Treatment Of Livestock Diseases Research Articles

National long-term monitoring and risk assessment of various veterinary drug residues in livestock products in the Republic of Korea

Veterinary drugs are widely used to treat livestock diseases, but the emergence of problems related to drug resistance prompted the government of the Republic of Korea to enact laws regulating the use of veterinary drugs in livestock. Monitoring the contents of residual drugs in livestock products at regular intervals is necessary to assess whether the regulations have resulted in the effective management of food product safety and prevent and manage unexpected problems related to this issue. A 2019–2023 livestock product post-marketing monitoring program launched by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea inspected 1135 livestock products. Sixty-two different veterinary drugs were detected among 167 monitored, with a detection rate of 28.2% (320/1135 samples; chicken [125], pork [114], milk [35], beef [30], and egg [16]). Diclazuril was detected most frequently, followed by flumequine, clopidol, and enrofloxacin. Over the past five years, two samples that did not conform to the regulations were identified to contain 20 and 215 ng/g, diclazuril and toltrazuril sulfone, respectively. The estimation of exposure and risk assessment revealed that the hazard index of diclazuril was below 75%. However, in case of toltrazuril sulfone, it showed a hazard index exceeding 138% in the scenario of the 95th percentile high consumption of chicken. The results of this study may provide a useful reference in initiating more targeted work in the future, such as the further fine-tuning of food safety monitoring programs and developing food safety standards. In future studies, the MFDS shall continue to monitor the statuses of residual veterinary drugs in commercial livestock products.

Comprehensive assessment of goat adiposetissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells cultured in different media.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have demonstrated potential in treating livestock diseases that are unresponsive to conventional therapies. MSCs derived from goats, a valuable model for studying orthopaedic disorders in humans, offer insights into bone formation and regeneration. Adipose tissue-derived MSCs (ADSCs) are easily accessible and have a high capacity for expansion. Although the choice of culture media significantly influences the biological properties of MSCs, the optimal media for goat ADSCs (gADSCs) remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the effects of four commonly used culture media on gADSCs' culture characteristics, stem cell-specific immunophenotype, and differentiation. Results showed that MEM, DMEM/F12, and DMEM-LG were superior in maintaining cell morphology and culture parameters of gADSCs, such as cell adherence, metabolic activity, colony-forming potential, and population doubling. Conversely, DMEM-HG exhibited poor performance across all evaluated parameters. The gADSCs cultured in DMEM/F12 showed enhanced early proliferation and lower apoptosis. The cell surface marker distribution exhibited superior characteristics in gADSCs cultured in MEM and DMEM/F12. In contrast, the distribution was inferior in gADSCs cultured in DMEM-LG. DMEM/F12 and DMEM-LG culture media demonstrated a significantly higher potential for chondrogenic differentiation and DMEM-LG for osteogenic differentiation. In conclusion, DMEM/F12 is a suitable culture medium for propagating gADSCs as it effectively maintains cell morphology, growth parameters, proliferation and lower apoptosis while exhibiting desirable expression patterns of MSC-specific markers. These findings contribute to optimising culture conditions for gADSCs, enhancing their potential applications in disease treatment and regenerative medicine.

A pound for information or a penny for cure: Farmers' economic decisions on testing and treatment of livestock diseases

AbstractLivestock productivity and profitability are threatened by livestock diseases. In this study, we examine farmers' revealed preferences for testing and treating gastrointestinal parasites in sheep in Sweden, taking into account the sequential structure of these decisions. We control for preventive measures, as well as the potential impact of wildlife–livestock disease transmission on farmers' decisions. A zero‐inflated ordered probit model is used to estimate the determinants of farmers' decisions, and we cross‐validate the robustness of the results to alternative model assumptions. Results from the regressions are used to calculate the consequences of these choices for farmers' profits. The results show that treatment decisions are informed by faecal testing, while both testing and treatment are influenced by the grazing practices, the size of the operation and access to information. Contrary to expectations from the conceptual framework, preventive management practices are positively correlated with treatment. Farmers take multiple risk factors into account when deciding on testing, but we do not find that the same factors affect the outcome of treatment. The economic impacts are small and suggest that treatment without prior testing is more profitable for the farmer than informed treatment. If widespread treatment increases drug resistance, this could motivate policies that encourage testing.

Short Communication: Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used to treat livestock ailments in Dallo Manna District, Oromia State, Ethiopia

Abstract. Gobana AH, Telila H, Jilo SA. 2023. Short Communication: Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used to treat livestock ailments in Dallo Manna District, Oromia State, Ethiopia. Asian J Ethnobiol 6: 127-136. Historical information on the use of medicinal plants is in danger of extinction due to changes in different parts of the world, including Ethiopia. This study aimed at the ethnobotanical analysis of medicinal plants used to treat animal diseases. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the selected informant sources. Analysis of ethnobotanical data used the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), preference ranking, ranking matrix, and calculating the degree of fidelity. Dallo Manna Region was reported to have all 68 medicinal plant species used to treat veterinary diseases. The most common family is Fabaceae (7 spp.), followed by Euphorbiaceae (5 spp.), Asteraceae (5 spp.), and Solanaceae (4 spp.). The local people generally used the root, followed by leaves, seeds, and stems, to prepare drugs for treating livestock diseases. All medicine is made and used immediately; some are boiled and dried. In addition, the most common route of administration for treating animal diseases in the study area is oral, followed by topical application and nasal. The highest consensus criteria (ICF) values were recorded in ophthalmology, followed by dermatology. Most species have been reported for treating gastrointestinal disorders, followed by species for treating skin diseases and fever. Ten participants compared nine herbs used to treat veterinary diseases to determine their rankings. Hagenia abyssinica (Bruce) J.F.Gmel. in the first place, then this was followed by Zingiber officinale Roscoe and Embelia schimperi Vatke in third place, which achieved the highest value among traditional medicinal plants. The main threats to veterinary medicinal plants are overharvesting of available species, agricultural land expansion, and less attention to traditional medicine due to modernization.

Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used To Treat Livestock Ailments, In Dallol Manna District, Bale Zone, Oromia Regional State, South East Ethiopia

Historical information on the use of medicinal plants is in danger of extinction due to different changes in different parts of the world, including Ethiopia. This study, carried out in the DallomAna, Oromia regions of Ethiopia, aims at the ethnobotanical analysis of medicinal plants used in the treatment of animal diseases. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the information sources selected. Analysis of ethnobotanical data using tools such as the Consensus Consent Factor (ICF) preference ranking, ranking matrix, and calculating the degree of fidelity. In Dallomanna Region reported all 68 medicinal plant species used to treat veterinary diseases. The most common family is Fabaceae (7 spp.), followed by Euphorbiaceous (5 spp.), Asteraceae (5 spp.) Solanaceae (4 spp.). For the preparation of drugs for the treatment of livestock diseases, plants are generally used as the root, followed by leaves, seeds and stems. All of the medicine is made and used immediately, and some of it is boiled and dried for use. In addition, the most common way of route of administration for treatment animal diseases in the study area is oral, followed by topical application and nasal .The highest consensus criteria (ICF) values were recorded in ophthalmology, followed by dermatology. Most species have been reported for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, followed by species for the treatment of skin diseases and fever. Ten participants compared nine herbs used to treat veterinary diseases to see how they ranked. This was followed by Hagenia Abyssinia in first place, then Zingier ofcinale and Embelia schimperi in third place. Nicotiana tabacum, Phyllanthus ovalifolius, Ruta chalepensis Santalum album followed Hagenia abyssinica, which achieved the highest value among traditional oyster medicinal plants. The main threats to veterinary medicinal plants were overharvesting of available species, agricultural land expansion, and less attention to traditional medicine due to modernization.

Practices of ethnoveterinary medicine and ethnobotanical knowledge of plants used to treat livestock diseases, Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia

Practices of ethnoveterinary medicine and ethnobotanical knowledge of plants used to treat livestock diseases, Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia

An ethnoveterinary study on plants used for in the treatment of livestock diseases in Ayvalık (Balıkesir, Turkey)

An ethnoveterinary study on plants used for in the treatment of livestock diseases in Ayvalık (Balıkesir, Turkey)

Reviewer on the role of ethnoveterinary practice for animal health

Ethnoveterinary practices are important because they are easily available, inexpensive and effective, especially in rural areas where veterinary services are absent or irregular and expensive. At this level, indigenous animal health systems are used for emergency purposes. Despite recent efforts to promote the use of ethno veterinary knowledge worldwide, much information is only documented in field reports and scientific publications. Few practical researches have been done to help animal healthcare workers, farmer leaders and farmers to actively train others in the use of effective and validated ethno veterinary practices. The overall objective of the paper is to highlight to importance of traditional medicinal practices used to treat livestock diseases. Local people in the study area possess traditional knowledge of medicinal plants to treat various animal ailments; however, agricultural expansion and disinterest of young generation became the major threat to medicinal plants. It is, therefore, necessary to preserve this indigenous knowledge on traditional medicines by proper documentation, identification of plant species used, and herbal preparation. To save medicinal plants from further loss, involving local communities in cultivation of the most utilized medicinal plants is recommended.

Survey of Ethnoveterinary Medicines Used to Treat Livestock Diseases in Omusati and Kunene Regions of Namibia.

The aim of this study was to find, evaluate, and document ethnoveterinary medications used to treat livestock ailments in Namibia's Omusati and Kunene regions. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview a total of 100 people. The results of the survey will be useful in creating the groundwork for future scientific research and validation. There were 15 veterinary medicinal plant species identified, which were divided into 10 families. The only types of growth that were utilized were trees, herbs, and bushes. Leaves (71%) were the most widely used plant parts for ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM), followed by bark (14%), stem (8%), and root (7%). Fresh components were frequently preferred in medical compositions. Oral administration was the most common (42.76%), followed by cutaneous (topical) administration (36.18%). Indigenous knowledge was largely passed down through the generations by word of mouth, indicating that it was vulnerable to fragmentation and loss. EVMs were crushed, soaked in water, and administered orally or topically. Farmers who were older had greater EVM knowledge than those who were younger. Ziziphus mucronate, Combretum collinum, and Colophospermum mopane were used in the treatment of diarrhea. Z. mucronate was also used in the treatment of mastitis. Skin infections were treated using Aloe esculenta and Salvadora persica. Ximenia americana and C. imberbe were used to treat eye infections in cattle, goats, and sheep. Retained placentas were treated using Acacia nilotica, A. erioloba, and Grewia flavescens. Roots from Fockea angustifolia were used in treating anthrax. A. esculenta Leach placed best with a fidelity level (FL) value of 90%, followed by A. littoralis Baker in second place (56%), and Combretum collinum Fresen in third place (54%). The majority of EVM recipes took 2–3 days to recover. More research is needed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations, biological activities, and toxicities, as well as characterize the chemical components of the plants and determine whether there is a plausible mechanism by which plant chemicals or possible physiological effects could achieve the results described by the respondents.

An ethno-veterinary study on plants used for the treatment of livestock diseases in Genç (Bingöl-Turkey)

There are a very limited number of studies on plants traditionally used in animal diseases in Turkey. As a result, valuable information is getting lost. Traditional plant use in Genç District (Turkey) was recorded by semi-structured interviews with breeders and shepherds. The collected information was subjected to quantitative analysis using the informant consensus factor. It was recorded that a total of 53 plants from 24 families were used in the traditional treatment of animal diseases. 8 of these plants are endemic plants with a narrow distribution area and were recorded for the first time by us. The breeders stated that they applied such plants to animals with peace in mind as these plants had been used for human treatment as well. This study is the first ethno-veterinary study conducted in the province. Phytochemical studies need to be carried out on medicinal plants used in livestock around Bingöl Province. We believe that the use of this preliminary information obtained from ethnoveterinary studies by researchers will contribute to the production of natural animal medicines.

Controlling the Structural Robustness of Zirconium-Based Metal Organic Frameworks for Efficient Adsorption on Tetracycline Antibiotics

Tetracyclines (TCs) are the most widely used antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of livestock diseases, but they are toxic to humans and have frequently been detected in water bodies. In this study, the physical and chemical properties of the zirconium-based metal organic framework (MOF) UiO-66 and its NH2-functionalized congener UiO-66-NH2 were investigated along with batch TC adsorption tests to determine the effect of functionalization on TC removal. TC removal was highest at pH 3 and decreased with increasing pH. Pseudo-1st and pseudo-2nd-order kinetic models were used to study the adsorption equilibrium times, and Langmuir isotherm model was found to be more suitable than Freundlich model. The maximum uptake for UiO-66 and UIO-66-NH2 was measured to be 93.6 and 76.5 mg/g, respectively. Unexpectedly, the TC adsorption capacity of UiO-66-NH2 was observed to be lower than that of UiO-66. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the pore structures are irrelevant to TC adsorption, and that the –NH2 functional group could weaken the structural robustness of UiO-66-NH2, causing a reduction in TC adsorption capacity. Accordingly, robust MOFs with zirconium-based metal clusters can be effectively applied for the treatment of antibiotics such as TC in water.

An ethnoveterinary study on plants used for the treatment of livestock diseases in the province of Giresun (Turkey)

The lack of ethnoveterinary surveys in Turkey, results in losses in the veterinary phytopharmacology field. This is the first ethnoveterinary research in which statistical calculations about plants are done by informant consensus factor (ICF) method in the Blacksea Region of Turkey. To catalog, analyze, and disseminate the knowledge of plant use in ethnoveterinary practices in the province of Giresun (Turkey). Information was gathered through open and semi-structured interviews with local people, mainly elderly shepherds and farmers, in the Giresun province. The collected data was analyzed quantitatively using two indices, informant consensus factor (ICF). A total of 65 ethnoveterinary plants belonging to 38 families are used for the treatment of animal diseases. According to the local farmers, the most often mentioned species that used in the resarch area have high ethno-veterinary potential. Most of these plants are also used for some human conditions in the study area. There are large numbers of ethno-veterinary practices EVPs in southern Turkey with undocumented cumulative knowledge of the indigenous people. Unfortunately, some evidence of their slow disappearance has been found. The traditional knowledge in the treatment of livestock diseases of the Giresun districts needs further scientific evaluations by phytochemical and antimicrobial experimentation.

Ethnoveterinary study of plants used by Fulani agropastoralists for treating livestock diseases in Ido agrarian community of Oyo State, Nigeria

A survey was carried out on ethnoveterinary practices used by Fulani agropastoralists for maintaining the health and treating of livestock diseases in Ido agrarian community of Oyo State, Nigeria. Information was collected from fifty cattle herders using interview method with the help of Hausa interpreter and with the aid of questionnaires. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (cross tabulations) to generate frequencies and percentages. Plants used for various ethnoveterinary and ethnomedicinal purposes were revealed. Information on the type of animals kept and management practices used by the respondents show that 48% kept cattle, goat and sheep. 14% kept cattle and goat, 36% kept cattle and sheep, while 2% kept cattle only. All the respondents agreed to stomach and intestinal worms as the prevalent ruminant diseases in the area. However, 86% of respondents reported seasonal appearance of worm infestations during wet season, while 14% both seasons. Higher percentage of respondents (80%) adopted the use of traditional medicine and conventional drugs in treating animals. 88% showcased the effectiveness of such combination of traditional and conventional drugs as being very effective. 20% of the respondents used the whole plant in formulating herbal preparations. Urbanization, seasonal variations and unquantifiable dosage have been highlighted as challenges encountered in the use of ethnoveterinary medicine in Ido agrarian community. 12% used decoction method of preparation, 50% used infusion, while 30% mixed plant with non-plant to formulate herbal preparations in solving the problem of helminthiasis and other diseases. The respondents who used local remedies claimed the knowledge of ethnoveterinary was passed from the parents to the children, and this keeps going from generation to generation. The results obtained from this study show that the awareness and the availability of ethnoveterinary plants among Fulani agropastoralists in Ido agrarian community of Oyo state is high, and this is responsible for the high patronage and usage of ethnoveterinary plants in this community. Intestinal worm infestations are the prevalent livestock disease encountered by the Fulani agropastoralists in the study area.

Sulfonamide drugs: structure, antibacterial property, toxicity, and biophysical interactions.

Sulfonamide (or sulphonamide) functional group chemistry (SN) forms the basis of several groups of drug. In vivo sulfonamides exhibit a range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-carbonic anhydrase and anti-t dihydropteroate synthetase allowing them to play a role in treating a diverse range of disease states such as diuresis, hypoglycemia, thyroiditis, inflammation, and glaucoma. Sulfamethazine (SMZ) is a commonly used sulphonamide drug in veterinary medicine that acts as an antibacterial compound to treat livestock diseases such as gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections. Sulfadiazine (SDZ) is another frequently employed sulphonamide drug that is used in combination with the anti-malarial drug pyrimethamine to treat toxoplasmosis in warm-blooded animals. This study explores the research findings and the work behaviours of SN (SMZ and SDZ) drugs. The areas covered include SN drug structure, SN drug antibacterial activity, SN drug toxicity, and SN environmental toxicity.

A survey of ethnoveterinary botanical remedies in Ogun State and their public health implications

Twenty four villages were visited during a cross sectional survey of ethno veterinary botanical remedies used for the management of animal diseases in four local government areas randomly selected cutting across the four geopolitical zones in Ogun State. A total of 323 households were purposively selected and administered with a semi structured questionnaire. A total of 319 questionnaires out of 323 were used for the analysis in the study.The farmers were assisted by the enumerators to fill the questionnaires in their homes: information on household demography, common animal diseases in the area, botanical remedies used for treatment, part of plant used, and source of prescription, methods of preparation and administration of these remedies were gathered.Most of the respondents were farmers, majority keeping goats. Out of the 319 respondents 110 (34.4%) admitted using plants in treatment of livestock diseases. Thirty two plant species were identified in the study area for treating livestock ailments. Leaves were the plant part mostly used. Adenopusbreviflorus(Pseudocolocynth) is the most commonly used plant for treatment of many animal diseases in both ruminants and poultry. Most common livestock diseases condition is mange followed by Peste des petits ruminants; however in poultry the most important diseases are Newcastle disease and diarrhoea. Losses to livestock owners were mostly due to infection.There is need for government and non-government intervention in curbing the menace of diseases in livestock production. Reasons for utilization of botanical remedies were identified and public health implications of usage of these herbs were discussed. In conclusion,there is an urgent need for more of this documentationcum scientific and clinical validation of the claims;if not ethno-veterinary botanical knowledge faces the risk of goinginto extinction due to increasing modern veterinary medical intervention.

Plant and natural product based homemade remedies for veterinary uses by the Peul community in Benin

Ethnopharmacological relevanceAcross Africa, Peul community typically rely on plant-based veterinary knowledge to manage common livestock health problems. Unfortunately, their nomadic life-style being affected by conflicts, land tenure constraints, and drought, they have been shifting to a sedentary life. The process of their settlement led to the erosion of the vast ethnoveterinary skills they had acquired over centuries and forced them to replace the plant and other species they used by commercial products. Aim of the study1) To collect comprehensive data from the Benin Peul community on common plant-based remedies used to treat livestock diseases and document their preparation and administration. 2) To evaluate the differences and consensus among the Peul community across ecological regions in Benin. Materials and methodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews among 88 Peul camps, three (03) bioclimatic zones, and 225 transhumant dialog partners, including agro-pastoralists, healers and pastoralists from mid-July to end of December 2015. Detailed information about homemade herbal remedies (plant species, plant part, manufacturing process) and the corresponding use reports (target animal species, category of use and route of administration) was collected. ResultsA total of 418 homemade remedies were reported, of which 235 involved only one plant species (Homemade Single Species Herbal Remedy Reports; HSHR). Information on a total of 310 use reports (UR) were mentioned for the 235 HSHR, and they included 116 plant species belonging to 39 botanical families. Among them, 229 UR were indicated for cattle, 43 UR for poultry, and 38 UR for sheep and goats. The most cited plant species were Khaya senegalensis (19 HSHR; 8.08%), Parkia biglobosa (14 HSHR; 5.95%), Euphorbia unispina (11 HSHR; 4.68%), and Anogeissus leiocarpus (6 HSHR; 2.55%). The URs were indicated for the treatment of viral, parasitic and bacterial diseases but also for multifactorial disorders like diarrhoea, fever, threatened abortion, agalactia etc. The number of plants referred to HSHR decreased from Sudanian to Guineo-congolian zones in concordance with the presence of Peuls. ConclusionThe Peul community holds a huge ethnoveterinary knowledge, which needs to be documented, valorised, and promoted. It appears vital to assess phytochemical and pharmacological properties of the most reported species, and their availability across the ecological zones in order to ensure their sustainable use and before this indigenous knowledge disappears completely.

Poor mental health of livestock farmers in Africa: a mixed methods case study from Ghana

BackgroundAgriculture represents the mainstay of African economies and livestock products are essential to the human population’s nutritional needs. However, in many developing countries, including Ghana, livestock production fails to meet demand due to population growth and negative effects of climate change. One of the challenges to production is livestock loss affecting farmers. However, despite stressful events experienced, livestock farmers’ mental health is poorly documented. This study aims to identify the root causes of livestock losses and their influence on pastoralists’ mental health.MethodsWe conducted a mixed methods study in two districts in the Northern and Southern Belts of Ghana. Using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale–21 and guided interviews, we collected quantitative and qualitative data from 287 livestock farmers and 24 key-informants respectively. Mental health scores were categorized using standard guidelines. We evaluated the factors that explained variations in mental wellbeing using general linear models (α = 0.05).ResultsAbout 85% (240/287) of the livestock farmers lost cattle within 1 year. Of these, 91% lost cattle to animal diseases, 50% to theft and 27% to pasture shortages. Qualitative findings reveal that due to poor access to veterinary services, farmers treat livestock diseases themselves with drugs from unregulated sources and often sell diseased cows for meat to recover losses. Findings showed that 60% of livestock farmers had poor mental health. Of those, 72% were depressed, 66% anxious and 59% stressed. Mental wellbeing was negatively associated with the number of adverse events experienced, proportion of livestock lost to most of the major loss factors, emotional attachment to livestock and self-reported physical illnesses in farmers, but positively associated with increasing herd size [F (8,278) = 14.18, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.29].ConclusionsLivestock diseases are the leading cause of losses to livestock farmers, whose mental wellbeing is negatively affected by these losses. Although an adaptive strategy by farmers to compensate for poor veterinary services, the arbitrary use of veterinary drugs and sale of diseased cattle pose health risks to the public. Further research to evaluate the performance of veterinary services in Ghana, mental health problems and risk to human health due to potential high-risk meat entering the food chain, is needed.

Antistaphylococcal Activity of Extracts, Fractions, and Compounds of Acacia polyacantha Wild (Fabaceae)

Acacia polyacantha is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat livestock diseases and gastrointestinal infections; our study was undertaken to evaluate the antistaphylococcal activities of the methanolic leaf, bark, and root extracts, fractions, and compounds from Acacia polyacantha against a panel of 14 multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus bacterial strains overexpressing efflux pumps. The study was also extended to investigate two possible modes of action, that is, influence on bacterial growth kinetics and influence on proton-ATPase pumps, of the most active compound against a reference strain. Materials and Methods. The crude extracts after extraction were subjected to column chromatography. Antibacterial assays of extracts, fractions, and compounds alone and in the presence of efflux pump inhibitors were carried out using the broth microdilution method and the study of two mechanisms of action achieved by standard methods with the most active compound. Results. The phytochemical study of Acacia polyacantha leaves leads to the isolation of stigmasterol (1), β-amyrin (2), 3-O-methyl-D-chiro-inositol (3), epicatechin (4), quercetin-3-O-galactoside (5), 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 ⟶ 4)-β-D-galactopyranosyl]-oleanolic acid (6), 3-O-[β-galactopyranosyl-(1⟶ 4)-β-D-galactopyranosyl]-oleanolic acid (7) and that of leaves lead to the isolation of lupeol (8) 2,3-dihydroxypropyltetracosanoate (9), and methyl-gallate (10). Leaf, root, and bark extracts inhibited 92.85% (13/14), 92.85% (13/14), and 71.43 % (10/14) of the tested bacteria strains, respectively, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) varying between 16 and 1024 μg/mL. Fractions exhibited better activities compared to those of their extracts of origin, as their MICs ranged from 16 to 512 μg/mL, with fractions from leaves being more active than those obtained from barks. Compounds had varying activities; MICs varied from 16 to 512 μg/mL with compound 4 presenting the best activity as MICs ≤100 μg/mL were obtained against 11 of the tested bacteria. The activities of extracts, fractions, and compounds were improved in the presence of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) as an efflux pump inhibitor to as much as >128 folds. Meanwhile, in the presence of chlorpromazine as an efflux pump inhibitor, only the activity of compound 10 was improved on 10 of the tested bacteria strains. Compound 4 prolonged the lag phase of the growth kinetic in a concentration-dependent manner and equally inhibited the proton-ATPase pumps of the tested bacteria strains. Conclusion. The present study demonstrates the antistaphylococcal potential of Acacia polyacantha and its constituents to combat bacterial infections alone or in combination with efflux pump inhibitors.

A survey of plants used to treat livestock diseases in the Mnisi community, Mpumalanga, South Africa, and investigation of their antimicrobial activity

Ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM), although not documented well, still serves as an alternative or complementary medication for curing or preventing bacterial, fungal and helminth diseases, as well as other maladies such as ticks and tick-borne diseases in South Africa. The aim of this study was to document plant species used as EVM by the Mnisi community at Bushbuckridge in the province of Mpumalanga, and to evaluate their antimicrobial, antibiofilm and cytotoxic activities. The survey was carried out for two weeks from the end of January to the beginning of February 2018 at the local dipping tanks following the Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) approach. A total of 50 individuals were interviewed: 82% were local small scale farmers, 10% were herdsmen, 6% herbalists and 2% animal health technicians. Three plant species were selected for bioassays based on their frequency index and lack of information on their bioactivity in the literature. Traditional methods were used for plant extraction using water as described by the respondents. Acetone was used as an organic solvent to compare traditional and organic solvent methods of extract preparation. The extracts were tested for their antibacterial, antibiofilm, antifungal, and cytotoxic properties.Eleven plant species belonging to seven families were reported by the farmers for EVM use, and fresh plants from the wild were commonly used to prepare the remedies as decoctions, infusions, pastes and extracted sap. Elephantorrhiza obliqua acetone extract had the best antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 0.09 mg/mL against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while E. obliqua water extracts had the best antifungal activity with MIC values of 0.02 to 0.04 mg/mL against Aspergillus fumigatus. Schotia brachypetala acetone extracts inhibited Enterococcus faecalis biofilms by 113% and 135% at zero and 24 h of bacterial growth respectively, while E. obliqua acetone extracts had values of 64% and 83% at these time periods, indicating that they were good inhibitors of biofilm formation and also had the capacity to act against mature biofilms. Seven out of nine tested plant extracts (78%) were non-toxic to moderately cytotoxic while only two plant extracts were relatively toxic against Vero cells. Traditionally prepared remedies were generally more active against fungi and mycobacteria and less toxic than the organic solvent extracts. However, in vivo studies are necessary to support the traditional use of the remedies against diseases in livestock in terms of validating the efficacy but also assessing their potential toxicity.

Review on the role of ethno veterinary practice for animal health

Ethnoveterinary practices are important because they are easily available, inexpensive and effective, especially in rural areas where veterinary services are absent or irregular and expensive. At this level, indigenous animal health systems are used for emergency purposes. Despite recent efforts to promote the use of ethno veterinary knowledge worldwide, much information is only documented in field reports and scientific publications. Few practical researches have been done to help animal healthcare workers, farmer leaders and farmers to actively train others in the use of effective and validated ethno veterinary practices. The overall objective of the paper is to highlight to importance of traditional medicinal practices used to treat livestock diseases. Local people in the study area possess traditional knowledge of medicinal plants to treat various animal ailments; however, agricultural expansion and disinterest of young generation became the major threat to medicinal plants. It is, therefore, necessary to preserve this indigenous knowledge on traditional medicines by proper documentation, identification of plant species used, and herbal preparation. To save medicinal plants from further loss, involving local communities in cultivation of the most utilized medicinal plants is recommended.