Ethno-medicinal study of plants used for treatment of buffalo ailments by traditional healers in Marwar region, Rajasthan, India

The objective of this current investigation was to explore the ethnoveterinary practices concerning plant use and formulation techniques in an undisclosed area of India. Additionally, the study aimed to identify potential medicinal plants with notable consensus factor and fidelity values for subsequent in vitro analysis. A total of 60 individuals were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire to gather information. Within the study area, 63 medicinal plants from 40 different families were documented for treating ailments in buffaloes. Notably, the Amaranthaceae family was most frequently cited for buffalo treatment. Analysis of growth forms revealed a dominance of woody plants, with shrubs comprising 30.16% and trees 28.57%, followed by herbs at 31.16% and climbers at 09.52%. A majority of the plants were found to be wild (63.49%) and perennial (73.01%). Leaves and roots were the preferred plant parts for remedies, followed by whole plants and seeds. The informant consensus factor (ICF) ranged from 0.83 for ophthalmic and poison effects to 0.97 for respiratory ailments, indicating a strong consensus among traditional healers regarding plant usage for various ailments. Vernoia cinerea exhibited the highest Fidelity Level (FL) value (81.25%), followed by Tecomella undulate (72.72%) and Curcuma longa (71.11%). Plants with high ICF and FL values warrant further investigation through phytochemical and pharmacological studies to validate their efficacy scientifically.