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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

traditional healing, primitive healing, herbal medications, arthropods

College

Life Sciences

Department

Health Science

Abstract

Traditional primitive healing practices often involve medicines or treatments derived from plants or animals obtained from the local geographical region. The use of insects or closely related arthropods in primitive herbal medications is common. The practice of using arthropods in traditional healing practices was investigated among the culturally rich Ashanti healers in the village of Mampong in Ghana, West Africa. The Ashanti Tribe in Central Ghana is located in an area of lush vegetation and diverse arthropod fauna. The ‘folk-logic’, including cultural, biological, historical, religious, and environmental factors, that influences medical insect use was investigated. Significant factors influencing insect use included both the life cycle and the morphology of the insect. Medicinally important insects and arthropods found in West Africa were compared to those reportedly used in traditional medicine in other parts of the world.

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