Medicinal plants used in managing animal diseases among the para-veterinary community in Teso sub-region.

Abstract

The medicinal plants are Important in livestock. production because they are used for treating livestock diseases and they provide cheap sources of medicine since imported drugs are expensive, they represent an important health and economic component of biodiversity A survey was conducted in Teso region, eastern Uganda identifying: medicinal plants. used in management of livestock diseases by the para- veterinary community: The aim of this research was to botanically identify the medicinal plants and the diseases. They treat and also to find out their preparation and. application methods. There were seventy (70) plants that were botanically identified and these plants were distributed to 43 plant families, the plants were identified in their Ateso names and. scientific names. The most frequently used plant species reported were belonging to. the major families of Meliaceae (28.8%), Euphorbiceae (19.7%), Solanaceae (13.6%), Caricaceae (16.7%)7 Mimosaoeae. (13.6%) and Liliaceae (7.6%) Roots (42.7%). followed by the leaves (34.2%) were the. most plant parts used in the Study. area, The, most common diseases identified were tick borne diseases (40%) most especially East Cost Fever and helminthosis (26%).The most used medicinal plant preparation method was cold water extract (43 %) and the preparation involved addition of some non-plant ingredients. and also mixture of one or more plants. to make a single preparation. The most used method of medicinal plant 'application was oral route (60%) followed-by topical route (38.%). The methods that were used for collecting data were structured questionnaires, focused group discussions and participatory workshop. Fifty-three questionnaires were administered to the para-vets and a work shop or para-vets on phytotherapy was held in Soroti district. The survey indicated that abundant indigenous knowledge on traditional medicine still exists and the use of medicinal plant is. still very important to the people of Teso land. Therefore, identified medicinal plants and knowing their way of preparation and application offer major opportunities for commercialization and income generation for the Para-vets, livestock farmers and people in the forestry sector. This calls for validation of the medicinal plants to confirm their efficacy, cultivation and establishment of the botanical gardens.