Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Livestock Ailments in Honduras

ABSTRACT

Livestock owners, veterinarians, and non-government extension agents were interviewed using participatory techniques to identify medicinal plants used to treat livestock ailments and to assist in prioritizing plants for further testing for medical applications. A total of 21 plants were identified as useful in treating ailments. Of these plants, 17 are known to be biologically active or to contain biologically active compounds. Most respondents considered the use of medicinal plants to be acceptable, but some respondents believed plant treatments were slower acting than synthetic drugs. Other reported drawbacks to medicinal plant treatments were the time required to make the plant medical preparations and the difficulty in treating large livestock.

KEYWORDS:

• Ethnoveterinary medicine
• medicinal plants
• traditional treatments