Top

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research

Ethnoveterinary practices of Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania

Authors: Sámuel Gergely Bartha, Cassandra L Quave, Lajos Balogh, Nóra Papp

Published in: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine | Issue 1/2015

Abstract

Background

Ethnoveterinary medicine is a topic of growing interest among ethnobiologists, and is integral to the agricultural practices of many ethnic groups across the globe. The ethnoveterinary pharmacopoeia is often composed of ingredients available in the local environment, and may include plants, animals and minerals, or combinations thereof, for use in treating various ailments in reared animals. The aim of this study was to survey the current day ethnoveterinary practices of ethnic Hungarian (Székely) settlements situated in the Erdővidék commune (Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania) and to compare them with earlier works on this topic in Romania and other European countries.

Methods

Data concerning ethnoveterinary practices were collected through semi-structured interviews and direct observation in 12 villages from 2010 to 2014. The cited plant species were collected, identified, dried and deposited in a herbarium. The use of other materials (e.g. animals, minerals and other substances) were also documented. Data were compared to earlier reports of ethnoveterinary knowledge in Transylvania and other European countries using various databases.

Results

In total, 26 wild and cultivated plants, 2 animals, and 17 other substances were documented to treat 11 ailments of cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep. The majority of applications were for the treatment of mastitis and skin ailments, while only a few data were reported for the treatment of cataracts, post-partum ailments and parasites. The traditional uses of Armoracia rusticana, Rumex spp., powdered sugar and glass were reported in each village. The use of some plant taxa, such as Allium sativum, Aristolochia clematitis, and Euphorbia amygdaloides was similar to earlier reports from other Transylvanian regions.

Conclusions

Although permanent veterinary and medical services are available in some of the villages, elderly people preferred the use of wild and cultivated plants, animals and other materials in ethnoveterinary medicine. Some traditional ethnoveterinary practices are no longer in use, but rather persist only in the memories of the eldest subset of the population. A decline in the vertical transmission of ethnoveterinary knowledge was evident and loss of practice is likely compounded by market availability of ready-made pharmaceuticals.

McCorkle CM. An introduction to ethnoveterinary research and development. J Ethnobiol. 1986;6(1):129–49.

Conti O. Letteratura popolare capracottese. Napoli: L. Pierro; 1911.

Blanco E, Macía MJ, Morales R. Medicinal and veterinary plants of El Caurel (Galicia, northwest Spain). J Ethnopharmacol. 1999;65:113–24.CrossRefPubMed

Pieroni A, Quave C, Nebel S, Heinrich M. Ethnopharmacy of the ethnic Albanians (Arbëreshë) of northern Basilicata. Italy Fitoterapia. 2002;73(3):217–41.CrossRef

Pieroni A, Giusti ME, Münz H, Lenzarini C, Turković G, Turković A. Ethnobotanical knowledge of the Istro-Romanians of Zejane in Croatia. Fitoterapia. 2003;74:710–9.CrossRefPubMed

Pieroni A, Howard P, Volpato G, Santoro RF. Natural remedies and nutraceuticals used in ethnoveterinary practices in inland southern Italy. Vet Res Commun. 2004;28(1):55–80.CrossRefPubMed

Pieroni A, Dibra B, Grishaj G, Grishaj I, Maçai SG. Traditional phytotherapy of the Albanians of Lepushe Northern Albanian Alps. Fitoterapia. 2005;76(3–4):379–99.CrossRefPubMed

Pieroni A, Giusti M, de Pasquale C, Lenzarini C, Censorii E, Gonzáles-Tejero M, et al. RUBIA project: Circum-Mediterranean cultural heritage and medicinal plant uses in traditional animal healthcare: a field survey in eight selected areas within the RUBIA project. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2006;2:15.CrossRef

Pieroni A, Rexhepi B, Nedelcheva A, Hajdari A, Mustafa B, Kolosova V, et al. One century later: the folk botanical knowledge of the last remaining Albanians of the upper Reka Valley, Mount Korab, Western Macedonia. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2013;9:22.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

10.

Pieroni A, Nedelcheva A, Hajdari A, Mustafa B, Scaltriti B, Cianfagliore K, et al. Local knowledge on plants and domestic remedies in the mountain villages of Peshkopia (Eastern Albania). J Mt Sci. 2014;11(1):180–93.CrossRef

11.

Pieroni A. Local plant resources in the ethnobotany of Theth, a village in the Northern Albanian Alps. Genet Resour Crop Evol. 2008;55:1197–214.CrossRef

12.

Leporatti ML, Impieri M. Ethnobotanical notes about some uses of medicinal plants in Alto Tirreno Cosentino area (Calabria, Southern Italy). J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2007;3:34.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

13.

Guarrera PM, Leporatti LM. Ethnobotanical remarks on Central and Southern Italy. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2007;3:23.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

14.

Guarrera PM, Lucchese F, Medori S. Ethnophytotherapeutical research in the high Molise region (Central-Southern Italy). J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2008;4:7.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

15.

Montesano B, Negro D, Sarli G, Sarli AD, Laghetti G, Hammer K. Notes about the uses of plants by one of the last healers in the Basilicata Region (South Italy). J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2012;8:15.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

16.

Carrió E, Rigat M, Garnatje T, Mayans M, Parada M, Vallès J. Plant ethnoveterinary practices in two Pyrenean territories of Catalonia (Iberian Peninsula) and in two areas of the Balearic Islands and comparison with ethnobotanical uses in human medicine. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:896295.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

17.

Di Sanzo P, De Martino L, Mancini E, De Feo V. Medicinal and useful plants in the tradition of Rotonda, Pollino National Park, Southern Italy. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2013;9:19.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

18.

Borza A. Dictionar etnobotanic. Bucharest: Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste Romania; 1968.

19.

Kóczián G, Pintér I, Szabó LG. Adatok a gyimesi csángók népi gyógyászatához. Gyogyszereszet. 1975;19:226–30.

20.

Kóczián G, Pintér I, Gál M, Szabó I, Szabó L. Etnobotanikai adatok Gyimesvölgyéből. Bot Közlem. 1976;63(1):29–35.

21.

Kóczián G, Szabó I, Szabó L. Etnobotanikai adatok Kalotaszegről. Bot Közl. 1977;64(1):23–30.

22.

Péntek J, Szabó TA. Egy háromszéki falu népi növényismerete. Ethnographia. 1976;87(1–2):203–25.

23.

Butura V. Encilopedie de etnobotanică românească. Bucharest: Editura Ştiinţifică şi Enciclopedică; 1979.

24.

Miklóssy VV. Csíki népi sebtapaszok. Népismereti dolgozatok. 1980;3:60–3.

25.

Halászné ZK. Adatok a moldvai magyarok gyógynövény-használatához. Gyogyszereszet. 1981;25:361–7.

26.

Rab J. Újabb népgyógyászati adatok Gyimesekből. Gyogyszereszet. 1982;26:325–33.

27.

Bosnyák S. Adalékok a moldvai csángók népi orvoslásához. Orvostort Kozl. 1973;69–70:279–98.PubMed

28.

Gub J. Adatok a Nagy-Homoród és a Nagy-Küküllő közötti terület népi növényismeretéhez. Néprajzi Látóhatár. 1993;1–2:95–110.

29.

Gub J. Kertek, mezők termesztett növényei a Sóvidéken: Sóvidéki etnobotanika. Odorheiu Secuiesc: Erdélyi Gondolat; 2001.

30.

Gub J. Népi növényismeret a Nagy-Homoród mentén. In: Zsigmond G, editor. Növények a folklórban. Bucharest: A Magyar Köztársaság Kulturális Intézete; 2005. p. 148–62.

31.

Grynaeus T, Szabó LG. A bukovinai hadikfalvi székelyek növényei 1–4. Gyogyszereszet. 2002;46(Suppl 1–4):251–9.

32.

Halász P. A moldvai magyarok hagyományos állattartása. Budapest: General Press; 2007.

33.

Halász P. Növények a moldvai magyarok hagyományában és mindennapjaiban. Budapest: General Press; 2010.

34.

Kosz Z. Népi gyógyászat Csíkrákoson. In: Czégényi D, Keszeg V, editors. A beteg ember. Betegségek, betegek és gyógyítók. Târgu Mureş: Mentor Kiadó; 2010. p. 15–108.

35.

Benkő J: Transilvania sive Magnus Transilvaniae Principatus olim Dacia Mediterranea dictus… Pars prior sive generalis, Tom I, II. Vindobonae. Pars posterior speciali., Tom III. IV, V. (manuscript); 1778.

36.

Baumgarten JCG: Enumeratio stirpium magno Transsilvaniae principatui. Tomus I, II, III. Vindebonae; 1816.

37.

Schur F. Botanische Rundreise durch Siebenbürgen. Hermannstadt: Verlandlungen und Mitteilungen des Siebenbürgischen Vereins für Naturwiss; 1859.

38.

Simonkai L. Erdély edényes flórájának helyesbített foglalata. Budapest: Kir. Magyar Természettudományi Társulat; 1887.

39.

Römer J. Beiträge zur Flora von Kovászna. Arch Verein Siebenbürg Landesk Neue Folge. 1895;26:561–72.

40.

Rácz G, Kisgyörgy Z, Füzi J. Kovászna megye Oltmenti gyógynövényei. Orvosi Szemle. 1971;17:408–12.

41.

Rácz G, Füzi J. Kovászna megye gyógynövényei. Sfântu Gheorghe: Directory of Agriculture, Food and Hydrography; 1973.

42.

Papp N, Bartha SG, Balogh L. Jelenkori etnobotanikai értékű adatok egy erdélyi (nagybaconi) falusi herbáriumból. Bot Közlem. 2013;100(1–2):177–99.

43.

Bartha SG. Népi gyógynövényismeret Erdővidéken. MSc Thesis. Pécs: University of Pécs; 2013.

44.

Kisgyörgy Z. Kovászna megye. Miercurea Ciuc: Pallas-Akadémia Könyvkiadó; 2009.

45.

The International Society of Ethnobiology Code of Ethics. http://ethnobiology.net/code-of-ethics.

46.

Tutin TG, Burges NA, Chater AO, Edmondson JR, Heywood VH, Moore DM, et al. Flora Europaea, vol. 1–5. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2010.

47.

Boris G. Népi gyógynövényismeret a székelyföldi Lövétén. BSc Thesis. Pécs: University of Pécs; 2010.

48.

Péntek J, Szabó TA. Ember és növényvilág. Kalotaszeg növényzete és népi növényismerete. Kriterion: Bucharest; 1985.

49.

Papp N, Birkás-Frendl K, Bencsik T, Stranczinger S, Czégényi D. Survey of traditional beliefs in the Hungarian Csángó and Székely ethnomedicine in Transylvania, Romania. Rev Bras Farmac. 2014;24:141–52.CrossRef

50.

Papp N, Birkás-Frendl K, Farkas Á, Pieroni A. An ethnobotanical study on home gardens in a Transylvanian Hungarian Csángó village (Romania). Genet Res Crop Evol. 2013;60:1423–32.CrossRef

51.

Grasser S, Schunko C, Vogl CR. Gathering “tea” – from necessity to connectedness with nature. Local knowledge about wild plant gathering in the Biosphere Reserve Grosses Walsertal (Austria). J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2012;8:31.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

52.

Passalacqua NG, Fine DF, Guarrera PM. Contribution to the knowledge of the veterinary science and of the ethnobotany in Calabria region (Southern Italy). J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2006;2:52.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

53.

Akerreta S, Calvob MI, Caveroa RY. Ethnoveterinary knowledge in Navarra (Iberian Peninsula). J Ethnopharm. 2010;130:369–78.CrossRef

54.

Vitalini S, Iriti M, Puricelli C, Ciuchi D, Segale A, Fico G. Traditional knowledge on medicinal and food plants used in Val San Giacomo (Sondrio, Italy). An alpine ethnobotanical study. J Ethnopharm. 2013;145:517–29.CrossRef

55.

Pieroni A, Maria Giusti ME. Alpine ethnobotany in Italy: traditional knowledge of gastronomic and medicinal plants among the Occitans of the upper Varaita valley, Piedmont. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2009;5:32. doi:10.1186/1746-4269-5-32.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

56.

Pieroni A, Cianfaglione K, Nedelcheva A, Hajdari A, Mustafa B, Quave CL. Resilience at the border: traditional botanical knowledge among Macedonians and Albanians living in Gollobordo, Eastern Albania. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2014;10:31.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

57.

Jarić S, Popović Z, Mačukanović-Jocić M, Djurdjević L, Mijatović M, Karadžić B, et al. An ethnobotanical study on the usage of wild medicinal herbs from Kopaonik Mountain (Central Serbia). J Ethnopharm. 2007;111:160–75.CrossRef

58.

Map of the study sites in Covasna County. https://earth.google.com. 2015. Assessed 03 March 2015.”

59.

Pieroni A. People and Plants in Lëpushë. Traditional Medicine, Local Foods and Postcommunism in a Northern Albanian Village. In: Pardo-de Santayana M, Pieroni A, Puri RK, editors. Ethnobotany in the New Europe. People, Health and Wild Plant Resources. Oxford: Berghahn; 2013. p. 16–50.

60.

Akerreta S, Rita Cavero Y, Calvo MI. First comprehensive contribution to medical ethnobotany of Western Pyrenees. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2007;3:26. doi: 10.1186/1746-4269-3-26.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

61.

Agelet A, Valle’s J. Studies on pharmaceutical ethnobotany in the region of Pallars (Pyrenees, Catalonia, Iberian Peninsula). Part I. General results and new or very rare medicinal plants. J Ethnopharm. 2001;77:57–70.CrossRef

62.

Bonet MA, Valle’s J. Ethnobotany of Montseny biosphere reserve (Catalonia, Iberian Peninsula): Plants used in veterinary medicine. J Ethnopharm. 2007;110:130–47.CrossRef

63.

Vofkori L. Utazások Székelyföldön. Miercurea Ciuc: Pro-Print Könyvkiadó; 2004.

Title: Ethnoveterinary practices of Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania
Authors: Sámuel Gergely Bartha
Cassandra L Quave
Lajos Balogh
Nóra Papp
Publication date: 01-12-2015
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1746-4269
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-015-0020-8

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Ethnoveterinary practices of Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

The use of Amerindian charm plants in the Guianas

Art, fisheries and ethnobiology

Erratum to: Assessing human-bat interactions around a protected area in northeastern Brazil

Agroforestry systems of the lowland alluvial valleys of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve: an evaluation of their biocultural capacity

Traps as treats: a traditional sticky rice snack persisting in rapidly changing Asian kitchens

Plant species introduced by foreigners according to folk tradition in Norway and some other European countries: xenophobic tales or not?