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Abstract
Preparations derived from plants were the original therapeutic interventions used by man to control diseases (including parasites), both within humans and livestock. Development of herbal products depended upon local botanical flora with the result that different remedies tended to develop in different parts of the world. Nevertheless, in some instances, the same or related plants were used over wide geographic regions, which also was the result of communication and/or the importation of plant material of high repute. Thus, the Nordic countries have an ancient, rich and diverse history of plant derived anthelmintic medications for human and animal use. Although some of the more commonly used herbal de-wormers were derived from imported plants, or their products, many are from endemic plants or those that thrive in the Scandinavian environment. With the advent of the modern chemotherapeutic era, and the discovery, development and marketing of a seemingly unlimited variety of highly efficacious, safe synthetic chemicals with very wide spectra of activities, herbal remedies virtually disappeared from the consciousness – at least in the Western world. This attitude is now rapidly changing. There is a widespread resurgence in natural product medication, driven by major threats posed by multi-resistant pest, or disease, organisms and the diminishing public perceptions that synthetic chemicals are the panacea to health and disease control. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive account of the depth of historical Nordic information available on herbal de-wormers, with emphasis on livestock and to provide some insights on potentially rewarding areas of "re-discovery" and scientific evaluation in this field.
Highlights
The use of plants, or their extracts, for treatment of gastro-intestinal parasites in humans and livestock is steeped in antiquity
There has been a major commitment to the development of sustainable disease control systems, which by definition means the integration of a range of non - chemical methods with the minimal use of drugs, to insure continued effectiveness for the foreseeable future
The purpose of this review is to provide a historical perspective and to present our view of the potential and possibilities for the use of plants that are endemic, or thrive in the Nordic environment, as de-worming agents
Summary
The use of plants, or their extracts, for treatment of gastro-intestinal parasites in humans and livestock is steeped in antiquity It was Claudius Galënus (AD 130-200), a Greek physician of Pergamon, who received notoriety for applying medicines prepared from vegetable substances by infusion, or decoction. Research in the Nordic countries on anthelmintic properties, or protective effects, of local plants against helminth parasites of livestock is very recent and limited at this stage to studies on tanniferous forages (Kahiya et al 1999, Bernes et al 2000). Evidence to date is almost entirely anecdotal This applies to the reports of de-worming properties of herbal preparations that have either Nordic origins, or a long history of use in this region (for some historical background, see Grove 1990). These can be broadly classified into the following classes (see Table 1): Acta vet. scand. vol 42 no. 1, 2001
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