Ethnoveterinary survey of tradomedical importance of &lt;i&gt;Bos taurus&lt;/i&gt; L urine, bile and dung in Nigeria and South Africa

Mariam O Oyedeji-Amusa,Anofi O Ashafa,Oladele T Ojuromi

doi:10.4314/tjpr.v15i8.30

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the ethnoveterinary uses of cow by-products from Nigeria and South Africa.Methods: A field survey was conducted from January to September, 2015 by conducting interviews with 110 respondents who provided information in respect of the use of cow urine, bile and dung in their folk medicine in Nigeria and South Africa.Results: Most respondents opined that urine therapy is effective in treating convulsion (50 %), viral infections (29.2 %), and rheumatic arthritis (14.6 %) in Nigeria. In South Africa respondents are of the view that urine is highly effective (28.6 %) in treating diarrhoea while 14.3 % stated that urine can treat fever, sore throat, skin infections. Bile is commonly used in treating general body pain and high blood pressure in Nigeria and used for skin burns in South Africa. Cow dung is specifically used in both countries as pesticides, fertilizers, anti-toxins and treating skin infections. This study documents the ethnoveterinary uses of B. taurus by products by traditional practitioners in Nigeria and South Africa.Conclusion: There is need for further studies to validate the therapeutic potential of these products with regards to each of the ailments listed and isolation of the bioactive compounds in African species of B. taurus by-products.Keywords: Ethnoveterinary, Urine, Bile, Dung, Bos taurus, Tradomedical, Folk medicine, Field survey

Highlights

In most part of the world, cow, Bos taurus is a valuable animal regarded for its nutritional value and importance in folk medicine
It was only in Nigeria that four of the respondents agreed that mixture of cow urine and bile are prepared as concoction to treat various ailments
It was only in Nigeria that four of the respondents agreed that mixture of cow urine and bile are prepared as concoction to treat various ailments as convulsion, cough and rheumatisms by adding tobacco leaves

Summary

Introduction

In most part of the world, cow, Bos taurus is a valuable animal regarded for its nutritional value and importance in folk medicine. It is known throughout human history that indigenous people have used various materials from nature to cure illnesses and to improve their health status [4]. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 80 % of the developing world’s rural population depend on traditional medicines for their primary health care needs [7,8]. Traditional medicine (TM) has a long history and it is described by WHO as the sum total of the knowledge, skill and based on theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental health [7]. There are strong indications that traditional health care systems are still in use by majority of the people in Africa but other developed countries [7,9,10]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion