Tokay Geckos used in "traditional" medicine

[Catherine]

For some reason the  south east Asian lizard, the Tokay Gecko, has deemed to be of medicinal value.  They are considered a cure for cancer, asthma, diabetes and erectile dysfunction. They are being poached in large numbers and there numbers have declined by 50%. 
They are an ordinary lizard and their bodies have no medicinal value. They would have very little nutritional value.
They also play a part in their own ecosystems. They are food for larger animals and they eat a lot of insects.  Reducing their numbers will increase the number of insects which can be  destructive and dangerous  for the areas where they live.


https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...2003746987

How is is possible that Tokays are considered medicinal?  How is it possible that they are considered to treat such a wide range of illnesses? It is not possible that one treatment could effect so many things. When that one treatment is a dead lizard it is not just not possible, it is rediculous.  We need to stop these weird exploitations of animals.  They fool people into thinking they are doing their heaalth some good. If they want to help themselves they need to eat sensibly, exercize more and lose weight. Things like cancer that can't be cured by a healthy lifestyle also cannot be cured by a dead lizard. I love lizards and think they are amazing, but I know they are not able to cure anything. They need specialized care to keep themselves healthy. How can they help us.

This whole traditional medicine thing needs really needs to be looked at scientifically. I am sure there are herbs and plant extracts that can help us. Nature has provided. It is our weird ideas that have added dead lizards to the list of medicines. If we removed all the rediculous treatments there could be some value to older forms of medicine. Think about it. A cup of herbal tea can be soothing and relaxing. Concoctions of dead lizards and tiger whiskers and other strange things do nothing at all.