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Table 5 Summary of plants used for ticks and other ecto parasites control, how they are used and status of availability

From: Ethnoveterinary plants and practices used for ecto-parasite control in semi-arid smallholder farming areas of Zimbabwe

Scientific name & Voucher number

Family name

Local names Shona-S Ndebele-N Shangani-C

Part used

Preparation methods

Target parasites

Availability status

Comments & precautions

Acacia karroo Hayne.

Fabaceae

Muzunga (S)

Root

Leave root in fowl run

Fleas and mites

Always

Safe to use

Nyahangare E 11

Monadenium lugardiae N.E. B.

Euphorbiaceae

Chisvosve (S)

Whole plant

Crush and mix with water 24 h

Ticks, fleas

Always

Handle with care

Nyahangare E 15

Albizia amara (Roxb.)Boiv.

Fabaceae

Umbola (N)

Leaves

Crush leaves + water + spray

Ticks, fleas

Seasonal

Effective

Nyahangare E 38

Aloe excelsa A. Berger.

Aloaceae

Gavakava, Mhangani(S)

Stemmy leaves

Crush leaves, mix with water for 24 h & spray

Fleas, ticks

Seasonal

Safe to use

Nyahangare E 29

Aloe chabaudii Schoenland.

Aloaceae

Inhlaba (N)

Succulent leafy stems

Grind and soak and smear the bird with sticky water

Lice

Always

Very effective

Nyahangare E 37

Bauhinia petersiana Bolle.

Fabaceae

Mutyatyambe (S)

Leaves

Crush leaves, mix with water

Ticks, Goats

Always

Safe to use

Nyahangare E23

Capsicum annuum L.

Solanaceae

Mhiripiri (S)

Fruits

Crush the fruits and mix with soot in water and spray

Ticks

Always

Causes eye irritation

Nyahangare E 69

Carissa edulis (Forssk.) Vahl. Nyahangare E39

Apocynaceae

Umlugulu (N)

Leaves

Grind leaves, mix with water in the ratio 1:4 and spray

Lice and ticks

Seasonal

Wash hands after use

Cucumis anguria L.

Cucurbitaceae

Mujachacha (S) Amagaka (N)

Fruits

Collect ripe fruits (yellow), crush and mix with water and spray

Ticks

Seasonal

Have an itching effect on animals

Nyahangare E47

Ornithogalum sp

Asparagaceae

Chihanyanisi (S)

Roots

Crush and mix with water

Ticks

Always but scarce

Very effective

Nyahangare E59

*

 

Chimwamaruka (S)

Leaves and branches

Crush the leaves and branches and mix with water

Fleas and ticks

Always but scarce

Very effective

Cissus quadrangularis L.

Vitaceae

Chiololo (C), Murunjurunju (S)

Stems

Crush and mix with water to spray

Ticks

Always

Handle with care, has an itchy effect

Nyahangare E6

Psydrax livida (Hiern) Bridson

Rubiaceae

Muvengahonye (S) Umhlahlampethu (N)

Leaves

Crush, mix with water and spray or crush leaves and put on wound or tick infestation site

Ecto parasites

Always

 

Nyahangare E20

Rotheca eriophylla

Lamiaceae

Umnukanja (N) Munukanja (S)

Leaves

Macerate, soak with water and spray

Ticks, Lice and tsetse fly

Always

Very effective and safe to use

Nyahangare E35

Colophospermum mopane (J. Kirk ex Benth.) J. Kirk ex J. Leonard.

Fabaceae

Mopani (S)

Branches and twigs

Burn and apply ashes on animal skin

Ticks, fleas, mites

Always

Safe to use

Nyahangare E41

Combretum imberbe Wawra.

Combretaceae

Muchenarota/Mutsviri (S)

Bark

Ash of the bark and twigs dusted on infestation sites

Ticks

Always

Very effective

Nyahangare E55

Croton gratissimus Burch.

Euphorbiaceae

Inkiza emhlope (N)

Leaves and twigs

Use as bedding in the fowl run

Lice

Always

Very effective

Nyahangare E48

Scientific name & Voucher number

Family name

Local names Shona-S Ndebele-N Shangani-C

Part used

Preparation method

Target parasites

Availability status

Comments & precautions

Ptaeroxylon obliquum (Thunb.) Radlk.

Rutaceae

Umpahla, Umpandula N,

Leaves

Crush leaves, soak in water and spray

Ticks, Fleas, Lice

Always but scarce

Very effective

Nyahangare E27

Euphorbia cooperi L.

Euphorbiaceae

Umhlonhlo (N)

Branches

Smoke the walls of the fowl run with the branches

Fleas

Always

Handle with care

Nyahangare E71

Euphorbia ingens E.Mey.ex Boiss.

Euphorbiacaea

Mukondekonde (S)

Stems

Mix milk sap with water and place on infested sites

Fleas, ticks

Always

Avoid contact with the eyes

Nyahangare E43

Gnidia kraussiana Meisn.

Thymelaeaceae

Chitupatupa (S)

Whole plant

Crush and mix with water to spray

Ticks

Always

Very effective

Nyahangare E70

Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng.

Verbenaceae

Zumbani (S) Umsuzwane (N)

Leaves and branches

Crush leaves mix with water and spray, twigs can also be used as bedding in fowl runs

Ticks, fleas, lice

Always

Safe to use

Nyahangare E46

Maerua edulis Gilg&Gilg-Ben. DeWolf

Capparidaceae

Katunguru (S)

Roots

mix M. edulis roots and S. incanum fruits with water and spray

Ticks

Always

Very effective

Nyahangare E5

Ornithogalum sp

Alliaceae

Masimbe (S)

Bulb

crush bulb, soak in water and spray

Ticks

Always

Very effective

Nyahangare E59

Datura stramonium L.

Solanaceae

Iyoyi (N), Chowa (S)

Leaves

Crush leaves mix with water and spray on animal

Ticks and Lice

Always but scarce

Safe to use

Nyahangare E51

Euclea divinorum Hiern.

Ebenaceae

Muchekesani(S)

Roots

Crush leaves soak in water and spray

Fleas, cattle

Always

 

Nyahangare E15

*

 

Mundorani (S)

Roots

Crush dry roots and mix with water (50 g in 300 ml for 3 days)

Ticks

Always but scarce

Very effective

Vernonia colorata (Willd.) Drake.

Compositae/ Asteraceae

Munyatera (S)

Roots

Crush mix with water for an hour and spray

Ticks

Always but scarce

Very effective

Nyahangare E16

*

 

Muvuwavuwa (S)

Whole plant

Just put the plant in the fowl run

Fleas and lice

Always but scarce

Very effective

Neorautanenia brachypus

Fabaceae

Zhombwe (S)

Bulb

Crush the bulb, mix with water and spray

Fleas, ticks

Always

Avoid water contamination

(Harms) C.A. Sm.

Nyahangare E65

Nicotiana tabacum L.

Solanaceae

Tobacco (E)

Water

Break and mix with water

Ticks

Always

Safe to use

Nyahangare E68

Spirostachys africana Sond.

Euphorbiaceae

Mutovhoti (S)

Barks

Cut barks break and mix with water

Ticks

Seasonal

Very effective

Nyahangare E63

Strychnos spinosa Lam.

Strychnaceae

Matamba (S)

Unripe fruits

Crush unripe fruits, mix with water and spray

Ticks

Always

Very effective

Scientific name & Voucher number

Family name

Local names Shona-S Ndebele-N Shangani-C

Part used

Preparation method

Target pests

Availability status

Comments & precautions

Nyahangare E10

Tagetes minuta L.

Compositae/ Asteraceae

Munyakambanje (S)

Whole plant

Crush and mix with water

Ticks, fleas, mites

Always

Safe to use

Nyahangare E66

Terminalia sericea Burch. ex DC.

Combretaceae

Mususu (S)

Leaves

Crush mix with water for spray

Ticks

Always

Very effective

Nyahangare E36

Strychnos cocculoides Baker.

Strychnaceae

Ubuhlali (N)

Fruit

Squash the fruit and smear contents on animal infested

Lice

Seasonal

Very effective

Nyahangare E45

Vigna unguiculata L.

Leguminosae - Papilionoideae

Cowpea (E)

Pods

Empty pods burnt and ash applied on tick sites

Ticks

Always

Very effective

Nyahangare E67

Xeroderris stuhlmannii

Papilionaceae

Murumanyama (S)

Barks

Crush stems and spread on infestation sites

Fleas, ticks

Always

Very effective

(Taub.)Mendonca &E.P.Sousa Nyahangare E7

Zantedeschia albomaculata (Hook.) Baill.

Araceae

Mufanawembudzi (S)

Stem

Crush, mix with water and drench

Ticks

Always

Very effective

Nyahangare E62

Zanthoxylum capense (Thunb.)Harv. Nyahangare E22

Rutaceae

Mukundanyoka (S)

Stems

Crush stems and spread on infestation sites

Fleas, ticks

Always

Safe to use

Xanthocercis zambesiaca (Baker) Dumaz-le-Grand Nyahangare E8

Fabaceae

Muturufuwa (S)

Bark

Crush the bark and soak in water to form a soapy solution for spraying

Fleas and ticks

Available

Safe to use

Pterocarpus angolensis DC. Nyahangare E32

Papilionoideae

Umvagazi (N) Mubvamaropa

Barks, branches

Mix with water

Ticks

Always

Safe to use

Sansevieria hyacinthoides (L.) Druce. Nyahangare E58

Asparagaceae

Chikwenga (S)/Bushfibre (E) Mashamhanda (S)

Stemmy rhizomes

Squash the stems, mix with water and spray on ticks

Ticks

Always

Handle with care

Senna singueana (Del.) Lock Nyahangare E13

Fabaceae

Mudyamhungu Mukundanyoka (S)

Bark

Crush bark and mix with water

Ticks

Always

User friendly

Solanum incanum L. Nyahangare E61

Solanaceae

Nhundurwa (S)

Fruits

Crush fruits and mix with water

Ticks

Seasonal

Handle with care

Solanum panduriforme E.Mey. Nyahangare E60

Solanaceae

Nhundurwa (S)

Fruits

Crush fruits and mix with water

Ticks

Seasonal

Handle with care

*

 

Chinyaride (S) (fibre like)

Roots and the bulb

Crush the roots/bulb and mix with water

Ticks

Always but scarce

Handle with care

Kleinia sp Nyahangare E50

Asteraceae

Iphunja (N)

Leaves

Crush leaves, mix with water and rub on affected areas

Ticks

Scarce

Very effective

Ricinus communis L. Nyahangare E42

Euphorbiaceae

Umtshafuto (N)

Leaves

Grind leaves and paste on tick infested site

Ticks

Always

Very effective

Osyris lanceolata Hochst. Nyahangare E49

Santalaceae

Ingobamakhosi (N)

Roots

Pestle roots, soak in water and spray

Ticks

Always but scarce

Very effective

  1. * At the time of the survey, samples of these plants could not be found and require further follow up for positive identification.