ABSTRACT
Plants constitute a major part of traditional veterinary practices throughout the world. Farmers and traditional healers have acquired the empirical knowledge of medicinal and toxic plants and the medicinal prescriptions based on these plant products passed down to them from generation to generation. Natural (plant) products can
6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 125 6.2 Inventory of Plants Used in Animal Health and Production ........................ 126 6.3 Validation of the Traditional Use of Plants .................................................. 148 6.4 Parts of Plants Used ...................................................................................... 151
6.4.1 Modes of Preparation and Administration ....................................... 152 6.5 Discussion ..................................................................................................... 152 6.6 Conclusions ................................................................................................... 154 References .............................................................................................................. 154
also be important sources for new pharmaceuticals for both animals and humans.23 There is signicant evidence that plants are an important source of medicines for indigenous people.24 Even so-called weeds have a signicant representation in the ora from which drugs are derived. Therefore, undervaluing and even destruction of weeds could have an impact on availability of certain medicinal plants. Also, the realization that medicinal plants are readily available in a “living pharmacy” right outside the door and along trailsides rather than deep in the forest could lead governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to encourage and promote traditional medical practices rather than discourage them.25 Based on a World Health Organization survey26 and more recent review articles based on literature searches for drugs of natural plant product origin,27,28 there are more than 121 pharmaceutical compounds used as medicine worldwide that are derived from plants.
