Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine
Published in: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research

Swiss ethnoveterinary knowledge on medicinal plants – a within-country comparison of Italian speaking regions with north-western German speaking regions

Authors: Maria Mayer, Mirjam Zbinden, Christan R. Vogl, Silvia Ivemeyer, Beat Meier, Michele Amorena, Ariane Maeschli, Matthias Hamburger, Michael Walkenhorst

Published in: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine | Issue 1/2017

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Ethnoveterinary knowledge in Europe may play an important role as a basis for sustainable treatment options for livestock. Aims of our study were (a) to compare the ethnoveterinary practices of two culturally and sociodemographically different regions of Switzerland, (b) to compare results with earlier ethnoveterinary studies conducted in Switzerland and in adjacent Italian regions and, (c) to evaluate possible reasons for regional differences in European ethnoveterinary medicine.

Methods

25 interviews were conducted in 2014 in all Italian speaking regions (ItR) of Switzerland, and 31 interviews were held in five north-western German speaking Cantons (GeC). Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect detailed information regarding plant species, mode of preparation, dosage, route of administration, category of use, origin of knowledge, frequency of use, and satisfaction with outcomes of the treatments.

Results

A total of 162 homemade remedies in ItR and 219 in GeC were reported, out of which 125 and 145, respectively, were reported to contain only one plant species (homemade single species herbal remedy report, HSHR). 44 ItR and 43 GeC plant species were reported to treat livestock, of which only a half were used in both regions. For each HSHR, we classified the treatment intention of all use reports (UR), leading to a total of 205 and 219 UR in ItR and GeC respectively. While cattle were the most often treated livestock species in both study regions, in ItR 40% of UR were administered to small ruminants. Main indications in both regions were gastrointestinal diseases and skin afflictions, but in ItR a high number of URs were reported as antiparasitics. URs were mainly handed down from the past generation, but in GeC the source of knowledge for 20% of URs were from courses. Regarding the used plant species, ItR showed a higher concordance with Swiss than Italian studies, but with some differences to all regions. A total of 22 (14 ItR; 8 GeC) plant species in this study have not been reported before in ethnoveterinary studies of Swiss and Italian alpine regions.

Conclusions

ItR and GeC, show differences and similarities with respect to their own ethnoveterinary practices and earlier Swiss and Italian ethnoveterinary studies. Linguistic, geographical, as well as social and farm-structural conditions influence the regional ethnoveterinary knowledge. However, political borders seem to be more important than language or geographical barriers.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
McCorkle CM. An introduction to ethnoveterinary research and development. J Ethnobiol. 1986;6:129–49.
2.
Mayer M, Vogl CR, Amorena M, Hamburger M, Walkenhorst M. Treatment of organic livestock with medicinal plants: A systematic review of european ethnoveterinary research. Forsch Komplementarmed. 2014;21:375–86.CrossRef
3.
Katerere DR, Luseba D, editors. Ethnoveterinary botanical medicine: Herbal medicines for animal health. CRC Press; 2010.
4.
WHO. Second joint fao/oie/who expert workshop on non-human antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance: Management options. Oslo, norway. 15–18 march 2004. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2004.
5.
Aarestrup F, Oliver Duran C, Burch D. Antimicrobial resistance in swine production. Anim Health Res Rev. 2008;9:135–48.CrossRefPubMed
6.
Walkenhorst M, Vogl CR, Vogl-Lukasser B, Vollstedt S, Brendieck-Worm C, Ivemeyer S, Klarer F, Meier B, Schmid K, Disler M, Bischoff T, Hamburger M, Häsler S, Stöger E. Zwischen Empirie und Evidenz - (Re)Aktivierung der Veterinärphytotherapie. Forsch Komplementarmed. 2014;21 Suppl 1:35–42.
7.
Nyamanga P, Suda C, Aagaard-Hansen J. The socio-cultural context and practical implications of ethnoveterinary medical pluralism in western kenya. Agric Hum Values. 2008;25:513–27.CrossRef
8.
EU. Council Regulation (ec) no. 1804/99 of 19 July 1999 supplementing regulation (ec) no. 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indication referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs to include livestock production. Off J Eur Union. 1999;222:28.
9.
European Medicines Agency. Sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents in 19 EU/EEA countries in 2010. Second ESVAC Report, 2012 http://​www.​ema.​europa.​eu/​docs/​en_​GB/​document_​library/​Report/​2012/​10/​WC500133532.​pdf
10.
11.
Oechsli W. History of switzerland 1499–1914. Cambridge University Press; 2013.
12.
Rossi G, Pometta E. Storia del cantone ticino dai tempi più remoti fino al 1922. Locarno: A. Dadò; 1980.
13.
14.
Carrió E, Rigat M, Garantje 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 Altern Med. 2012; DOI: 10.1155/2012/896295
15.
Viegi L, Ghedira K. Preliminary study of plants used in ethnoveterinary medicine in Tunisia and in Italy. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2014;11(3):189–99.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Leonti M. The future is written: Impact of scripts on the cognition, selection, knowledge and transmission of medicinal plant use and ints implications for ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011;134:542–55.CrossRefPubMed
21.
González-Tejero MR, Casares-Porcel M, Sánchez-Rojas CP, Ramiro-Gutiérrez JM, Molero-Mesa J, Pieroni A, Giusti ME, Censorii E, de Pasquale C, Della A, Paraskeva-Hadijchambi D, Hadjichambis A, Houmani Z, El-Demerdash M, El-Zayat M, Hmamouchi M, ElJohrig S. Medicinal plants in the mediterranean area: Synthesis of the results of the project rubia. J Ethnopharmacol. 2008;116:341–57.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Disler M, Ivemeyer S, Hamburger M, Vogl C, Tesic A, Klarer F, Meier B, Walkenhorst M. Ethnoveterinary herbal remedies used by farmers in four north-eastern swiss cantons (St. Gallen, Thurgau, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden). J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2014;10:32.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
23.
Schmid K, Ivemeyer S, Vogl C, Klarer F, Meier B, Hamburger M, Walkenhorst M. Traditional use of herbal remedies in livestock by farmers in 3 swiss cantons (Aargau, Zurich, Schaffhausen). Forsch Komplementarmed. 2012;19:125–36.CrossRef
24.
25.
Cornara L, La Rocca A, Marsili S, Mariotti MG. Traditional uses of plants in the eastern Riviera (Liguria, Italy). J Ethnopharmacol. 2009;125:16–30.CrossRefPubMed
26.
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 Ethnopharmacol. 2013;145:517–29.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Vitalini S, Tomè F, Fico G. Traditional uses of medicinal plants in Valvestino (Italy). J Ethnopharmacol. 2009;121:106–16.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Mattalia G, Quave CL, Pieroni A. Traditional uses of wild food and medicinal plants among Brigasc, Kyé, and Provençal communities on the western Italian alps. Genet Resour Crop Evol. 2013;60:587–603.CrossRef
29.
Bernhard HR, editor. Research methods in anthropolgy- qualitative and quantitative approaches. Walnut Creek, USA: Altamira Press; 2006.
30.
31.
Lauber K, Wagner G, editors. Flora Helvetica, Bern- Stuttgart- Wien: Haupt Verlag; 2007.
32.
Europäisches Arzneibuch Grundwerk, Ph.Eur. 8.0: Stuttgart, Deutscher Apothekerverlag, 2014
33.
34.
Löscher W, Ungemach FR, Kroker R, editors. Grundlagen der Pharmakotherapie bei Haus- und Nutztieren. Berlin und Hamburg: Verlag Paul Parey; 1994.
35.
Bigi D, Zanon A. Atlante delle razze autoctone. Bovini, Equini, Ovicaprini, Suini allevati in Italia Edagricole–Edizioni Agricole de Il Sole. 2008;24:2–90.
36.
37.
Hovi M, Sundrum A, Thamsborg SM. Animal health and welfare in organic livestock production in europe: Current state and future challenges. Livest Prod Sci. 2003;80:41–53.CrossRef
38.
Benoit M, Laignel G. Constraints under organic farming on french sheepmeat production: A legal and economic point of view with an emphasis on farming systems and veterinary aspects. Vet Res. 2002;33:613–24.CrossRefPubMed
39.
Reichling J, Gachnian- Mirtscheva R, Frater- Schröder M, Saller R, Rabinovich MI, Widmaier W, editors. Heilpflanzenkunde für die Veterinärparxis. Heidelberg: Springer Verlag; 2008.
40.
ESCOP. The Scientific Foundation for Herbal Medicinal Products: ESCOP Monographs, completely revised and expanded. 2nd ed. Stuttgart: Georg Thieme Verlag; 2003.
41.
Umek A, Kreft S, Kartnig T, Heydel B. Quantitative phytochemical analyses of six hypericum species growing in slovenia. Planta Med. 1999;65:388–90.CrossRefPubMed
42.
Meier B. Herbal medicinal products of St John’s Wort: manufacturing and quality control. In: Ernst E, editor. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants – Industrial Profiles, Volume Genus Hypericum. London, New York: Taylor & Francis; 2003. p. 106–36.
43.
Akerreta S, Calvo MI, Cavero RY. Ethnoveterinary knowledge in navarra (Iberian Peninsula). J Ethnopharmacol. 2010;130:369–78.CrossRefPubMed
44.
González JA, García-Barriuso M, Amich F. Ethnoveterinary medicine in the arribes del duero, western Spain. Vet Res Commun. 2011;35:283–310.CrossRefPubMed
45.
Viegi L, Pieroni A, Guarrera PM, Vangelisti R. A review of plants used in folk veterinary medicine in italy as basis for a databank. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003;89:221–44.CrossRefPubMed
46.
Meier B, Knöss W, Wenng A, Saller R. Blick in die Zukunft pflanzlicher Arzneimittel. Forsch Komplementmed. 2014;21 Suppl 1:29–34.
47.
Saller R, Melzer J, Meng G, von Mandanach U, Fürer K, Schwabl H, Vennos C. Wirksamkeitsnachweis in der Phytotherapie. Forsch Komplementarmed. 2014;21 Suppl 1:19–28.
Metadata
Title
Swiss ethnoveterinary knowledge on medicinal plants – a within-country comparison of Italian speaking regions with north-western German speaking regions
Authors
Maria Mayer
Mirjam Zbinden
Christan R. Vogl
Silvia Ivemeyer
Beat Meier
Michele Amorena
Ariane Maeschli
Matthias Hamburger
Michael Walkenhorst
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1746-4269
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-016-0106-y

Other articles of this Issue 1/2017

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 1/2017 Go to the issue

Research

Ethnobotanical knowledge acquisition during daily chores: the firewood collection of pastoral Maasai girls in Southern Kenya

Research

Agrobiodiversity and in situ conservation in ethnic minority communities of Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province, Southwest China

Research

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used as insects repellents in six malaria endemic localities of Cameroon

Research

Knowledge, attitudes and practices in tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) use and conservation in Eastern Uganda

Research

Are identities oral? Understanding ethnobotanical knowledge after Irish independence (1937–1939)

Research

Evaluating fishermen’s conservation attitudes and local ecological knowledge of the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus), Peniche, Portugal