Ethnopharmacological practices by livestock farmers in Uganda: Survey experiences from Mpigi and Gulu districts

Nabukenya, Immaculate; Rubaire-Akiiki, Chris; Olila, Deogracious; Ikwap, Kokas; Höglund, Johan

doi:10.1186/1746-4269-10-9

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine

Table 3 Plants used to treat different diseases/conditions and how they are used

From: Ethnopharmacological practices by livestock farmers in Uganda: Survey experiences from Mpigi and Gulu districts

Relative availability*; IUCN status^a	Voucher number	Family	Species and common name***	Vernacular name (*Luganda, Acholi*)	Habit; part used****	Preparation method (Amounts vary with species and age of animal)
Disease/condition: Helminthosis in all livestock and poultry
Common weed, invasive: +++; NE	NI 039	Euphorbiaceae	Euphorbia heterophylla Linn. Klotzsch & Garcke (Milk weed)	Kisandasanda	H; L	- Boil leaves and drench (too much causes diarrhoea)
Rare weed by road sides: +; NE	NI 002	Caesalpinaceae	Senna occidentalis (L.) Link (Stinking weed)	Muttanjoka; Ayila	S; L, R	- Pound roots, add water and rock salt then drench
Rare weed by road sides: +; NE	NI 002	Caesalpinaceae	Senna occidentalis (L.) Link (Stinking weed)	Muttanjoka; Ayila	S; L, R	- Crush fresh leaves, or use dried powder, add water and drench
Ubiquitous, easily located: ++; NE	NI 003	Asteraceae	Vernonia amygdalina Delile Kuntze^a (Bitter leaf)	Mululuza; Labwori	S; L, R, B	- Crush fresh leaves, add water and drench
						- Boil roots with water and give to drink
						- Give animal that has just delivered fresh leaves to eat
Rare due to restrictions: +; NE	NI 036	Cannabaceae	Cannabis sativa (Lam.) E. Small & Cronquist ^b (Hemp, Marijuana)	Njaga; Lakera	H; L, S	- Crush fresh leaves or add dried powder and mix with water
Rare due to restrictions: +; NE	NI 036	Cannabaceae		Njaga; Lakera	H; L, S	- Crush, mix with water and crude lake salt and give to drink
Wild, some grow it: ++; NE; APP II*	NI 038	Xanthorrhoeaceae	Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f (Babados aloe)	Kigaji	H; L	- Slice and boil the leaves and give to drink
Wild, some grow it: ++; NE; APP II*	NI 038	Xanthorrhoeaceae	Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f (Babados aloe)	Kigaji	H; L	- Slice fresh leaves and add to feeds
Commonly grown for sale: +++; NE	NI 021	Solanaceae	Nicotiana tabacum L. (Tobacco)^c,d	Taaba; Muvuavui	H; L	- Crush leaves and mix with water then drench
Commonly grown for sale: +++; NE	NI 021	Solanaceae	Nicotiana tabacum L. (Tobacco)^c,d	Taaba; Muvuavui	H; L	- Boil dried leaves, leave to cool and drench
Commonly eaten in households: +++; NE	NI 040	Solanaceae	Capsicum annuum (Dunal) Heiser & Pickersgill	Kamulali; Obolo	H; L, Fr	- Crush fruits or leaves, mix with ash and water then drench
Commonly eaten in households: +++; NE	NI 040	Solanaceae	Capsicum annuum (Dunal) Heiser & Pickersgill	Kamulali; Obolo	H; L, Fr	- Crush fruits or leaves and mix with tobacco or cannabis and ash then drench
Common fruit: +++; VU	NI 037	Caricaceae	Carica papaya L. Linn. (Pawpaw)	Papaali; Owak	T; R, S	- Roots crushed, boiled with water and little paraffin, then drench
Common fruit: +++; VU	NI 037	Caricaceae	Carica papaya L. Linn. (Pawpaw)	Papaali; Owak	T; R, S	- Dried seeds crushed and boiled with water, then drench
Ubiquitous: ++; NE	NI 005	Lamiaceae	Tetradenia riparia (Hochst.) Codd (Ginger-bush)	Kyewamala; Omwombyer	S; L	- Crush leaves, mix with water and give to drink - Crush leaves and put on the wound
Ubiquitous: ++; NE	NI 005	Lamiaceae	Tetradenia riparia (Hochst.) Codd (Ginger-bush)	Kyewamala; Omwombyer	S; L	- Drench with decoction before calf suckles (ECF)
Ubiquitous by roadsides: +++; NE	NI 001	Caesalpinaceae	Senna hirsuta (L.) H. S. Irwin & Barneby (Stinking cassia)	Gasia; Coga macon	S; L	- Boil dry leaves with little rock salt and drench or crush fresh leaves and drench.
Ubiquitous by roadsides: +++; NE	NI 001	Caesalpinaceae		Gasia; Coga macon	S; L	- Cut and give the animals as fodder
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 004	Leguminosae	Tephrosia vogelii Hook f. (Fish-poison bean)	Muluku; Kineke	S; L	- Crush fresh leaves and drench
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 004	Leguminosae	Tephrosia vogelii Hook f. (Fish-poison bean)	Muluku; Kineke	S; L	- Boil dried leaves, cool and drench
Cultivated: ++; NE	NI 032	Euphorbiaceae	Jatropha curcas Linn. McVaugh (Purging nut)	Kiloowa; Olwiro	S; L, Fr	- Crush fresh leaves and fruits then drench
Cultivated: ++; NE	NI 032	Euphorbiaceae	Jatropha curcas Linn. McVaugh (Purging nut)	Kiloowa; Olwiro	S; L, Fr	- Crush leaves and put on the wound
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 033	Euphorbiaceae	Ricinus communis Linn. (Castor oil)	Nsogasoga; Laliya	S; L, S	- Decoction by boiling leaves and crushed seeds; cooling and drenching
Wildy growing or planted: ++; NE	NI 006	Meliaceae	Azadirachta indica Linn. A. Juss. (Neem tree)	Niimu; Nyakanyaka	T; L	- Crush fresh leaves and drench
Wildy growing or planted: ++; NE	NI 006	Meliaceae	Azadirachta indica Linn. A. Juss. (Neem tree)	Niimu; Nyakanyaka	T; L	- Crush fruits, boil them, cool and drench
Rare herb: +; NE	NI 031	Leguminosae –Papilionoideae	Pseudarthria confertiflora (A. Rich.) Baker	Kikakala	H; L, B	- Boil leaves or bark for one hour, cool and drench
Common weed, invasive: +++; NE	NI 027	Poaceae	Digitaria abyssinica (A. Rich.) Stapf (Couch grass)	Lumbugu; Coga macon	G; L, R	- Boil leaves and roots, cool then drench
Wildly growing, rare: +; NE	NI 034	Caesalpinaceae	Senna didymobotrya (Fresen.) H. S. Irwin & Barneby (Peanut butter cassia)	Mukyula; Lakera/Lurogo	T; L	- Boil leaves, mixed with Senna occidentalis and drench
Wildly growing, rare: +; NE	NI 034	Caesalpinaceae		Mukyula; Lakera/Lurogo	T; L	- Crush fresh leaves, mix with water and spray on skin (ectoparasites)
Grown in some homes: ++; NE	NI 007	Moringaceae	Moringa oleifera Lam. (Horseradish tree)	Moringa	S; L, Fr	- Crush fresh leaves, add ash and red pepper then drench
Grown in some homes: ++; NE	NI 007	Moringaceae	Moringa oleifera Lam. (Horseradish tree)	Moringa	S; L, Fr	- Boil dried leaves then cool and drench
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 026	Papilionoideae	Erythrina abyssinica Lam. ex DC.^e (Flame tree)	Jirikiti; Lucoro	T; B	- Pound the bark and leave to dry. Soak 3 handfuls of pounded dried bark in water (2 hours) and drench 1 cow or 2 goats.
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 028	Phytolaccaceae	Phytolacca dodecandra L'Her. (Endod)	Luwoko; Olango	H; L, Fr	- Infusion of the leaves, fruits then drench
Disease/ condition – African Swine Fever
Practice 1				Human urine	N/A	- Collect, add ash and ethanol, give orally
Disease/ condition - New Castle Disease
Practice 2				Human urine	N/A	- Mix with ash and rock salt, give to drink
In homes: ++; NE	NI 008	Solanaceae	Capsicum frutescens L. Kuntze (Red pepper)	Kamulali; Pilipili	H; L, Fr	- Add ash + water to freshly squeezed leaves then drench
						- Mix with Cannabis sativa, sisal (Agave sisalana) juice and ash then drench
						- Mix with Aloe spp (Flower and leaf)+ Opium.
Disease/condition: Bovine Ephemeral Fever
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 022	Acanthaceae	Acanthus pubescens (Thomson ex Oliv.) Engl. (Grey goddess)	Amatovu; Achika	S; L	- Beat the legs with ends of the leaves until animal stands
Wildly growing: +; NE	NI 016	Vitaceae	Cyphostemma adenocaule Descoings. ex Wild & R. B. Drumm. (None specified)	Kibombo; Ogali	H; L	- Crush leaves, add ash and drench
In grazing lands: ++; NE	NI 018	Asteraceae	Albizia anthelmintica Brongn (Cherry-blossom tree)	Mweramanyo; Owak	T; L, B	- Decoction from leaves and bark then drench
Common weed: ++; NE	NI 029	Lamiaceae	Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br. (Sun-bird flower)	Kifumufumu; Okwero/ Achika	H; L	- Drench with warm decoction twice daily for three days
Practice 3					N/A	-Drench with decoction from boiled grass hoppers
Disease/condition: Constipation
Rare herb: +; NE	NI 035	Cucurbitaceae	Lagenaria sphaerica (Sond.) Naudin (Wild calabash)	Kifuula; Lango	H; L	- Drench of decoction made by boiling leaves, adding little rock salt and cow ghee
Practice 4				Cooking oil	N/A	Use large bore tube e.g. horse pipe to give orally
Practice 5				Omo liquid/very soapy water	N/A	Give animal to drink
Disease/condition: Theileriosis/ East Coast Fever
In grazing lands: +; NE, APP II*	NI 009	Euphorbiaceae	Euphorbia candelabrum Tremaux ex Kotschy (Toothbrush tree)	Enkukuulu; Acak-Acak	T; La	- Break and drop sap onto the lymph node or wound
In grazing lands: +; NE, APP II*	NI 009	Euphorbiaceae		Enkukuulu; Acak-Acak	T; La	- Decoction drench removes afterbirth
Around paddocks: ++; LC	NI 010	Euphorbiaceae	Euphorbia tirucalli L. Klotzsch & Garcke (Pencil tree)	Lukoni, Labuka	S; La	- Break the leaves and put sap on the lymph nodes or wounds
Rare, in grazing lands: +; NE	NI 025	Lamiaceae	Clerodendrum myricoides (Hochst.) Moldenke Butterfly weed	Mukuzanyana; Okwero	S; R	- Pounded roots put in boiling water for one hour, cooled then drench
						- Same to treat Bovine Ephemeral Fever
						- Same for helminthosis
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 030	Asteraceae	Microglossa pyrifolia (Lam.) Kuntze (Secondary bush)	Akafugankande	S; L, R	- Decoction of the roots then drench to relieve respiratory distress in ECF
Wildly growing: +; NE	NI 012	Euphorbiaceae	Euphorbia umbellata (Pax) Bruyns (African milk bush)	Kafumba	H; L, Fl	- Break leaf and put sap on lymph node; irritate and dry the skin
Condition - Lice, fleas, mites, mange and wounds
Commonly grown: +++; NE	NI 020	Poaceae	Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (Sorghum) - Fermentation residue	Muwemba; Any wagi - Enkanja	G; S	- Mix crushed fruits with roots of Cyphostemma adenocaule and apply on wound
Commonly grown: +++; NE	NI 020	Poaceae		Muwemba; Any wagi - Enkanja	G; S	- Smear on the skin
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 023	Cucurbitaceae	Momordica foetida Schumach. (Snake food)	Bombo; Bomo	H; L	- Water extraction of the leaves, drench
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 015	Lamiaceae	Hoslundia opposita Vahl (White-tipped hemizygia)	Kamunye; Odwongo	S; L, Fl	- Decoction applied daily externally with pressure on the wound for a week or more
Practice 6				Methylated Spirit	N/A	- Apply topically on wounds
Practice 7				Soapy water		- Add OMO^R and wash the skin
Disease/condition: Parturition failure
Grown food: +++; NE	NI 013	Convolvulaceae	Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam (Sweet potato)	Amalagala; Maku	H; L	- Give animal the vines to eat
Grown food: +++; NE	NI 013	Convolvulaceae	Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam (Sweet potato)	Amalagala; Maku	H; L	- Crush leaves without water and smear on the vulva
Disease/condition: Retained placenta
Grazing land weed: ++; NE	NI 014	Poaceae	Hyparrhenia rufa (Nees) Stapf (Jaragua grass)	Ajuu	G; R	- Remove roots from stump, boil for one hour, cool and drench animal
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 019	Anacardiaceae	Rhus natalensis Bernh. ex Krauss (Red cape beech)	Kakwansokwanso; Atakarach	H; L; Fr	- Fresh fruits and leaves are crushed and mixed with water, sieved and drenched
Rare, in forests: +; NE	NI 024	Ebeneceae	Diospyros abyssinica (Hiern) F. White (African ebony)	Mpojwa	T; L, Fr	- Leaves and dried fruits are crushed and a decoction is drenched
Ubiquitous wildly growing: +++; NE	NI 011	Solanaceae	Solanum incanum (L.) Kuntze (Sodom apple)^f	Entengotengo; Ocuga	H; L, Fr	- Smear crushed fresh fruit around the vulva
Ubiquitous wildly growing: +++; NE	NI 011	Solanaceae	Solanum incanum (L.) Kuntze (Sodom apple)^f	Entengotengo; Ocuga	H; L, Fr	- Squeeze sap from burnt fruit to wound
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 017	Solanaceae	Solanum aculeastrum Dunal (C. H. Wright) Bitter (Thorny apple)	Kikutizangalabi	S; Fr	- Squeeze fruits in water or milk then given orally as drench (cough)
Wildly growing: ++; NE	NI 017	Solanaceae		Kikutizangalabi	S; Fr	- Heat ripe fruits and smear on the vulva

*Availability of the plants varies; + Rare or endangered; ++ Available but not common; +++ Ubiquitous and quite common.
**Month and year indicated for collection date.
***One commonly used English name; some have many while others have none as indicated in the table.
****Habit: G: Grass; H: herb; Li: Liana; S: shrub; T: tree.
Plant parts: B - Bark; L - Leaves; La - Latex; Fl - Flowers; Fr - Fruits; R - Roots; S - Seeds.
^aBoil leaves or crush fresh leaves then drench; also used for stomach ache and fever in People or animals.
^bUsed on wounds, spray to prevent mites.
^cCrush and mix with water then spray animal to treat ectoparasites.
^dCrush and boil leaves – drench treats uterine prolapse; decoction also treats cattle skin diseases including mange.
^eAlso for estrus induction (bring animal to heat) and smear on the wounds for wound healing.
^fAlso treats theileriosis and wounds.
Legend Table 3:
A summary of 40 plants and seven practices used in treatment of livestock and chicken diseases in Gulu and Mpigi districts. Details of preparation, plant part used, conservation/biodiversity status, common English, Acholi and Luganda names are provided. Twenty plants were used to treat helminthosis; wounds and ectoparasites (8), Theileriosis (6), retained placenta (5), Bovine Ephemeral Fever (4), and one each for Newcastle disease, uterine prolapse, constipation and retained placenta.

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ISSN: 1746-4269

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