A Study on Ethnoveterinary Medicinal Practices in and around Madurai, Tamil Nadu

This ethnoveterinary study deals with the ethnoveterinary plants used to treat livestock diseases in and around Madurai District. About 65 ethnoveterinary medicinal plants belonging to 31 families and 59 genera that can treat different livestock diseases were documented in this study with the help of livestock owners and herbalists/Vaidyas of the study area. The recorded data revealed that the majority of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants' habit belonged to Leguminosae and most of their habit was herbs. The most used plant part for ethnoveterinary drug preparation was leaves. Drug preparations were mostly prepared fresh in the form of paste and administered orally. The formulations were mainly prepared for diseases of cows and were prepared using single medicinal plants. Some plants documented during the current study are used in other parts of India and the world to treat the same/similar livestock diseases. These include Allium cepa L. (foot and mouth diseases), Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schard (skin diseases), Cuminum cyminum L. (gastrointestinal disorders) and Vitex negundo L. (hen lice repellent). This study has documented the various treatments given by the healers to treat the livestock ailments prevalent in their region along with the botanical names of the plants, vernacular names of the plants, family, habit, name and condition of plant parts used, mode of preparation, route of administration of drugs, animals treated and drug formulations.