Bovine mastitis: An appraisal of its alternative herbal cure

Microb Pathog. 2017 Dec 9;114:357-361. doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2017.12.024. [Epub ahead of print] Mushtaq S1, Shah AM2, Shah A2, Lone SA2, Hussain A2, Hassan QP3, Ali MN4. Author information 1 Biotechnology Division, CSIR - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanatnagar, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir 190005, India; Centre of Research for Development (CORD), University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir 190006, India. 2 Biotechnology Division, CSIR - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanatnagar, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir 190005, India. 3 Biotechnology Division, CSIR - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanatnagar, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir 190005, India. Electronic address: qphassan@iiim.ac.in. 4 Centre of Research for Development (CORD), University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir 190006, India. Abstract Bovine mastitis is globally recognized as the most common and costly disease affecting dairy herds. The disease causes huge financial losses to dairy industries by reduced yield and milk quality, deaths and culling of affected cows and also by associated treatment costs. The disease occurs due to invasion of the mammary glands by pathogenic bacteria followed by their multiplication in the milk producing tissues. The most common treatment method available against bovine mastitis is the intra-mammary infusion of antibiotics. However, their use is associated with the problem of antimicrobial resistance. This scenario has made search for alternative treatment approaches necessary. Medicinal plants with their well-established history are an excellent natural product resource used as an alternative therapy. Antibacterial agents from plants can act as important sources of novel antibiotics, efflux pump inhibitors, compounds that target bacterial virulence or can be used in combination with existing drugs. The plants form an essential component of ethno-veterinary medicine used in the treatment of different diseases like bovine mastitis. This review article attempts to provide an overview of the different medicinal plants used in the treatment of bovine mastitis. Antimicrobial studies of these plant species and some of their isolated constituents have been reviewed in detail. It highlights the logic and precedence behind mining this important natural product resource. Our own research findings in this direction and future scope of research are also discussed briefly. KEYWORDS: Antibacterial; Antibiotic resistance; Bovine mastitis; Dairy; Medicinal plants PMID: 29233776 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2017.12.024