This series of web pages will attempt to answer some basic questions about the safety and efficacy of some medicinal plants. More plants will be added as information is available. Please read the introduction before reading about the plants.
Website Contents
The idea of using medicinal plants to treat
livestock is not new. Many of the active ingredients in chemically
manufactured drugs were originally derived from plant compounds
(e.g., the pyrethroids). Also, in many developing countries,
medicinal plants are still being used on a regular basis. (The use
of plants and traditional methods for treating animals is called ethnoveterinary medicine .) There is a
renewed interest, especially in developed countries, in using plants
to treat livestock, pets, and humans. Why? The big questions are: Are medicinal plants effective for
livestock? Are they really safe? Of the hundreds of plants used in
ethnopharmacology, very few have been researched for their efficacy
and toxicity. In the U.S., medicinal plants for humans are
registered with the Food and Drug
Administration. Medicinal plants for livestock currently are not
sold on a wide scale in the U.S. Based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture
regulations, medicinal plants for livestock must meet the same
stringent requirements as other animal drugs if they are to be
registered and approved for use in food producing animals. Just because medicinal plants for livestock have not been
registered, does not mean they are not accessible. How can you know
or decide if a medicinal plant is safe or toxic for your livestock?
Click on the plants list to learn about
what is known and not known about a few plants used in
ethnoveterinary medicine.
When reading about the plants please remember that:
This series of web pages was created by a graduate student at Cornell University. All comments and suggestions are welcome. If you would like to add to this medicinal plant database, please e-mail Webmaster.
WARNING: These web pages are only meant to be informative. Neither Cornell University nor the author of this site endorse or recommend the use of these plants.