Cupul-Magaña FG

Language: Spanish
References: 11
Page: 45-48
PDF size: 27.77 Kb.

ABSTRACT

The first crocodiles appeared on the biological scene 230 million years ago. At the moment, 23 species exist distributed throughout the tropical zones of the world and three of them live in Mexico: the Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii), in the Gulf of Mexico, the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) inhabits the coastal zone between Sinaloa and Chiapas the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas the common caiman (Caiman crocodilus chiapasius). They are reptiles of great dimensions that can grow up to six meters in length. They are characterized by their impressive jaws upholstered with sharpened teeth adapted for a carnivorous diet, they are born from eggs, they have a powerful tail that impells them in the water, their legs are short and strong, their skin is scaly and smooth to the touch, their sense of smell is well developed. From old times, these reptiles captivated cultures like the Mayan, the Mexica and the Egyptian, so much so they formed an important part of their pantheons and fundamental elements of their magic, religion, health and disease processes. In this work, some examples of the cocodrile therapeutic powers are mentioned. Also, the antibiotic power of antimicrobial peptides (crocodillins) discoverd in the blood of crocodiles has been described.

REFERENCES

1. Piñón-López MJ. La medicina nahua. Información Científica y Tecnológica 1992; 186:9-11.

2. Trueba-Lara JL. Las hierbas de sathán. Información Científica y Tecnológica 1992; 189:57-63.

3. González-Torres, Y. Lo animal en la cosmovisión mexica o mesoamericana. En: González-Torres Y, editor. Animales y plantas en la cosmovisión mesoamericana. México: Plaza y Valdés Editores; 2001. p. 107-122.

4. Arellano-Hernández, A. Llegó el caimán: los dragones en el mundo maya. En: González-Torres Y, editor. Animales y plantas en la cosmovisión mesoamericana. México: Plaza y Valdés Editores; 2001. p. 193-220.

5. Miller M, Taube K. An illustrated dictionary of the gods and symbols of ancient Mexico and the Maya. New York: Thames and Hudson Ltd; 1993. p. 216.

6. Aguilera C. Flora y fauna mexicana. España: Editorial Everest; 1985.

7. Martín del Campo y Sánchez R. Los batracios y reptiles según los códices y relatos de los antiguos mexicanos. Anales del Instituto de Biología 1937; Tomo VII, 4:489-512.

8. Martín del Campo y Sánchez R. La anatomía entre los mexica. Rev Soc Mex Hist Natural 1956; Vol. XVII.

9. Anónimo. Proyecto para la Conservación, Manejo y Aprovechamiento Sustentable de los Crocodylia en México (COMACROM). México: Instituto Nacional de Ecología SEMARNAP; 1997-2000. p.107.

10. Alderton D. Crocodiles and alligators of the world. London: Blandford; 1999. p. 190.

11. Masterman S. Antibiotic dundee. 2000 May 26 [cited 2002 Jan 10]. Avaliable from: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/Daily News/crocodiles000526.html