title: Traditional use of herbal remedies in livestock by farmers in 3 Swiss cantons (Aargau, Zurich, Schaffhausen).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the extent of traditional knowledge and use of homemade herbal remedies for livestock by farmers in 3 Swiss cantons (Aargau, Zurich, Schaffhausen). The study focused on organic farms.
  
  
  METHODS
  At 21 farms, 24 farmers aged 36-83 years were interviewed with a semi-structured, detailed questionnaire. For each homemade herbal remedy, the plant species, mode of preparation, source of knowledge, and application were gathered. Satisfaction of the farmers with the application was estimated with the aid of a visual analogue scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Information on a total of 165 homemade remedies was collected of which 123 contained a single plant species only (homemade mono-species herbal remedies, HMHR). The 123 HMHR were selected for this paper. They corresponded to 150 different applications and originated from 43 plant species from 30 families. Plants belonging to the families of Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Apiaceae were used most frequently. The single most applied species were Matricaria recutita L., Calendula officinalis L., Symphytum officinale L., and Coffea arabica L. For each formulation, 1-4 different applications were mentioned, most of them for cattle. The main applications were skin alterations and sores, gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases as well as infertility and diseases of the female genitalia. Approximately half of the applications were used during the last 12 months prior to the interview.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that HMHR are used by Swiss farmers for the treatment of different livestock diseases. In general, the farmers were satisfied with the outcome of the applications.
authors: Institute of Pharmacentical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Kathrin
authors: K
authors: Schmid
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Ivemeyer
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Vogl
authors: Franziska
authors: F
authors: Klarer
authors: Beat
authors: B
authors: Meier
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Hamburger
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Walkenhorst
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D029001:Herbal Medicine; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D014730:Veterinary Medicine