Table 3 Other animal and mineral remedies
Species/ Entity | Common name/Local name (in Pashtu language) | Habit | Status | Disease category | Parts Used | Use | URs (Informants) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gold | Gold/ Sra zer | Mineral | Precious metal, wear by women taken from market | Ritual | Gold | Gold is used directly or put in water for some time and that water is mixed with flour to make dough which is wrapped in cloth and fastened around (Plate 1; E) or near the infected organ against ‘voice infection’. It is commonly used after the circumcision of male child against ‘voice infection’. | 41 (41) |
Gallus gallus domesticus | Chicken egg/ agayi | Bird | Domestic | Musculoskeletal | Egg | It is taken directly or in half boiled condition for bone healings. Sometimes curcuma longa rhizome powder is mixed with it. | 33 (33) |
mineral-pitch or mineral-wax | mineral-wax/ Salajeeth | Mineral | Secreted from rock cracks and locally collected | Musculoskeletal | Mineral-wax | It is sticky tar-like substance of brown color which is secreted from rocks called mineral-pitch or mineral-wax. It is eaten directly but sometimes taken with milk against musculoskeletal ailments. | 28 (28) |
Brass coin | Brass coin/ Sorvay paysa) | Alloy | Previous currency rarely available in homes | Ritual | Brass coin | It is one cent of 1950s–60s Pakistani currency. A hole is made in the mid of it and fiber is passed though it which is then fasten around infected organ against ‘voice infection’. | 23 (23) |
Marketed mineral stone | Mineral stone/ Da nazer dana | Mineral | Small size stones of red-orange color available in markets | Ritual | Mineral stone | It is wrapped in cloth and fastened around or near the infected organ as Amulet, against ‘voice infection’. It is rarely available in the market. | 18 (18) |
A specific common stone | common stone/ Sheen kanrai | Mineral | Locally available near/around water channels | Dermatological | Stone powder | Crashed into pieces and sieved through cloth to obtain powder which is spread on small wounds on the body for rapid healing. | 17 (17) |
Capra falconeri | Sulaiman Markhor/ Gharchanay | Animal | Wild | Hepatic | Bile of gall bladder | The fresh bile of gall bladder is taken orally against hepatitis B and C. Its meat is also considered good for health. | 14 (12) |
Gallus gallus domesticus | Chicken soup/ Yakhni | Bird | Domestic | Musculoskeletal | Meat | It is boiled in water with black pepper powder and the decoction (chicken soup) is taken orally for bone healings. | 6 (6) |
Erethizon dorsaum | Porcupine/ Skonr | Animal | Wild | Musculoskeletal | Body fats | The fats oil is applied on affected organ. | 4 (4) |
Equus africanus asinus | Ass/ khra | Animal | Domestic | Respiratry | Milk | Fresh milk of ass is taken directly against whopping cough. | 3 (3) |
Silver | Silver/ Speen zer | Mineral | Precious metal, wear by women taken from market | Ritual | Silver | The silver is wrapped in cloth and fastened around or near the infected organ against ‘voice infection’. Mostly when gold is not available then silver is used. | 3 (3) |
Ursus americanus | Black bear/ Yaaz | Animal | Wild | Musculoskeletal | Body fats | The fats oil is applied on affected organ. | 3 (3) |