Abstract
Background: South Africa is recognised as one of the most biodiverse countries in terms of fauna and flora in the sub-Saharan region. More than 40% of farmers in remote rural areas of the Eastern Cape Province use medicinal plants for the treatment of different livestock ailments. Aim: The aim of the study was to identify and document plant species used for the treatment of tick-borne diseases in the Amathole and O.R. Tambo district municipalities of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Methods: Semi-structured questionnaire was employed to obtain detailed information of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants used including parts, mode of preparation and mode of administration from 48 respondents between November 2013 and February 2014. The collected plant species were identified scientifically at the Stutterheim Dohne Herbarium, where voucher numbers were obtained and herbarium specimens were deposited. Data collected were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis. Results: A total of nine medicinal plant species belonging to eight families and represented by nine genera were identified. The most dominant inhabitants were trees (55.6%), followed by herbs (33.3%) and shrubs (11.1%). The most frequently used plant families for tick-borne diseases were Xanthorrhoeaceae, Ebenaceae, Proteaceae, Malvaceae, Asteraceae, Vitaceae, Loganiaceae and Iridaceae, and from these plant families, leaves (44.4%) were the most commonly used plant parts. Conclusion: The data display that people in rural areas have preserved some knowledge of ethnoveterinary practices for the treatment of tick-borne diseases. However, further studies on plants used for the treatment of tick-borne diseases can be advanced towards validation and standardisation by evaluating parameters such as efficacy, safety and toxicity, quality (phytochemicals) and dosage standards.
Highlights
South Africa holds huge and diverse livestock species, estimated at about 12 608 million heads of cattle, 22 213 million sheep and 5276 million goats of which more than 40% is owned by smallholder farmers (Department of Forestry and Fisheries 2019)
Cattle production like other livestock species is a fundamental resource to the well-being of people who live in the rural areas of South Africa (Bettencourt et al 2015; Nyahangare et al 2015) and are reared for the provision of milk, meat, fibre, manure and draught power (Chimonyo et al 1999; Hadi et al 2002; Moyo & Swanepoel 2010)
Local name, parts used, mode of preparation and administration, habit and therapeutic indication were presented as well. These revealed that informants have knowledge of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants for the healthcare of livestock
Summary
South Africa holds huge and diverse livestock species, estimated at about 12 608 million heads of cattle, 22 213 million sheep and 5276 million goats of which more than 40% is owned by smallholder farmers (Department of Forestry and Fisheries 2019). One of the major concerns affecting livestock in the tropics and subtropics are ixodid ticks such as Rhipicephalus species, which transmit pathogens that cause tick-borne diseases such as heartwater. Global losses to livestock because of tick and tick-borne diseases are estimated at $ 22–355 billion per annum (Lew-Tabor & Rodriguez Valle 2016), especially Rhipicephalus species (Nana 2010). More than 40% of farmers in remote rural areas of the Eastern Cape Province use medicinal plants for the treatment of different livestock ailments
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