Ethnoveterinary survey of plants used for the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep at three agro-ecological zones in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

Author(s):  
Siza Mthi ◽  
Jean Rust ◽  
Sive Tokozwayo ◽  
Nkululeko Nyangiwe ◽  
Thobela L. Tyasi ◽  
...  

Background: With exception of the desert biome, all of South Africa’s biomes occur in the Eastern Cape. The province is known to have high numbers of livestock that are mostly found in communal farming areas. Multi-drug resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes against major classes of conventional anthelmintics and the high cost of synthetic drugs calls for an urgent search for different control strategies of nematodes.Aim: A survey was conducted to identify and document plant species used to control gastrointestinal nematodes of livestock in Ciko, Goso and Upper Ngqumeya communities in the Eastern Cape Province.Setting: The study included filed observations and transect walks, as well as a standardized questionnaire given to 48 sheep farmers.Methodology: Forty-eight livestock farmers including men and women of mixed ages were interviewed. The information was obtained through the use of a structured questionnaire, field observations and transect walks. Data generated were analysed using descriptive statistics with frequency of citation (FC) and relative frequency of citation (RFC) as quantitative.Results: A total of 11 plant species from different genera were reportedly available and used to control gastrointestinal nematodes. Aloe ferox (0.67) and Zanthoxylum capense (0.44) had the highest values of RFC followed by Strychnos henningsii (0.23) and Elaphantorhhiza elephantine (0.21) and were widely known by the people of the study areas. The three most frequently used plant parts were leaves, roots and bark accounting for about 36.4%, 27.3% and 27.3%, respectively. The ethnoveterinary medicines were prepared in the form of decoctions and infusions. Oral administration of the concoctions was the only route of administration. The major constraints of sheep production as perceived by the farmers were prevalence of internal (36%) and external parasites (18.1%). All medicinal plants used were native and collected from the wild. The most dominant life forms were trees (45.4%), followed by herbs (36.4%) and shrubs (18.2%). Homestead expansion was ranked as the major threat (26%) to medicinal plants followed by firewood (21%). In-situ (protection through rangers) was the most frequently mentioned (67%) conservation practice used by farmers to protect the loss of medicinal plants followed by ex-situ (33%).Conclusion: In the light of data gathered on the surveyed plants, it appeared the plants play a role in the healthcare of sheep in rural communities. Further studies are required to analyse the plants for their chemical composition and biological properties.

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-110
Author(s):  
R. Verma

A study was conducted to understand the floristic diversity along an altitudinal gradient with elevations varying from 1800-2400m above msl in Lakadmandi beat of Kalatop Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary in district Chamba, Himachal Pradesh during 2011. Total number of plant species was 81 belonging to 52 families and 76 genera. The dominant families were Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Pinaceae and Polygonaceae. The number of trees species was 6, 6 and 10 with the dominance of Quercus leucotrichophora, Cedrus deodara and Cedrus deodara at 1800-2000m, 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. The number of shrub species was 16, 13 and 23 with the dominance of Quercus leucotrichophora sapling, Sarcococca saligna and Sarcococca saligna at 1800-2000m, 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevations respectively. The number of herb species was 46, 46 and 58 at 1800-2000m, 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. On the basis of Importance Value Index (IVI), Valeriana jatamansii was the dominant herb at 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. The distribution pattern of most of plant species was contiguous at all altitudinal ranges. Index of diversity for herb species in these elevational ranges was 3.420, 3.568 and 3.250. Out of 40 medicinal plant species recorded from the area, 3 species i.e. Paris polyphylla, Podophyllum hexandrum and Taxus wallichiana fall in the category of threatened plants. The better conservation of natural resources can be done through promotion of community based conservation, ex-situ conservation through tissue culture, developing cultivation technologies and nurseries of medicinal plants and conducting of regular training on the procedure of medicinal plants collection and processing among the end users.


2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-74
Author(s):  
R. Verma ◽  
K. Kapoor

A study was conducted to understand the plant diversity along an altitudinal gradient with elevations varying from 2750 to 5000m above msl in Lippa – Asrang valley falling in cold desert area of Pooh sub division of district Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh during 2007. The number of tree species at 2750-3200m and 3200-3650m elevations were 10 and 8 with the dominance of Cedrus deodara and Pinus wallichian respectively. The number of shrub species were 19, 17, 7 and 3 in the elevations of 2750-3200m, 3200-3650m, 3650-4100m and 4100-4550m respectively. Juniperus communis taking shape of the dominant shrub at 2750-3200 m, 3200-3650 m and 3650-4100m elevations. Rhododendron anthopogon was the dominant shrub at 4100-4550m elevation range. The number of herb species were 76, 73, 46, 39 and 33 at 2750-3200m, 3200-3650m, 3650-4100m, 4100-4550m and 4550-5000m elevational ranges respectively. On the basis of importance value index (IVI), Artemisia brevifolia, Heracleum candicans, Thymus linearis, Bergenia stracheyi and Bistorta affinis were the dominant herbs dotting different elevational ranges and distribution pattern of plant species was mostly contiguous in all the altitudes. Index of diversity for herb species in different elevational ranges was 3.89, 3.82, 3.47, 3.21 and 2.95. Out of 78 medicinal plant species as recorded from the area, 20 species fall in the category of threatened plants. The better conservation of natural resources can be well achieved through promotion of community based conservation stressing in-situ conservation through the establishment of nature reserves and ex-situ conservation through tissue culture, developing cultivation technologies and nurseries of medicinal plants and conducting regular trainings on the procedure of medicinal plants collection, processing amongst the end users/ the local people, traders and real stake holders.


2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 181-201
Author(s):  
Pankaj Sharma ◽  
Sher Samant ◽  
Lalit Tewari

In the Indian Himalayan Region, the use of medicinal plants is still a tradition continued by local people or ethnic communities and Traditional Medicine Systems play an important role in daily health care of poor people. The use of plants as medicine is slowly increasing in the developed world because they have minor or no side effects. The present study was conducted in Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary of Himachal Pradesh as the total dependency of the stakeholders on nearby forests for medicinal resources. In the present study, we reported 371 plant species that are used by the people in and around Nargu WLS as medicine. Distribution of maximum species (297 spp.) occurred between 1801-2800 m zone and only 40 species were present above 3800m. Of the total medicinal species recorded, 163 spp. were native to the Himalayan region and 24 spp. native to the Himalaya and other biogeographically regions. Rests (184 spp.) were non-native. The most frequently cured disease category (108 spp.) was gastrointestinal disease. Stakeholders of the Sanctuary and surrounding villages have rich indigenous knowledge of the use of medicinal plants to maintain their primary health. Traditional herbal remedies are important and effective because many traditional uses are scientifically proven through phytochemical and pharmacological studies. However, a large number of plant species remain untested for bio-efficacy and toxicity. Such tests may reveal novel remedies that have bioprospecting potential. Moreover, the study emphasizes the need for the conservation of such precious medicinal resource of the area by managing and conserving the natural habitats, checking unscientific exploitation and by applying in-situ and various ex-situ conservation methods.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mersha Eshete Ashagre ◽  
Ermias Lulekal Molla

Abstract Background: Ethnobotanical studies are useful in documenting, analyzing, and communicating knowledge and interaction between plant diversity and human societies. Indigenous knowledge has developed as a result of human interaction with their environment. Overstocking and farmland expansion has become the main causes of natural resource degradation. Studies on the ethnobotany of the woodland and dry Afromontane vegetation in Suro Barguda District are lacking. So, it was important to study the diversity of medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge to determine the level of their usage, depletion, or conservation.Methods: Ethnobotanical data of traditional medicinal plants were collected by interviewing 196 informants (145 males and 51 females). Guided field walks and discussions (both group and individual discussion) were used in collecting the data. Quantitative approaches were used to determine the informant consensus factor, fidelity level, and use-value. Ethnomedicinal knowledge apprehended by different informant categories was compared using t-tests with R- software.Results: A total of 98 medicinal plant species belonging to 87 genera and 48 families were reported to be used for treating human ailments. Family Fabaceae was represented by the highest number of species followed by Lamiaceae. Four of the medicinal plants were endemic to Ethiopia. Shrubs were more dominant than trees and herbs. Most of the remedy preparations were from freshly collected plant parts; the major way of herbal medicine preparation was through chopping or pounding the plant parts and homogenizing them with cold and clean water; the oral application was the most common route of administration.Conclusion: The study area was rich in having medicinal plants and corresponding indigenous knowledge diversity. Most of the medicinal plants were found to play a multipurpose role across different use categories and consequently, some are under serious pressure challenging their survival. Hence, recorded high use value indices of multipurpose plant species in the study area can be used as signals of high use pressure and can be used as keys to design and implement well-coordinated complementary in situ and ex situ conservation activity to save these widely used plant species.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boja Tilinti Bose ◽  
Yoseph Melka ◽  
Tesfaye Awas

Abstract Background: The world population use medicinal plants for treating diseases in forms of drug developments also traditional medicinal specially developing countries. The economic growth and cultural changes threaten the traditional lifestyle of local people. The aim of the study is to investigate medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge. Methods: Ethnobotanical data were obtained using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion and market survey. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, informant consensus factor, preference ranking and Direct matrix ranking using Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Science Version 20. Results: Ethnomedicinal use of 136 medicinal plant species belonging to 117 genera and 63 families wereidentified and documented. The highest number of medicinal plants was used in midland kebele(74 species). Out of total medicinal plants 66 (48.53%) species were reported to treat human aliments only. Most of the medicinal plants harvested were herbs (37.50%), followed by trees (36.76%) and the least was lianas (0.74%). A Pearson correlation test indicated a positive and significant difference between age of informants and number of medicinal plant species cited, and negative and significant difference between level of education and number of medicinal plant species cited. The result indicates that there was significant difference between male and female informants in their knowledge of medicinal plants, and there was significant different between number of medicinal plants reported by key informants and household respondents. Cordia africana ranked first as a multipurpose medicinal plant. Agricultural expansion (41.96%) stood first as a factor threatening medicinal plants. Conclusion: The highest numbers of MPs were used in Sire Morose kebele (midland), but collection was not restricted only to their locality the move other kebeles to harvest MPs. In the study area elders have better knowledge of medicinal plant than younger and as people educate their knowledge on medicinal plants decrease.This implies that in study area there is potential indigenous knowledge but we are going loss this traditional knowledge if did not develop means transferring this to next generation. To support local people effort on in-situ conservation and ex-situ conservation needed


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-166
Author(s):  
Zingisa Thinyane ◽  
Alfred Maroyi

Plant species used as herbal medicines play an important in the provision of primary healthcare in several rural communities. The current study was aimed at documenting medicinal plants used by the inhabitants of Alfred Nzo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. Information on medicinal plants used for primary healthcare was collected through open-ended interviews with a sample of 124 participants selected via snowball-sampling technique between April 2017 and May 2018. A total of 34 plant species and one fungus species representing 20 families were used in the treatment of 13 different human diseases. The major diseases treated by the documented species included respiratory system, pain, sores and wounds, infections and infestations, digestive system, blood and cardiovascular system, fever and malaria, general ailments, reproductive system and sexual health and mental disorders. Popular herbal medicines with relative frequency citation (RFC) values exceeding 0.50 included Bulbine frutescens, Clivia miniata var. miniata, Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Centella asiatica, Hypoxis hemerocallidea, Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis, Leonotis leonurus, Agapanthus africanus and Datura stramonium. Such repository of medicinal plants and fungi reinforces the need for an evaluation of their biological activities as a basis for developing future medicines and pharmaceutical products.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joabe Gomes de Melo ◽  
Ariane Gaspar Santos ◽  
Elba Lúcia Cavalcanti de Amorim ◽  
Silene Carneiro do Nascimento ◽  
Ulysses Paulino de Albuquerque

In this study, we describe the medicinal plants that have been reported to be antitumor agents and that have been used in ethnobotanic research in Brazil to answer the following questions: what is the abundance of plants reported to be antitumor in Brazil? Have the plant species used for tumor treatment in traditional Brazilian medicine been sufficiently examined scientifically? Our analysis included papers published between 1980 and 2008. A total of 84 medicinal plant species were reported to be used for cancer and tumor prevention or treatment; 69.05% of these were cited as being used for the treatment of tumors and cancer in general and 30.95% for specific tumors or cancers. The plants that were cited at a higher frequency wereAloe vera,Euphorbia tirucalli, andTabebuia impetiginosa. At least, one pharmacological study was found for 35.71% of the species. Majority of the studies selected were conducted in rural communities and urban areas and in areas with traditional healers in Brazil. We found the following molecules to be the most studied in vitro and in vivo: silibinin, β-lapachone, plumbagin and capsaicin. The species addressed here constitute interesting objects for future studies to various professionals in the field of natural products.


Author(s):  
SONALIKA DAS ◽  
SULAGANA MOHATY ◽  
SHEETISWAPNA NAYAK ◽  
KALPITA BHATTA

Objective: The traditional use of plants in herbal medicine has paved the way for drug discovery. With a view of this, the present study was carried out in Gandhamardan hills which are a rich source of medicinal plants. However, there are copious reports about the plants used in maternal care. Therefore, an attempt has been made to record and document the plants of these hills utilized in maternal care. Methods: The ethnobotanical information on applications of different plant species to cure diseases and ailments of pregnancy, birth (parturition), and postpartum (puerperium) were documented through personal discussions, interviews with focused groups combined with field visits, voice recordings, and photo documentation. Results: The study showed that 24 vascular plant species belonging to 24 genera and 22 families have been used in maternal care. Most of the species were herbs (50%) followed by trees (32.5%), climbers, and herbs (20%). It was observed that among all the parts, generally leaves were widely used. Conclusion: This ethnobotanical study documented the use of plants among the local community. It also revealed that the medicinal plants of the hills are a cheap source of herbal drugs for the rural communities. The information gathered can be used for further scientific investigation to develop new plant-based commercial drugs as they will be safer than synthetic drugs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigussie Amsalu ◽  
Yilkal Bezie ◽  
Mulugeta Fentahun ◽  
Addisu Alemayehu ◽  
Gashaw Amsalu

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants (MPs) used by the local community has been carried out from January 5, 2014, to February 15, 2015, in Gozamin Wereda of East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia. The purpose of this study was to identify and document the use and conservation of MPs, along with indigenous knowledge of Gozamin community. Data were collected using semistructured interview, field observation, and focus group discussions. The collected data were assessed quantitatively using fidelity level, Jaccard’s Coefficient of Similarity, paired comparisons, direct matrix, and preference rankings. In total 93 MPs distributed under 51 families and 87 genera were identified and for each taxon a local name (Amharic) was documented. Asteraceae with 9 (9.68%) species and Solanaceae with 7 (7.53%) species were families represented by more species in the study area. Out of these MPs collected, 80 plant species were used for the treatment of human ailments, 24 species were used against livestock diseases, and 11 common plant species were listed in both cases. The most frequently used plant parts were the leaves followed by the roots. The major threats to MPs in the study area were agricultural expansion, overgrazing, fire wood collection, mining, and cutting down trees for construction and furniture. Therefore, there is a need for appropriate in situ and ex situ conservation measures.


2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
R. Verma ◽  
K. Kapoor

A study was conducted to assess the composition of vegetation along an altitudinal gradient with elevations varying from 1900-2300m above msl in Khajrot beat of Kalatop Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary in district Chamba, Himachal Pradesh during 2011. Total number of plant species was 105 belonging to 60 families and 95 genera. The dominant families were Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Polygonaceae, Lamiaceae and Pinaceae. The number of tree species at 1900-2100m and 2100-2300m elevation was 14 and 10 with the dominance of Picea smithiana at both the altitudes. The number of shrub species was 23 and 19 with the dominance of Sarcococca saligna at both the elevations. The number of herb species was 61 and 54 with the dominance of Valeriana jatamansii at 1900-2100m and 2100-2300m elevation ranges respectively. The distribution pattern of most of the plant species was contiguous in all the altitudinal ranges. Index of diversity for herb species in different elevation ranges was 3.301 and 3.334. Out of 50 medicinal plant species recorded from the area, 3 species i.e. Dioscorea deltoidea, Polygonatum verticillatum and Paris polyphylla fall in the category of threatened plants. The better conservation of natural resources can be done through promotion of community based conservation, ex-situ conservation through tissue culture, developing cultivation technologies and nurseries of medicinal plants and conducting of regular training on the procedure of medicinal plants collection and processing among the end users.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document