the second most prevalent lawbreaking offense globally. This illicit trade encompasses hunting, breeding and trafficking. Besides diminishing many species and their habitats and ecosystems, hindering the economic development of local communities that depend on them, undermining the rule of law and financing terrorism, various cross-species transmissions (zoonoses) of pathogens, including COVID-19, can be attributed to wildlife crimes. Wildlife forensics applies interdisciplinary scientific analyses to support law enforcement in investigating wildlife crimes. Its main objectives are to identify the taxonomic species in question, determine if a crime has been committed, link a suspect to the crime and support the conviction and prosecution of the perpetrator. This article reviews wildlife crime and its implications, wildlife forensic science investigation, common forms of wildlife biological evidence, including DNA, wildlife DNA techniques and challenges in wildlife forensic genetics. The article also reviews the contributions of genetic markers such as short tandem repeat (STR) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers, which provide the probative genetic data representing the bulk of DNA evidence for solving wildlife crime. This review provides an overview of wildlife DNA databases, which are critical for searching and matching forensic DNA profiles and sequences and establishing how frequent forensic DNA profiles and sequences are in a particular population or geographic region. As such, this review will contain an in-depth analysis of the current status of wildlife forensic genetics, and it will be of general interest to wildlife and conservation biologists, law enforcement officers, and academics interested in combating crimes against wildlife using animal forensic DNA methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sree Kanthaswamy
- School of Interdisciplinary Forensics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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Bashir SM, Altaf M, Hussain T, Umair M, Majeed M, Mangrio WM, Khan AM, Gulshan AB, Hamed MH, Ashraf S, Amjad MS, Bussmann RW, Abbasi AM, Casini R, Alataway A, Dewidar AZ, Al-Yafrsi M, Amin MH, Elansary HO. Vernacular Taxonomy, Cultural and Ethnopharmacological Applications of Avian and Mammalian Species in the Vicinity of Ayubia National Park, Himalayan Region. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12040609. [PMID: 37106809 PMCID: PMC10135773 DOI: 10.3390/biology12040609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Numerous investigations on plant ethnomedicinal applications have been conducted; however, knowledge about the medicinal use of wild animals is still limited. This present study is the second on the medicinal and cultural meaning of avian and mammalian species used by the population in the surrounding area of the Ayubia National Park, KPK, Pakistan. Interviews and meetings were compiled from the participants (N = 182) of the study area. The relative frequency of citation, fidelity level, relative popularity level, and rank order priority indices were applied to analyze the information. Overall, 137 species of wild avian and mammalian species were documented. Of these, 18 avian and 14 mammalian species were utilized to treat different diseases. The present research showed noteworthy ethno-ornithological and ethno-mammalogical knowledge of local people and their connection with fauna, which might be useful in the sustainable utilization of the biological diversity of the Ayubia National Park, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Furthermore, in vivo and/or in vitro examination of the pharmacological activities of species with the highest fidelity level (FL%) as well as frequency of mention (FM) might be important for investigations on faunal-based new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayda Maria Bashir
- Department of Zoology, Women's University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Bagh 12500, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Altaf
- Department of Forestry, Range and Wildlife Management, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Tanveer Hussain
- Department of Forestry, Range and Wildlife Management, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Umair
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Muhammad Majeed
- Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Hafiz Hayat Campus, Gujrat 50700, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Wali Muhammad Mangrio
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur 66111, Pakistan
| | - Arshad Mahmood Khan
- Department of Botany, Government Hashmat Ali Islamia Associate College Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan
- Department of Botany, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan
| | | | - M Haroon Hamed
- Department of Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Sana Ashraf
- Department of Zoology, University of Lahore, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shoaib Amjad
- Department of Botany, Women's University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Bagh 12500, Pakistan
| | - Rainer W Bussmann
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
- Department of Botany, State Museum of Natural History, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Arshad Mehmood Abbasi
- Department of Environment Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan
| | - Ryan Casini
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
| | - Abed Alataway
- Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water Chair, Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water and Desert Research, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Z Dewidar
- Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water Chair, Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water and Desert Research, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed Al-Yafrsi
- Department of Plant Production, College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmed H Amin
- Department of Plant Production, College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hosam O Elansary
- Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water Chair, Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water and Desert Research, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Plant Production, College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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Atreya A, Ghimire S, Kanchan T, Kunwar S, Shah D. Fatal Choking Due to a Slug: A Death Driven by Folklore. Wilderness Environ Med 2023; 34:100-102. [PMID: 36369204 DOI: 10.1016/j.wem.2022.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The use of animals for therapeutic purposes is based on traditional beliefs, family pressure, and watching others appear to be cured. We report an unusual case of a 47-y-old man who choked to death after consuming a live slug. During autopsy, a 9.5-cm slug was found impacted in the tracheobronchial tree. History provided by the family revealed that the deceased consumed slugs in the belief that this would relieve his symptoms of chronic arthritis. We report this rare case to highlight the possible ill effects of such practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alok Atreya
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Lumbini Medical College, Palpa, Nepal.
| | - Samjhana Ghimire
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal
| | - Tanuj Kanchan
- Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, India
| | - Srijana Kunwar
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal
| | - Dhiraj Shah
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Kathmandu University Hospital: Dhulikhel Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal
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Yang F, Ding F, Chen H, He M, Zhu S, Ma X, Jiang L, Li H. DNA Barcoding for the Identification and Authentication of Animal Species in Traditional Medicine. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2018; 2018:5160254. [PMID: 29849709 PMCID: PMC5937547 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5160254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Animal-based traditional medicine not only plays a significant role in therapeutic practices worldwide but also provides a potential compound library for drug discovery. However, persistent hunting and illegal trade markedly threaten numerous medicinal animal species, and increasing demand further provokes the emergence of various adulterants. As the conventional methods are difficult and time-consuming to detect processed products or identify animal species with similar morphology, developing novel authentication methods for animal-based traditional medicine represents an urgent need. During the last decade, DNA barcoding offers an accurate and efficient strategy that can identify existing species and discover unknown species via analysis of sequence variation in a standardized region of DNA. Recent studies have shown that DNA barcoding as well as minibarcoding and metabarcoding is capable of identifying animal species and discriminating the authentics from the adulterants in various types of traditional medicines, including raw materials, processed products, and complex preparations. These techniques can also be used to detect the unlabelled and threatened animal species in traditional medicine. Here, we review the recent progress of DNA barcoding for the identification and authentication of animal species used in traditional medicine, which provides a reference for quality control and trade supervision of animal-based traditional medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Yang
- Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing 100038, China
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Crime Scene Evidence Examination, Institute of Forensic Science, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Fei Ding
- Center for Bioresources & Drug Discovery and School of Biosciences & Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Center for Bioresources & Drug Discovery and School of Biosciences & Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Mingqi He
- Center for Bioresources & Drug Discovery and School of Biosciences & Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Shixin Zhu
- Center for Bioresources & Drug Discovery and School of Biosciences & Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Xin Ma
- Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing 100038, China
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Crime Scene Evidence Examination, Institute of Forensic Science, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Li Jiang
- Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing 100038, China
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Crime Scene Evidence Examination, Institute of Forensic Science, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Haifeng Li
- Center for Bioresources & Drug Discovery and School of Biosciences & Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
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Alves RRN, Oliveira TPR, Medeiros MFT. Trends in Medicinal Uses of Edible Wild Vertebrates in Brazil. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2017; 2017:4901329. [PMID: 28894470 PMCID: PMC5574265 DOI: 10.1155/2017/4901329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The use of food medicines is a widespread practice worldwide. In Brazil, such use is often associated with wild animals, mostly focusing on vertebrate species. Here we assessed taxonomic and ecological trends in traditional uses of wild edible vertebrates in the country, through an extensive ethnobiological database analysis. Our results showed that at least 165 health conditions are reportedly treated by edible vertebrate species (n = 204), mostly fishes and mammals. However, reptiles stand out presenting a higher plasticity in the treatment of multiple health conditions. Considering the 20 disease categories recorded, treatment prescriptions were similar within continental (i.e., terrestrial and freshwater) and also within coastal and marine habitats, which may reflect locally related trends in occurrence and use of the medicinal fauna. The comprehension of the multiplicity and trends in the therapeutic uses of Brazilian vertebrates is of particular interest from a conservation perspective, as several threatened species were recorded.
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Santos CAB, Alves RRN. Ethnoichthyology of the indigenous Truká people, Northeast Brazil. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2016; 12:1. [PMID: 26739346 PMCID: PMC4702390 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-015-0076-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Historically, fishing is an important activity for riverine communities established along the São Francisco River, including indigenous communities. In the present study, we researched fishing activities in two villages of the Truká ethnic group, both located in the State of Pernambuco along the sub-middle section of the São Francisco River, Northeast Brazil. We recorded the richness and uses of the fished species and the ecological knowledge on these species, the fishing techniques employed and the perception of the indigenous people regarding current environmental impacts on the São Francisco River that influence local fishing. METHOD The information was obtained through interviews with 33 Truká fishers (27 men and six women), including 17 interviewees from Central Village (Cabrobó) and 16 from Tapera Village (Orocó). RESULTS Using five fishing techniques, the interviewees caught 25 fish species, including 21 native and four exotic species. All species are used as food, and two species are used in traditional Truká medicine. The interviewees revealed that fishing currently has less importance in their subsistence. They indicated that this situation is occurring because of several factors, such as the introduction of exotic species, pollution and urbanization, that have impacted the São Francisco River, resulting in a decline of fishing resources. Nevertheless, we found that the indigenous people who are still fishing have a broad knowledge of the habitat and ecology of the target fishing. CONCLUSION Although fishing is declining in importance among the Truká, we found that the individuals who are still practicing this activity have a broad knowledge about the habitat and ecology of the target species and apply that knowledge to fishing methods. Knowledge about the ecology of the species and the environmental impacts that have affected them can support basic research on local fish populations and research investigating the environmental impacts, resource management and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Alberto Batista Santos
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Etnobiologia e Conservação da Natureza, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, 52171-900, Recife, PE, Brasil.
- Departamento de Tecnologia e Ciências Sociais, Universidade do Estado da Bahia, Avenida Edgard Chastinet, s/n, São Geraldo, 48905-680, Juazeiro, BA, Brasil.
| | - Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Av. das Baraúnas, 351/Campus Universitário, Bodocongó, 58109-753, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brasil
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Teixeira PHR, Thel TDN, Ferreira JMR, de Azevedo SM, Junior WRT, Lyra-Neves RM. Local knowledge and exploitation of the avian fauna by a rural community in the semi-arid zone of northeastern Brazil. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2014; 10:81. [PMID: 25540070 PMCID: PMC4364094 DOI: 10.1186/1746-4269-10-81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/10/2014] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present study examined the exploitation of bird species by the residents of a rural community in the Brazilian semi-arid zone, and their preferences for species with different characteristics. METHODS The 24 informants were identified using the "snowball" approach, and were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires and check-sheets for the collection of data on their relationship with the bird species that occur in the region. The characteristics that most attract the attention of the interviewees were the song and the coloration of the plumage of a bird, as well as its body size, which determines its potential as a game species, given that hunting is an important activity in the region. RESULTS A total of 98 species representing 32 families (50.7% of the species known to occur in the region) were reported during interviews, being used for meat, pets, and medicinal purposes. Three species were used as zootherapeutics - White-naped Jay was eaten whole as a cure for speech problems, the feathers of Yellow-legged Tinamou were used for snakebite, Smooth-billed Ani was eaten for "chronic cough" and Small-billed Tinamou and Tataupa Tinamou used for locomotion problems. The preference of the informants for characteristics such as birdsong and colorful plumage was a significant determinant of their preference for the species exploited. Birds with cynegetic potential and high use values were also among the most preferred species. Despite the highly significant preferences for certain species, some birds, such as those of the families Trochilidae, Thamnophilidae, and Tyrannidae are hunted randomly, independently of their attributes. CONCLUSION The evidence collected on the criteria applied by local specialists for the exploitation of the bird fauna permitted the identification of the species that suffer hunting pressure, providing guidelines for the development of conservation and management strategies that will guarantee the long-term survival of the populations of these bird species in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Hudson Rodrigues Teixeira
- Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife/PE, CEP: 52171-900 Brasil
| | - Thiago do Nascimento Thel
- Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife/PE, CEP: 52171-900 Brasil
| | - Jullio Marques Rocha Ferreira
- Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife/PE, CEP: 52171-900 Brasil
| | - Severino Mendes de Azevedo
- Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife/PE, CEP: 52171-900 Brasil
| | - Wallace Rodrigues Telino Junior
- Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife/PE, CEP: 52171-900 Brasil
| | - Rachel Maria Lyra-Neves
- Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife/PE, CEP: 52171-900 Brasil
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Vallejo JR, González JA. Fish-based remedies in Spanish ethnomedicine: a review from a historical perspective. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2014; 10:37. [PMID: 24885245 PMCID: PMC4025190 DOI: 10.1186/1746-4269-10-37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/23/2014] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fish-based therapeutics is fundamentally based on a dietary use, but these vertebrates have also been employed in the treatment of infectious and parasitic diseases, during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum and to deal with diseases of the different systems. METHODS An overview of the ethnomedical and historical Spanish literature has been carried out. Automated searches in the most important national and international databases have been performed. All related works have been thorough examined. RESULTS We examine the historical use of 54 medicinal fish species, 48 marine and six from inland waters. As useful, in Ancient times 39 species have been recorded (of which only 21 have been collected in subsequent periods), seven in the Middle Ages, 18 in Modern times and 17 in the contemporary period. Anguilla anguilla, Engraulis encrasicolus or Scyliorhinus canicula are species that have survived over time as an ingredient in Spanish folk remedies. Most remedies used in the last century and currently are empirical remedies based on the humorism theory and the principle of contraria contrariis curantur (74%), and the rest (26%) are magical type remedies that complete the popular therapeutic arsenal. CONCLUSIONS In the last century we find a progressive decrease in the number of fish species used in ethnomedicine. Only seven taxa have been documented as surviving therapeutic resources since centuries ago. The existence of a dynamic Spanish ethnomedicine has also been detected which has managed to generate new therapeutic resources in recent times. It is important to validate the remedies by ethnopharmacology and evidence-based medicine. In order to recover as much data as possible, it will be necessary to draw up an inventory of ethnoichthyological uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ramón Vallejo
- Departamento de Terapéutica Médico-Quirúrgica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - José Antonio González
- Grupo de Investigación de Recursos Etnobiológicos del Duero-Douro (GRIRED), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Salamanca, E-37071 Salamanca, Spain
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Cooper EL, Hirabayashi K. Origin of innate immune responses: revelation of food and medicinal applications. J Tradit Complement Med 2013; 3:204-12. [PMID: 24716179 PMCID: PMC3924995 DOI: 10.4103/2225-4110.119708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Much is known about the strong ecological impact that earthworms ( Qiū Yǐn; Pheretima) have on soil in terms of fertility, nutrient production, and tilling. Even more interesting though is the impact they have had on our understanding of innate immunity, and from this discovery, there has been a simultaneous recognition of their potential through their historical use as food and their use in treatment of certain chronic health problems that often afflict humans. This bifurcating growing knowledge base has stemmed from centuries of honing and practicing traditional and complementary forms of medicine such as Ayurveda (India) Traditional Chinese Medicine (China), Kampo (Japan), and Traditional Korean Medicine (Korea). Earthworms (Dilong) have also been credited as a model for research concerning the nervous and endocrine systems. One of the reasons behind the earthworm's tremendous impact on research into these biomedical endeavors is partly due to its lack of ethical restrictions, like those imposed on vertebrate models. Using invertebrate models as opposed to mice or other mammalian models bypasses ethical concerns. Moreover, financial constraints consistently hover over biological research that requires living subjects, preferably mammals. Earthworms are a rich source of several vital biological macromolecules and other nutrients. They have long been used as food in several cultures such as the Ye'Kuana in Venezuela, the Maori in New Zealand, and the nomadic populations in Papua New Guinea. Earthworms and their nutritious products have been shown to exert significant effects in treating humans for disorders of inflammation and blood coagulation. One area that continues to be examined is the earthworm's ability to regenerate lost appendages, and these effects have been extended to mammals. Evidence reveals that earthworm extracts may actually promote the regeneration of damaged nerves. This presentation will explore how earthworms may reveal significant advances and conclusions that decipher innate immunity. This is intimately associated with them as sources of their various nutritional and medicinal benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin L. Cooper
- Laboratory of Comparative Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School Of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Kyle Hirabayashi
- Laboratory of Comparative Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School Of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
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