Abstract
Current study was undertaken during summer 2010 in Saudi Arabia, with the aim to investigate the significance of medicinal plants and their use in the treatment of different ailments in livestock. The plants were collected, properly identified, and their folklore traditional uses were recorded. Ethno-veterinary information was collected through the show-and-tell/semi-structured method and personal interviews during field trips. The methodology was largely based on the Sustainable Livelihood Framework, which is based on the premise that livelihood is not about resource productivity but it was about people and their lives. The study revealed 24 plants species to be of ethno-veterinary importance in traditional Saudi Medicine. The major traditional uses were to treat livestock for ailments such as: gastrointestinal disorders, fever, cough, respiratory tract infection, and urinary tract diseases, promote lactation, wound healing, placenta removal, devorming, carminative, and to cure paralysis and flatulence. It was noticed that a few plants were used singly while the others were used in combination with other plants or edible items. It was interesting to notice that some plants species were selectively used to treat a specific disease while several other plants had multiple uses. The data was collected on the local uses; local recipe preparation, application and disease treated for each medicinally important plant species. The data collected and observations made are useful for future record. The study concluded that knowledge of traditional healers about various medicinal plants used for animals health was strongly influenced by information recorded in Traditional Saudi Medicine. The current study accomplished the gaps existing between Traditional Saudi Medicine and the proper use of medicinal plants in animal care. It also became obvious that there was a strong influence on the standardization of plant knowledge among rural populations in Saudi Arabia. However, distinct local use of plants also existed; indicating that plant knowledge specific to the local Badous is alive and practiced. The study recommends scientific validity and toxicity tests of the medicinal plants used in traditional Arab system of medicine. Interestingly, it was observed that a type of interaction existed among the local Bedouins using medicinal plants to treat their animals and the traditional healers and experts practicing Traditional Saudi Medicine in rural population of Saudi Arabia. However, the current study recommended scientific validity and toxicity tests to be conducted on the medicinal plants used in traditional Arab system of medicine.