PLANTS AND ETHNOVETERINARY PRACTICES IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

Ethnoveterinary practices in Sri Lanka were in use from time immemorial. This system oftreatments rely on the herbal species available and their medicinal value. These traditionalpractices descended from generation to generation had become a culture in the socioeconomiclife of the people and the ones who practice these traditional systems of treatmentpossessed a high status in the society. The evidence of practising this system of treatmentsis not confined only to Sri Lanka. but to the whole of Asia and Africa. In Asia it isbelieved that this is one of the major branches of Ayurveda. In India. enthnoveterinarypractices using various plants were recorded during 1200 B.C. Even during King Asoka'speriod these herbal based treatments were used to treat animal. The Sri Lankancthnovctcrinary practices has its roots from India. According to the history. king Rawanahas a team of physicians to treat animals headed by Sushena. With Mahinda. a group ofAyurvedic scholars had also arrived and settled at Anuradhapura. In thc 3 century. kingDutugemunu has his physicians treated his Royal elephant. King Buddadasa (337 to 365A.D.) himself was a physician and treated animals. In addition to Ayurvcda. time to timeSiddha system and Unani systems were introduced to Sri Lanka by the Hindu Tamils andMuslims. respectively.

Sri Lanka being an island and its strategic location. it is rich in florist biodiversity toaccommodate many species of plants both endemic and indigenous. These plants havebeen widely used in the Ethnoveterinary practices. Almost all the plant parts arc used intreatment and commonly called "pas panguva" including flower, fruit. leal'. whole plant.rhizome, root. bark. seed. stem and juice. The active ingredients are alkaloids.polyphenolic compounds, saponin. glucoside. essential oils. sterol. inorganic and organicsalts etc. These medicinal plants are used in the Ethnoveterinary practices as decoctions.infusions. powder. juice, poultice or paste. bolus etc. These preparations are used indrenching. force feeding. topical application. nasal application, vaginal application, analapplication. fumigation and hanging bouquet. Presently. many plant species of medicinalvalue and their populations are rapidly diminishing due to so called development and lackof awareness. On the other hand these traditional systems arc either not passed down tonext generation or the present generation is not interested. Therefore. they are suhjected toa natural death with time. Another aspect for the rapid disappearance of this traditionaltreatment system is the invasion hy the allopathic therapy.

Effective action is needed to both conserve these traditional Ethnoveterinay systems andpropagate and conserve these medicinally important plants for the future.