Ethnopharmacological implications of quantitative and network analysis for traditional knowledge regarding the medicinal use of animals by indigenous people in Wolchulsan National Park, Korea.

J Ethnopharmacol. 2018 Mar 1;213:1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.10.033. Epub 2017 Nov 1. Kim G1, Kim H2, Song MJ3. Author information 1 College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: haru_ever93@korea.ac.kr. 2 School of Alternative Medicine and Health Science, Jeonju University, Jeonju 55069, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hyunk@jj.ac.kr. 3 Department of Integrated Bio-Resource Science, Jeonju University, Jeonju 55069, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: mjsong2014@jj.ac.kr. Abstract ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The purpose of this study was to record, analyze, and identify ethnopharmacological implications for oral traditional knowledge regarding the medicinal use of animals by indigenous people living in Wolchulsan National Park, Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected through interviews, informal meetings, open and group discussions, and observations guided by semi-structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed via quantitative analysis of informant consensus factor and fidelity level, and network analysis, including centrality and clustering analysis. RESULTS: A total of 46 families, 59 genera, and 60 species of animals, as well as 373 methods of usage, were recorded. Fish comprised 31.7% of the total animal species recorded, followed by mammals at 20.0%, arthropods at 18.3%, and mollusks at 11.7%. Of these animals, 48.0% were utilized as food and 46.1% for medicinal use. Quantitative analysis showed that the category with the highest degree of consensus from informants was veterinary ailments (informant consensus factor value, 0.96). This was followed by poisonings (0.93), pains (0.92), genitourinary system disorders (0.91), cuts and wounds (0.89), and other medical conditions. The lowest degree of consensus was for skin diseases and disorders (0.57). There were 8 species of animals with a fidelity level of 100%, after eliminating from the animals analyzed that were mentioned only once. Finally, using network analysis, Gallus gallus domesticus and Gloydius brevicaudus were defined as species with meaningful medicinal use, while lack of vigor and lung diseases were defined as significant ailments in the study area. CONCLUSION: This study validates that local communities use animals not only for food but also for medicinal purposes as crucial therapeutic measures. Therefore, the conservation of fauna and preservation of traditional knowledge need to be seriously considered to maintain the health and well-being of the local communities. Network analysis clarified the series of ailments for which each animal species is preferentially used and helped confirm the order of priority when prescribing animal components for medicinal use. The traditional knowledge recorded in the present study will provide the basic data to develop new medicines for the bioindustry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. KEYWORDS: Bioindustry; Network analysis; Oral traditional knowledge; Quantitative analysis; Wolchulsan National Park PMID: 29100933 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.10.033