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Journal of ethnopharmacology2010; 130(2); 369-378; doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2010.05.023

Ethnoveterinary knowledge in Navarra (Iberian Peninsula).

Abstract: To collect, analyze and evaluate the ethnoveterinary knowledge about medicinal plants in a northern Iberian region (Navarra, 10,421 km(2), 620,377 inhabitants). Methods: Field work was conducted between 2003 and 2007, using semi-structured questionnaire and participant observation as well as transects walks in wild herbal plant collection areas. We performed semi-structured interviews with 667 informants (mean age 72; 55.47% women, 44.53% men) in 265 locations, identified the plant reported and analyzed the results, comparing them with those from other territories. Results: Out of 287 species reported to be used in the health field (human and veterinary medicine), 36 are linked to veterinary medicine. 69.4% of these species are new or rarely reported in veterinarian uses. The most frequently used plants were Malva sylvestris, Juglans regia and Verbena officinalis. All different plant parts were used; aerial part was exploited more frequently than other plant parts. Most remedies listed used a single ingredient, typically soaked in water. The route of administration was primarily oral followed by topical applications. These remedies are mostly for cows, calves, sheep, pigs and horses, but cover almost all domestic animal species. The main ailments treated are digestive troubles, wounds and dermatological problems, and respiratory affections. Conclusions: The folk knowledge about medicinal plant use is still alive in the studied region, and a number of scarcely reported plant uses has been detected, some of them with promising phytotherapeutical applications.
Publication Date: 2010-06-04 PubMed ID: 20573568DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2010.05.023Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

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This research article analyses and evaluates the use of medicinal plants in veterinary medicine in the Navarra region of the Iberian Peninsula, highlighting that traditional knowledge about medicinal plant use is still prevalent and identifies several plant uses that have promising therapeutic applications.

Methodology

  • The researchers carried out field work between 2003 and 2007, employing methods such as semi-structured questionnaires and participant observation, as well as transect walks in areas where wild herbal plants are collected.
  • They carried out semi-structured interviews with 667 informants, with an average age of 72. Of these informants, around 55.47% were women and 44.53% were men, from 265 different locations.

Results and Findings

  • They discovered that out of 287 species reported to be used in the health field for both human and animal medicine, 36 species are linked with veterinary medicine.
  • Interestingly, around 69.4% of these plant species are new or scarcely mentioned in terms of their veterinary use.
  • The most commonly used plants were Malva sylvestris, Juglans regia and Verbena officinalis.
  • The research showed that all parts of these plants were used, with the aerial part (the section of the plant above ground) being exploited more often than other parts of the plant.
  • The majority of remedies comprised of a single ingredient, typically soaked in water, and the administration was mostly oral, followed by topical applications.
  • The remedies are used mainly for livestock such as cows, calves, sheep, pigs and horses, but they are essentially used for almost all domestic animal species.
  • The main diseases treated with these plant-based remedies are digestive troubles, skin issues, respiratory afflictions and wounds.

Conclusions

  • The knowledge of how medicinal plants can be used in veterinary medicine is still very much prevalent in the Navarra region.
  • The research managed to identify a number of scarcely reported uses of plants, some of which have potentially promising applications in phytotherapy – the study of the use of extracts from natural origin as health-promoting agents.

Cite This Article

APA
Akerreta S, Calvo MI, Cavero RY. (2010). Ethnoveterinary knowledge in Navarra (Iberian Peninsula). J Ethnopharmacol, 130(2), 369-378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2010.05.023

Publication

ISSN: 1872-7573
NlmUniqueID: 7903310
Country: Ireland
Language: English
Volume: 130
Issue: 2
Pages: 369-378

Researcher Affiliations

Akerreta, S
  • Department of Plant Biology (Botany), Faculty of Sciences, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
Calvo, M I
    Cavero, R Y

      MeSH Terms

      • Adult
      • Aged
      • Aged, 80 and over
      • Animals
      • Ethnobotany
      • Female
      • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
      • Humans
      • Male
      • Medicine, Traditional
      • Middle Aged
      • Phytotherapy / veterinary
      • Plants, Medicinal
      • Spain
      • Surveys and Questionnaires
      • Veterinary Medicine
      • Young Adult

      Citations

      This article has been cited 21 times.
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