Plant resources used for traditional ethnoveterinary phytotherapy in Sardinia (Italy)

Abstract

The diffusion of herbal remedies for therapies on domestic animals in Sardinia (Italy) was investigated by means of expeditions in the regional territory. The monitoring of knowledge related to plant species utilised in the past for traditional veterinary practices, favoured the recovery of ancient local traditions related to veterinary ethnobotany. Forty two species with several properties have been recorded and compared to uses on domestic animals in other Italian regions. Therapeutic uses of the same plant species for humans and animals in Sardinia have also been compared. The identification of plant species traditionally used for veterinary practices from the local flora could be also potentially useful for the isolation of natural extracts of phytotherapic interest to increase animal welfare and quality of animal productions in organic farming.

Annexe I

 

Therapeutical properties of plant species referred by animal breeders during the interviews and obtained from recent literature about phytotherapic practices on humans in Sardinian territories

Plant species	Therapeutical properties
	For domestic animals referred during the present Sardinian investigation	For humans from recent ethnobotanic literature about Sardinian territories
Allium cepa L.	Carminative	Antidermatosic, haemostatic, antiseptic, bechic, antiasthmatic, laxative, emetic, vasodilator, antidiabetic, anthelmintic, emollient, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic (Atzei 2003) Antidermatosic (Ballero et al. 2001) Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiotalgic, hepatic, antiseptic, antiasthmatic, anti-herpetic (Palmese et al. 2001) Anthelmintic, digestive, expectorant, antiodontalgic (Loi et al. 2004)
Allium sativum L.	Anthelmintic, antiseptic	Antiseptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antidermatosic, disinfectant, carminative, bechic, anthelmintic, digestive, carminative, hemostatic, hypotensive, hypoglycemic, astringent, anti-haemorroids, febrifuge, diuretic (Atzei 2003) Bechic, anthelmintic, stomatic, antidermatosic, anti-haemorroids, antirheumatic (Ballero et al. 2001) Antiodontalgic, Anti-inflammatory, lenitive, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antineuralgic, vermifuge, antipyretic, antihypertensive, depurative (Palmese et al. 2001) Antiphlogistic, spasmolytic (Loi et al. 2004)
Anagyris foetida l.	Anti-inflammatory	Emetic, laxative, emmenagogue, abortive, antiasthmatic, analgesic, antidermatosic, parasiticide (Atzei 2003)
Apium nodiflorum (L.) Lag. subsp. nodiflorum	Stomatic, appetizing	Depurative, antiphlogistic, diuretic, laxative, tonic, hypertensive (Atzei 2003) Diuretic, laxative, appetizing, antiphlogistic (Loi et al. 2004)
Arundo donax L.	Anthelmintic	Disinfectant, emostatic, vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, astringent, diuretic, appetizing, emmenagogue, diaphoretic, galattogogue, haemostatic, plaster (Atzei 2003) Vulnerary, antiotalgic (Ballero et al. 2001) Haemostatic, vulnerary, antiseptic, emmenagogue, diuretic, diaphoretic, galactagogue (Palmese et al. 2001)
Calamintha nepeta (L.) Savi s. l.	Vermifuge	Nervine, antispasmodic, balsamic, antitussive, anticatarrhal, antielminthic, decongestant, tonic, stomachic, anti-diarrhoeic, digestive, vulnerary, poultice for burns, analgesic, antiodontalgic (Atzei 2003)
Cicer arietinum L.	Anti-inflammatory	Diuretic, emmenagogue, galactagogue, antiaphonic, refreshing, vulnerary, antidermatosic (Atzei 2003)
Cistus creticus L. subsp. eriocephalus (Viv.) Greuter et Burdet	Antiseptic	Revulsive, antidermatosic, tonic
Crataegus monogyna Jacq.	Anti-inflammatory	Cardiotonic, vasodilator, nervine, antispasmodic, febrifuge, diuretic, antirheumatic, anticoagulant, anticholesterolemic, tonic, anti-diarrhoeic, antineuralgic, antiodontalgic, antidermatosic, abortive (Atzei 2003) Sedative, analgesic (Loi et al. 2004)
Cynoglossum officinale L.	Antiseptic
Daphne gnidium L.	Anti-dysenteric	Purgative, analgesic, antidermatosic, rubefacient, antirheumatic, antiodontalgic (Atzei 2003) Antiodontalgic antichilblains (Ballero et al. 2001)
Daucus carota L. s. l.	Astringent	Digestive, carminative, anti-diarrhoeic, vermifuge, antiaphonic, expectorant, depurative, hypoglycaemic, anti-anaemic, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactagogue (Atzei 2003) Resolvent, carminative, vulnerary, emmenagogue, diuretic, galactagogue, hypoglycaemic, anti-diarrhoeic (Palmese et al. 2001) Stimulant, diuretic, astringent (Loi et al. 2004)
Dipsacus fullonum L.	Antiseptic	Digestive, antidermatosic, ophthalmic (Atzei 2003)
Euphorbia characias L.	Revulsive	Rubefacient, vesicatory, antichilblains, antiwarts, antidermatosic, purgative, emetic, antiasthmatic (Atzei 2003)
Ficus carica L.	Antiseptic, balsamic	Antiwarts, antidermatosic, analgesic (Atzei 2003)
Hedera helix L. s. l.	Analeptic	Emetic, purgative, odontalgic, resolvent, antidermatosic, disinfectant, antitussive, analgesic, cardiotonic, antiodontalgic, ophthalmic, vasoconstrictor, antiecchymotic, nervine, antirheumatic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory (Atzei 2003) Antidermatosic (Ballero et al. 2001), Decongestant (Loi et al. 2004)
Hordeum vulgare L.	Anti-diarrhoeic, refreshing, stomatic	Antidermatosic, ophtalmic, anthelmintic, antiemetic, anti-diarrhoeic, aperient, bechic, balsamic (Atzei 2003) Stomatic, ophtalmic (Ballero et al. 2001) Anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, decongestant, emollient, bechic, laxative, depurative (Palmese et al. 2001) Laxative (Loi et al. 2004)
Lavatera olbia L.	Anti-diarrhoeic	Decongestant, antirheumatic, hepatic, digestive, antitussive, laxative, antidermatosic, emollient, antiflogistic (Atzei 2003) Antidermatosic, laxative, antitussive, hepatic, anti-inflammatory (Ballero et. al., 2001)
Linum strictum L. s. l.	Anti-spasmodic, depurative
Malva sylvestris L.	Anti-diarrhoeic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, carminative, depurative, emollient, sedative	Emollient, anti-inflammatory, bechic, expectorant, decongestant, antiasthmatic, stomatic, digestive, stomachic, analeptic, carminative, hepatic, refreshing, laxative, analgesic, anti-diarrhoeic, antispasmodic, cholagogue, antidote, antidermatosic, depurative, hypotensive, antipyretic, nervine, emmenagogue, disinfectant, vulnerary, lenitive, resolvent, ophtalmic, odontalgic, antipruritic, foot care, antiecchymotic, antirheumatic (Atzei 2003 Anti-inflammatory, bechic, laxative, antidermatosic, stomatic, anti-chilblain, vulnerary, antihaemorrhoidal (Ballero et al. 2001) Laxative, depurative, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-oedematous, resolvent, lenitive, antiseptic (Palmese et al. 2001) Anti-inflammatory, odontalgic, stomatic, aperient, diuretic, laxative, odontalgic, antidermatosic, hypotensive, analeptic, emollient (Loi et al. 2004)
Matricaria chamomilla L.	Anti-spasmodic, carminative, bronchial spasmolytic	Analgesic, antispasmodic, digestive, nervine, tonic, stomachic, analeptic, anti-diarrhoeic, hepatic, depurative, hypotensive, expectorant, decongestant, antipyretic, emmenagogue, anthelmintic, ophthalmic, odontalgic, stomatic, antidermatosic (Atzei 2003) Sedative, astringent, antiemetic, ophthalmic (Ballero et al. 2001) Sedative, antispasmodic, ophthalmic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhoeic, antipyretic, emmenagogue, anti-oedematous (Palmese et al. 2001) Sedative, anti-inflammatory, ophthalmic, laxative, decongestant, hypnotic (Loi et al. 2004)
Nasturtium officinale R. Br subsp. officinale	Stomatic	Digestive, appetizing, laxative, hepatic, anthelmintic, diuretic, lithontripic, depurative, hypertensive, antianaemic, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, emmenagogue, analgesic, odontalgic, antidermatosic, analeptic, refreshing, febrifuge, expectorant, bechic (Atzei 2003) Digestive, anticatarrhal, cleansing agent (Loi et al. 2004)
Nicotiana tabacum L.	Antiseptic, vermifuge
Olea europaea L. (= Olea europaea L. var. europaea)	Antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, carminative, laxative	Febrifuge, antimalarial, hypotensive, hypoglycaemic, stomatic, odontalgic, antihaemorrhoidal, diuretic, laxative, analgesic, hepatic, anthelmintic, emollient, antidermatosic, anti-inflammatory, colagogue, emetic, vulnerary, antirheumatic, parasiticide, spasmolytic, lenitive (Atzei 2003) Antidermatosic, vulnerary, laxative, hypotensive, antihaemorrhoidal (Ballero et al. 2001) Anti-oedematous, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, spasmolytic, lenitive, vulnerary, antidermatosic, anti-hypertensive, laxative, hepatic, emollient, hypoglycaemic, antihaemorrhoidal (Palmese et al. 2001) Hypotensive, febrifuge (Loi et al. 2004)
Olea europaea L. (= Olea europaea L. var. sylvestris)	Reconstituent	Antypiretic, antimalarial, hypotensive, anti-diarrhoeic, hepatic, astringent, lenitive, antiseptic, colagogue, laxative, stomatic, antidermatosic, anti-chilblains (Atzei 2003)
Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.	Anti-diarrhoeic	Antacid, astringent, antidermatosic, anti-inflammatory, emollient, antiseptic, odontalgic, antichilblains, antirheumatic, lenitive, nervine, antihaemorrhoidal, vulnerary, antiphlogistic, analgesic, antirheumatic, antichiblains, emetic, expectorant, vulnerary (Atzei 2003) Antidermatosic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, expectorant (Ballero et al. 2001) Lenitive, anti-oedematous, sedative, antiseptic, odontalgic, vulnerary, antidermatosic (Palmese et al. 2001) Antidermatosic, lenitive (Loi et al. 2004)
Parietaria officinalis L.	Anti-diarrhoeic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, expectorant	Digestive, emollient, antiphlogistic, refreshing, hepatic, laxative, anti-diarrhoeic, carminative, analgesic, antiseptic, diuretic, antispasmolitic, decongestant, demulcent, expectorant, hypotensive, depurative, anticholeterolemic, hypoglycaemic, antihaemorrhoidal, emollient, anti-inflammatory, sedative, nervine, emmenagogue, diaphoretic, antipyretic, refreshing, antimalarial, vulnerary, resolvent, antidermatosic, stomatic, ophtalmic (Atzei 2003) Febrifuge, antitussive, antihaemorrhoidal (Ballero et al. 2001) Spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory, lenitive, antidermatosic, emollient, antihaemorrhoidal, lithontripic, analgesic, diuretic, sedative, hypoglycemic (Palmese et al. 2001) Anti-inflammatory, odontalgic, stomachic, digestive, hepatic, antispastic, diuretic (Loi et al. 2004)
Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nym.	Carminative	Diuretic, lithontripic, stomachic, digestive, carminative, laxative, hepatic, analgesic, antiacid, emmenagogue, galactofuge, abortive, depurative, tonic, sedative, antianaemic, febrifuge, hypotensive, expectorant, anthelmintic, spasmolytic, resolvent, antidote, ophtalmic, odontalgic (Atzei 2003) Hypotensive, antacid (Loi et al. 2004)
Pistacia lentiscus L.	Antiseptic, carminative, laxative	Stomatic, antidermatosic, astringent, analgesic, odontalgic, vulnerary, antirheumatic, antichilblains, antitumor, antipruritic, haemostatic, expectorant, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, astrringent, tonic, antiseptic, styptic, antiphlogistic (Atzei 2003) Antidermatosic, antichilblains, hepatic, antirheumatic, antitussive, stomatic (Ballero et al. 2001) Antiseptic, vulnerary, lenitive, antirheumatic, antiarthritic, vesicatory, expectorant, analgesic, vulnerary, stomachic, spasmolytic, antiseptic, odontalgic, antiviral, astringent (Palmese et al. 2001) Antacid (Loi et al. 2004)
Plantago major L. s. l.	Anti-inflammatory, vulnerary	Astringent, antidiarrhoeic, febrifuge, emollient, bechic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antianaemic, emmenagogue, abortifacient, depurative, analgesic, emostatic, vulnerary, stomatic, antidermatosic, antipruritic, odontalgic, antineuralgic, ophtalmic (Atzei 2003)
Prunus spinosa L. subsp. spinosa	Antiseptic, vermifuge	Astringent, antidiarrhoeic, antiphlogistic, antidermatosic, antipyretic, antimalaric, expectorant, antitussive, antiasthmatic (Atzei 2003)
Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn	Anti-spasmodic, carminative, vermifuge	Antirheumatic, analgesic, hypotensive, anthelmintic, purgative, depurative, anti-inflammatory, antiarthrosis (Atzei 2003)
Pyrus spinosa Forssk.	Anti-inflammatory	Antidermatosic, antidiarrhoeic (Atzei 2003)
Quercus suber L.	Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, vulnerary	Astringent, anti-diarrhoeic, antidermatosic, expectorant, hypnotic, anticoagulant, emostatic, vulnerary, anti-oedematous, analgesic, antirheumatic (Atzei 2003)
Sambucus nigra L.	Antiseptic	Decongestant, antiasthmatic, analgesic, stomatic, antidermatosic, laxative, antirheumatic, diuretic, hydrogogue, emetic, depurative, resolvent, antipyretic, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, astringent, lenitive, purgative, antihaemorrhoidal, ophthalmic, emollient, antiphlogistic, anti-oedematous, sedative, nervine, odontalgic, resolvent, anti-rheumatic, antiseptic, galactofuge, antiviral, bechic, expectorant, antitussive, digestive, carminative, stomatic, hepatic, antineuralgic, antispasmodic (Atzei. 2003) Odontalgic, ophthalmic, analgesic (Ballero et al. 2001) Anti-rheumatic, analgesic, spasmolytic, ophthalmic, antidermatosic, bechic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, carminative, laxative, antiviral, resolvent, anti-neuralgic, decongestant, antiseptic, astringent, demulcent (Palmese et al. 2001) Anti-inflammatory, ophthalmic, cardiac (Loi et al. 2004)
Smilax aspera L.	Antiseptic	Antimalaric, diaphoretic, depurative, antiasthmatic, lenitive, antirheumatic, antidermatosic, hypotensive, diuretic, anti-diarrhoeic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antitussive, antiseptic, rubefaciens, revulsive, antihaemorroidal, odontalgic, bechic, hepatic, anthelmintic, colagogue, antacid, antispasmodic, astringent, lithontripic, analgesic, antirheumatic, antichilblains, emmenagogue, antiarthritis, rubefacient (Atzei 2003) Antirheumatic, antidermatosic (Ballero et al. 2001) Antirheumatic, anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, lithontripic, anti-asthmatic, depurative, spasmollytic, odontalgic, antidermatosic, hypotensive (Palmese et al. 2001) Laxative, depurative, cholagogue, diuretic, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, stomatic, bechic, antispasmolitic, febrifuge, anti-rheumatic (Loi et al. 2004)
Smyrnium olusatrum L.	Eupeptic, tonic	Carminative, appetizer, antichilblains (Atzei 2003)
Umbilicus rupestris (Salisb.) Dandy	Anti-diarrhoeic, antiseptic, depurative, febrifuge	Diuretic, hepatic, emollient, anti-inflammatory, vulnerary, antidermatosic, anti-oedematous, resolvent, analgesic, antihaemorroidal, ophthalmic, emostatic, lenitive, resolvent (Atzei 2003) Odontalgic, antidermatosic (Ballero et al. 2001) Antiseptic, antidermatosic, antihaemorroidal (Palmese et al. 2001)
Urtica dioica L. subsp. dioica	Anti-inflammatory	Purgative, astringent, anti-diarrhoeic, carminative, decongestant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, stomachic, hepatic, colagogue, digestive, diuretic, depurative, antidermatosic, hypoglycaemic, antidiabetic, hypotensive, antianaemic, antihaemorrhoidal, antirheumatic, galactogogue, analeptic, antiphlogistic, stomatic, emostatic, antioedematous, vulnerary, antichilblains, astringent, revulsive, anti-inflammatory, rubefaciens stimulant (Atzei 2003) Digestive, diuretic, antitussive, anti-inflammatory, febrifuge, antidermatosic, antichilblains, anti-haemorroidal (Ballero et al. 2001) Anti-haemorroidal, antirheumatic, hepatic, laxative, neuralgic, depurative (Loi et al. 2004)
Vicia faba L.	Anti-diarrhoeic	Resolvent, lenitive, antidermatosic, antacid, analgesic, anti-diarrhoeic, antipyretic, vulnerary, anti-oedematous (Atzei 2003) Analgesic, antidermatosic, vulnerary (Ballero et al. 2001) Analgesic (Palmese et al. 2001)
Vitis vinifera L. s. l.	Anti-inflammatory, carminative, purgative, stomatic, stimulanting, anthelmintic	Vulnerary, antidermatosic, antihaemorrhoidal, emostatic, antiphlogistic, anti-diarrhoeic, galactofuge, ophthalmic, febrifuge, analgesic, antiasthmatic, odontalgic, anti-inflammatory, febrifuge, antihypotensive, disinfectant, emopoietic, antiodontalgic, antipyretic, antichilblains, kidney, antiherpetic (Atzei 2003) Antidermatosic, bechic, antiphlogistic, diuretic, insecticide, odontalgic, emmenagogue (Ballero et al. 2001). Anti-parasitic, febrifuge, anti-inflammatory, antioedematous, analgesic (Palmese et al. 2001)