Mexico City, Aug. 29, 2025 – Animals can be both sources of life-saving medicines and medicinal beings themselves, but experts caution against the latter practice due to potential health risks. Dr. Alvaro Vargas González, an academic from the Department of Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine, explored these dual roles during a lecture titled “The Kingdom of Animals: Source of Medicines or Medicinal Beings?”
Dr. Vargas González defined drugs as external substances that alter bodily functions, forming the basis of modern medicine. He noted that animals have been recognized for their therapeutic properties since ancient times. A historical example is “teriaca,” an ancient Greek preparation that sometimes included dried viper meat alongside plant and mineral ingredients.
The use of animals as medicinal agents continues today in Mexico’s traditional medicine, with “healing broths” made from animals like turkey vultures, rattlesnakes, or armadillos available in both rural and urban settings. Dr. Vargas González posited that animals, as living organisms, naturally produce active substances that contribute to their aroma, color, and flavor, which could potentially be harnessed as medications. However, he raised questions about the true therapeutic efficacy of these practices.
Potential Health Risks and Unproven Efficacy
Dr. Vargas González issued a warning about the health risks associated with consuming animal parts, especially from wild organisms, due to potential pathogens. He also highlighted that the identity, mechanisms of action, and actual efficacy of active substances in many animal-derived products remain unknown, hindering the development of reliable therapeutic plans. This means such practices can pose a health risk compared to evidence-based medicine, though they hold cultural significance.
He pointed to the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) and the purported “Ajolote syrup” for respiratory ailments as an example where popular belief might become myth. He recounted instances of being told the syrup has “essence of axolotes,” noting commercial products claiming “ajolote” or “axolot concentrate” without clear specifications.
From Animal Venom to Modern Medications
However, Dr. Vargas González emphasized that this doesn’t negate the value of animals as a source for developing medicines. He cited Captopril, a medication for hypertension, which originated from studying the venom of the Amazonian “Jararaca” pit viper (BOTHROPS Jararaca). Exenatide, used for type 2 diabetes, also has similar origins.
He shared contemporary Mexican examples illustrating both approaches. The “aheque” (Ambystoma Dumerilii), a salamander considered medicinal, is used by Dominican nuns in Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, to create “aleabe syrup.” They cultivate the salamanders used for this purpose.
The axolotl, known for its remarkable tissue regeneration, resistance to cancer, and antiseptic skin properties, is also generating scientific interest for its potential as an antibacterial agent in professional medicine.
Dr. Vargas González concluded that using whole animals or their parts as medicinal beings is generally not feasible or useful. In contrast, he affirmed that utilizing animals as a source for developing medications, while sometimes appearing improbable, is a proven reality, especially as scientists explore AI for drug design.
