Botanical ethnoveterinary therapies used by agro-pastoralists of Fafan zone, Eastern Ethiopia

BMC Vet Res. 2017 Aug 9;13(1):232. doi: 10.1186/s12917-017-1149-6. Feyera T1, Mekonnen E2, Wakayo BU1, Assefa S3. Author information 1 Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jigjiga University, Jigjiga, Ethiopia. 2 Department of Basic Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jigjiga University, Jigjiga, Ethiopia. 3 Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Solomon.assefa@aau.edu.et. Abstract BACKGROUND: In Ethiopia, plant based remedies are still the most important and sometimes the only source of therapeutics in the management of livestock diseases. However, documentation of this indigenous knowledge of therapeutic system still remains at a minimum level. The aim of this study was, thus, to document the traditional knowledge of botanical ethnoveterinary therapies in the agro-pastoral communities of Fafan Zone, Eastern Ethiopia. METHODS: The study employed a cross-sectional participatory survey. Purposive sampling technique was applied to select key respondents with desired knowledge in traditional animal health care system. Data were gathered from a total of 24 (22 males and 2 females) ethnoveterinary practitioners and herbalists using an in-depth-interview complemented with group discussion and field observation. RESULTS: The current ethnobotanical survey indicated that botanical ethnoveterinary therapies are the mainstay of livestock health care system in the studied communities. A total of 49 medicinal plants belonging to 21 families, which are used by traditional healers and livestock raisers for the treatment of 29 types of livestock ailments/health problems, were identified in the study area. The major plant parts used were leaves (43%) followed by roots (35%). In most cases, traditional plant remedies were prepared by pounding the remedial plant part and mixing it with water at room temperature. CONCLUSION: The various types of identified medicinal plants and their application in ethnoveternary practice of Fafan zone agro pastoralists indicate the depth of indigenous knowledge in ethnobotanical therapy. The identified medicinal plants could be potentially useful for future phytochemical and pharmacological studies. KEYWORDS: Agro-pastoralist; Ethnoveterinary; Fafan zone; Livestock diseases; Medicinal plants PMID: 28793900 PMCID: PMC5550981 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-017-1149-6 Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Google+ Images from this publication.See all images (4)Free text Fig. 1Fig. 2Fig. 3Fig. 4 LinkOut - more resources