Ichthyofauna Used in Traditional Medicine in Brazil

Table 1

Fish speciesused in traditional medicine in Brazil with local name, IUCN categories (EN: endangered, VU: vulnerable, LC: least concern, CR: critically endangered, NT: near threatened, NA: not available, DD: insufficient data), part used, therapeutic indication, number of bodily systems, state (occurrence), RI (relative importance), and reference.

Taxa/local name	IUCN	Part used	Therapeutic indication	Number of bodily systems	State	RI	Reference
Predominantly salt water
Chondrichthyes
Orectolobiformes
Ginglymostomatidae
Ginglymostoma cirratum; (Bonnaterre, 1788)	DD	Cartilage	Rheumatism	1	MA, PB	0.138	[7, 9]
(Nurse shark/Cação-lixa)
Carcharhiniformes
Carcharhinidae
Carcharhinus limbatus; (Müller and Henle, 1839)	NT	Cartilage, fat	Osteoporosis	1	MA	0.138	[7–9, 16]
(Blacktip shark/Sucuri-da-galha-preta)
Carcharhinus porosus; (Ranzani, 1839)	DD	Cartilage, fat	Asthma, rheumatism, wounds, inflammations, osteoporosis	3	MA, BA, PA	0.492	[7, 9]
(Smalltail/Cação-do-salgado)
Carcharhinus leucas; (Muller and Henle, 1839); (Bull shark/Tubarão)	NT	—	—	—	PE	—	[3]
Galeocerdo cuvier; (Péron and Lesueur, 1822)	NT	Cartilage, fat	Osteoporosis	1	MA, PI	0.138	[7, 9]
(Tiger shark/Jaguará)
Rhizoprionodon lalandii; (Müller and Henle, 1839)	DD	Cartilage, fat	Rheumatism	1	PB, BA	0.138	[7, 9, 16]
(Sharpnose shark/cação-frango); Rhizoprionodon porosus; (Poey, 1861); (Caribbean sharpnose shark/Cação de praia)	LC	Cartilage, fat	Rheumatism	1	PB, BA	0.138	[7, 9, 16]
Sphyrnidae
Sphyrna lewini; (Griffith and Smith, 1834)	EN	Liver oil	Asthma, wounds, rheumatism	3	BA	0.415	[2]
(Scalloped hammerhead/Cação-martelo)
Pristiformes
Pristidae
Pristis perotteti; Muller and Henlle 1842	CR	Rostral expansion	Rheumatism, arthritis	1	PA	0.138	[9]
(Sawfish/Espadarte)
Pristis pectinata; (Latham, 1794); Smalltooth sawfish/espadarte	CR	Rostral expansion	Asthma, rheumatism, arthritis	2	—	0.135	[18]
Rajiformes
Narcinidae
Narcine Braziliensis; (Olfers, 1831)	DD	Fat	Tooth pain	1	BA	0.138	[2, 4]
(Brazilian electric ray/Raia elétrica)
Rajidae
Atlantoraja cyclophora; (Regan, 1903)	VU	Eggs	Postpartum hemorrhage	1	RJ	0.138	[19]
(Eyespot skate/Almofadinha/barata do mar)
Dasyatidae
Dasyatis guttata; (Bloch and Schneider, 1801)	DD	Teeth, liver oil, tail, ventral mucus, liver	Asthma, wounds caused by the fish itself, burns on the skin	2	PB	0.315	[7, 9]
(Longnose stingray/Raia branca)
Dasyatis marianae; Gomes, Rosa, and Gadig, 2000	DD	Teeth, liver oil, tail, ventral mucus, liver	Asthma, wounds caused by the fish itself, burns on the skin	2	PB	0.315	[7, 9]
(Brazilian large-eyed stingray/raia mariquita)
Myliobatidae
Aetobatus narinari; (Euphrasen, 1790)	NT	Teeth, liver oil, tail, ventral mucus, liver	Asthma, wounds caused by the fish itself, burns on the skin, and hemorrhages	3	PA, PI, PB	0.453	[7, 9]
(Spotted eagle ray/raia-chita)
Urotrygonidae
Urotrygon microphthalmum; (Delsman, 1941)	LC	Teeth, liver oil, tail, ventral mucus, liver	Asthma, wounds caused by the fish itself, burns on the skin	2	PB	0.315	[7, 9]
(small-eyed, round stingray/raia)
Actinopterygii
Elopiformes
Megalopidae
Megalops atlanticus; Valenciennes, 1847	NE	Scale	Asthma, lack of air, headache, stroke	3	MA, PB, AL	0.454	[7–9, 20]
(Tarpon/Camurupim/Cangurupim)
Anguilliformes
Muraenidae
Gymnothorax funebris; Ranzani, 1840	NE	Meat	Wounds	1	PB	0.138	[7, 9]
(Green moray/moréia verde)
Gymnothorax moringa (Cuvier, 1829)	NE	Meat	Wounds	1	PB	0.138	[7, 9]
(Spotted moray/moréia pintada)
Gymnothorax vicinus; (Castelnau, 1855); (Purple mouth moray/moréia)	NE	Meat	Wounds	1	PB	0.138	[7, 9]
Clupeiformes
Clupeidae
Opisthonema oglinum; (Lesueur, 1818); (Atlantic thread herring/sardinha)	NE	Entire	Alcoholism	1	PB	0.138	[7, 9]
Siluriformes
Ariidae
Bagre bagre; (Linnaeus, 1758)	NE	Entire	Wounds caused by the fish itself	1	BA	0.138	[2, 21]
(Coco sea catfish/bagre-fidalgo)
Genidens barbus; (Lacepède, 1803)	NE	Entire	Wounds caused by the fish itself	1	BA	0.138	[2, 21]
(White sea catfish/bagre-do-mar)
Genidens genidens; (Valenciennes, 1840)	LC	Eye	Wounds caused by the fish itself	1	BA	0.138	[22]
(Guri sea catfish/Bagre)
Aspistor luniscutis; (Valenciennes, 1840)	NE	Entire	Wounds caused by the fish itself	1	BA	0.138	[2, 21]
(bagre-urutu)
Gadiformes
Gadidae
Gadus morhua; Linnaeus, 1958	VU	Fat, skin	Rheumatism, furuncle, back pain	2	PB, BA	0.315	[2, 23]
(Atlantic Cod, bacalhau)
Batrachoidiformes
Batrachoididae
Thalassophryne nattereri; (Steindachner, 1876)	NE	Meat, eye, and brain	Wounds caused by the fish itself	1	MA, PI, BA	0.138	[2, 7, 9]
(niquim)
Lophiiformes
Ogcocephalidae
Ogcocephalus vespertilio; (Linnaeus, 1758)	NE	Entire	Asthma, bronchitis, rheumatism, arthritis	2	MA, PB, RJ	0.354	[7–9, 19]
(Seadevil/Peixe morcego)
Beryciformes
Holocentridae
Holocentrus adscensionis; (Osbeck, 1765)	NE	Sting	Wounds	1	RJ	0.138	[19]
(Squirrelfish/Jaguariçá)
Gasterosteiformes
Syngnathidae
Hippocampus erectus; Perry, 1810; (Lined seahorse/Cavalo-marinho)	VU	Entire	Alcoholism, thromboses, impotence, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, bronchitis, cancer, asthma, and rheumatism	6	Brazil	0.985	[21]
Hippocampus reidi; Ginsburg, 1933; (Longsnout seahorse/Cavalo-marinho)	DD	Entire	Edema, asthma, bronchitis, impotence, thromboses, hemorrhage, hemorrhage in women, postpartum disorders, gastritis, tuberculosis, epilepsy, alcoholism, increasing female fertility, osteoporosis, heart disease cancer, asthma, rheumatism, avoiding miscarriage	10	RJ, PE, RN,; PB, CE, BA, MA,; PI, Brazil	1.731	[1, 2, 4, 7–9, 19, 24–29]
Perciformes
Centropomidae
Centropomus undecimalis; (Bloch, 1792)	NE	Fat	Swollen legs, edema	1	BA	0.177	[2]
(Common snook/Robalo)
Sparidae
Calamus penna; (Valenciennes, 1830)	NE	Fin	Asthma	1	BA	0.138	[2]
(Sheepshead porgy/peixe-pena)
Sciaenidae
Cynoscion acoupa; (Lacepède 1802)	LC	Otoliths	Renal insufficiency	1	MA	0.138	[8]
(Acoupa weakfish/Pescada amarela)
Cynoscion leiarchus; (Curvier 1830)	NE	Otoliths, Head	Renal insufficiency, lack of air	1	MA, PB	0.177	[8, 30]
(Smooth weakfish/Pescada branca)
Micropogonias furnieri; (Desmarest, 1823)	NE	Otoliths	Bronchitis	1	RJ	0.138	[29]
Trichiuridae
Trichiurus lepturus; (Linnaeus, 1758); (largehead hairtail/peixe espada)	NE	Tail	Asthma	1	—	0.138	[18]
Tetraodontiformes
Balistidae
Balistes vetula; Linnaeus, 1758	VU	Skin	Asthma, back pain	2	MA	0.277	[8]
(Queen-triggerfish/cangulo)
Balistes capriscus; Gmelin, 1789	NE	Skin	Bronchitis		RJ	0.138	[29]
(Grey-triggerfish/capucho)
Tetraodontidae
Colomesus psittacus; (Bloch and Schneider, 1801); (Banded puffer/Baiacú)	NE	Liver oil, bile	Breast cancer, back pain, warts	3	MA	0.415	[7, 9]
Sphoeroides testudineus; (Linnaeus, 1758); (Checkered puffer/Baiacú)	NE	Fat	Rheumatism	1	BA	0.138	[1]
Predominantly fresh water
Chondrichthyes
Rajiformes
Potamotrygonidae
Paratrygon ajereba; (Walbaum, 1792)	DD	Spur, Fat	Asthma, cold, cough, ear pain, pneumonia, umbilical hernia, burns on the skin	3	TO	0.569	[31]
(Discus ray/raia)
Plesiotrygon iwamae; (Rosa, Castello and Thorson, 1987); (Long-tailed river stingray/Arraia)	DD	Fat	Wounds caused by the fish itself, cracks on the soles of feet, wounds	1	PA	0.138	[9]
Potamotrygon hystrix; (Müller and Henle, 1841); (Porcupine river stingray/Raia)	DD	Spur, Fat	Asthma, cold, cough, ear pain, pneumonia, umbilical hernia, burns on the skin	3	TO	0.569	[31]
Potamotrygon motoro; (Müller and Henle, 1841); (South American freshwater stingray/Raia)	DD	Spur, Fat	Asthma, cold, cough, ear pain, pneumonia, umbilical hernia, burns on the skin	3	TO	0.569	[31]
Potamotrygon orbignyi; (Castelnau, 1855)	LC	Fat	Wounds caused by the fish itself	1	PA	0.138	[9]
(Smooth back river stingray/Arraia)
Actinopterygii
Osteoglossiformes
Arapaimidae
Arapaima gigas; (Cuvier, 1829)	DD	scale	Asthma	1	PA	0.138	[8]
(Arapaima/arapaima, pirarucu)
Osteoglossidae
Osteoglossum ferreirai; Kanazawa, 1966; (Black arawana/Aruanã)	LC	scale	Dermatological problems	1	AM	0.138	[32]
(Arapaima/arapaima, pirarucu)
(Cruvina, Crumatá)		Fat, meat
Prochilodus nigricans; Agassiz 1829	NE	Fat, gall, meat	Inflammations, cholesterol, burns on the skin, wounds, rheumatism, chilblains, malaria, whooping cough	5	CE, TO, Brazil	0.808	[27, 33, 34]
(Black prochilodus/Curimatã, Papa-terra)
Anostomidae
Leporinus piau; Fowler, 1941	NE	Fat	Rheumatism	1	BA	0.138	[35]
(Piau)
Leporinus steindachneri; Eigenmann 1907; (Piau)	NE	Fat	Cholesterol	1	CE	0.138	[27]
Schizodon knerii; (Steindachner, 1875); (Piau branco)	NE	Fat	Edema, leukoma	2	AL	0.277	[20]
Characidae
Brycon nattereri; Günther, 1864	NE	Meat	Flu	1	BA	0.138	[36]
(Matrinchã)
Piaractus brachypomus; (Cuvier, 1818)	NE	Fat	Scarring	1	TO	0.138	[37]
(Pirapatinga/Caranha)
Serrasalmus brandtii; Lütken, 1875	NE	Tail, gall, fat	Impotency, jaundice, edema,; inflammations	3	BA, AL	0.454	[20, 22, 35]
(White piranha/Piranha)
Mylossoma duriventre; (Cuvier, 1818) (Pacu manteiga)	NE	Fat	STDs	1	TO	0.138	[31]
Incertae sedis in Characidae
Astyanax cf. bimaculatus; (Linnaeus, 1758)	NE	Entire	Alcoholism	1	BA	0.138	[2]
(Two-spot astyanax/Piaba)
Chalceus macrolepidotus; Cuvier, 1818	NE	Entire, eye	Asthma	1	AM	0.138	[11]
(Pink tailed chalceus/Araripirá)
Paracheirodon axelrodi; (Schultz, 1956)	NE	Entire	Asthma	1	AM	0.138	[11]
(Cardinal tetra/Cardinal)
Salminus hilarii; Valenciennes, 1850	NE	Head	Memory	1	TO	0.138	[37]
(Dourado)
Cynodontidae
Hydrolycus scomberoides; (Cuvier, 1819); (Payara/Cachorra)	NE	Fat	Ear pain	1	TO	0.138	[31]
Erythrinidae
Erythrinus erythrinus; (Bloch and Schneider, 1801)	NE	Entire	Asthma	1	AL	0.138	[20]
(Matroê)
Hoplias lacerdae; Miranda Ribeiro, 1908; (Trahira/Traírão)	NE	Fat	Rheumatism, “vilide”	2	BA	0.277	[35]
Hoplias malabaricus; (Bloch 1794); (Trahira/Traíra)	NE	Fat, epidermal secretion, “bucho”, entire, head, scale, meat	Alcoholism, ear pain, inflammations, cholesterol, sore throat, umbilical cord inflammation, contusions, inflamed ear, hearing problems, ocular inflammation, urinary infection, deafness, asthma, muscle strain, erysipelas, wounds, hemorrhages, snakebite, conjunctivitis, edema, rheumatism, leukoma, stroke, asthma, diarrhea, vision problems	10	AC, BA, RN,; PA, PB, MA, PE,; AL, TO	2.000	[1, 2, 8, 9, 11, 16, 20, 22, 24, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33, 36, 38]
Siluriformes
Cetopsidae
Cetopsis candiru; Spix and Agassiz, 1829	NE	Meat	Whooping cough	1	TO	0.138	[37]
(Candiru)
Aspredinidae
Aspredinichthys tibicen; (Valenciennes, 1840)	NE	Barbels	Asthma	1	MA	0.138	[7, 9]
(Tenbarbed banjo/viola)
Aspredo aspredo; (Linnaeus, 1758)	NE	Barbels	Asthma	1	MA	0.138	[7, 9]
(Banjo/viola)
Callichthyidae
Callichthys callichthys; (Linnaeus, 1758)	NE	Entire	Asthma, umbilical hernia, bronchitis, helping a child to walk earlier	3	BA, AL	0.454	[2, 20, 39]
(Cascudo/Caboje)
Pimelodidae
Brachyplatystoma filamentosum; (Lichtenstein, 1819); (Kumakuma/Filhote)	NE	Fin	Cough, alcoholism	2	TO	0.277	[37]
Phractocephalus hemioliopterus; (Bloch and Schneider, 1801); (Redtail catfish/Pirarara)	NE	Fat	Burns on the skin, rheumatism, cough, wounds, bronchitis, whooping cough, hoarseness, pneumonia, asthma, cold, umbilical hernia	3	AM, TO, Brazil	0.723	[11, 31, 34, 37]
Pseudoplatystoma corruscans; (Spix and Agassiz, 1829)	NE	Fat	Burns on the skin	1	BA	0.138	[36]
(Spotted sorubim/Surubim)
Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum; (Linnaeus, 1766); (Barred sorubim/pintado)	NE	Fat, gall	Scarring, whooping cough, body pain, muscular pains, bone pain, bronchitis, stroke	5	TO	0.769	[37]
Sorubimichthys planiceps; (Spix and Agassiz, 1829)	NE	Meat	Tuberculosis, leishmaniasis	2	TO	0.277	[31]
(Firewood catfish/Surubim-chicote)
Zungaro zungaro; (Humboldt, 1821); (Gilded catfish/Jaú)	NE	Fat, skin, meat	Bronchitis, asthma, burns on the skin, rheumatism, cold, ear pain, tooth pain, chilblains	6	TO	0.908	[31, 37]
Doradidae
Lithodoras dorsalis; (Valenciennes, 1840)	NE	Fat	Swelling	1	PA	0.138	[9]
(Rock-bacu/bacu)
Oxydoras niger; (Valenciennes, 1821); (Ripsaw catfish/Abotoado)	NE	Fat	Asthma, bronchitis, grippe, scarring, dry skin	3	TO	0.492	[37]
Auchenipteridae
Trachelyopterus galeatus; (Linnaeus, 1766); (Driftwood catfishes/Cumbá)	NE	Entire, spur	Impotence, umbilical hernia, asthma	3	BA, AL	0.415	[20, 35, 40, 41]
Megalodoras uranoscopus; (Eigenmann and Eigenmann, 1888); (cuiú-cuiú)	NE	Fat	Rheumatism	1	TO	0.138	[31]
Pterodoras granulosus; (Valenciennes, 1821); (Granulated catfish/cuiú-cuiú)	NE	Fat	Rheumatism	1	TO	0.138	[31]
Gymnotiformes
Gymnotidae
Electrophorus electricus; (Linnaeus 1756); (Electric eel/Peixe Elétrico, Poraquê)	LC	Entire, fat, spin, and bone	Acne, alcoholism, asthma, itching, contusions, headache, back pain, muscular pains, wounds, swelling, spots on the skin, osteoporosis, snake bite, insect bite, pneumonia, cold, rheumatism, deafness, muscle strain, thrombosis, tuberculosis	8	RN, PE, DF,; AC, PA, MA, PI,; PB, TO, BA	1.608	[1, 7–9, 12, 17, 27, 28, 31, 37]
Synbranchiformes
Synbranchidae
Synbranchus marmoratus; Bloch, 1795; (Marbled swamp eel/muçum)	NE	Entire	Making the child walk sooner, bronchitis, asthma, bronchitis, umbilical hernia	3	BA	0.454	[2, 39]
Perciformes
Sciaenidae
Pachyurus francisci; (Cuvier, 1830); (San Francisco croaker/Cruvina, curvina-de-bico)	NE	Otoliths	Asthma, back pain, diuretic effect, renal insufficiency	3	BA	0.454	[36]
Plagioscion squamosissimus; (Heckel, 1840)	NE	Otoliths	Kidney stones, renal insufficiency, urinary infection, hemorrhages, snake bite	3	TO	0.492	[31, 37]
(South American silver croaker/Corvina)
Plagioscion surinamensis; (Bleeker, 1873)	NE	Otoliths	Urinary infection, hemorrhages, snakebite	3	TO	0.41538	[31]
(Pacora/Corvina)