SOME POTENTIAL FOLK HERBAL MEDICINES FOR VETERINARY PRACTICES

Tulika Mishra*

ABSTRACT

In India almost parallel with the various systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Yunani, Siddha, Allopathy and Homoeopathy, large sections of society, mainly in rural and remote areas, still use recipes based on folk knowledge. Folk medicines are regularly providing materials for experimental drug research. There is rich folklore in India about veterinary medicine also, and about 1000 plants are already reported to be used in ethnoveterinary practices. The starting plant material for research in veterinary medicine has usually been the same drug which has proven record of useful activity in same or similar ailments in man. Many indigenous recipes used for human ailments do not figure in ethnoveterinary practices, and can lead to prospective veterinary medicine. The paper provides brief account of 25 such plants. Veterinary diseases for which these plants are already known to be used in folk medicines are also indicated. These plants need experimental work and evaluation in veterinary practices.

Keywords: Folk medicines, Herbal Drugs, Ethnoveterinary.