Medicinal plants – an underestimated option to treat gastrointestinal diseases in pigs?

Medicinal plants that have the potential to prevent or treat gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases in calves and piglets (modified from Ayrle et al 2016)4 Common name Latin name Characteristics Garlic Allium sativum Antibacterial, antiprotozoal, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrhoeal, immunostimulant Peppermint Mentha x piperita Antibacterial, antidiarrhoeal, spasmolytic Sage Salvia officinalis Antibacterial, antiprotozoal, antidiarrhoeal, immunostimulant, spasmolytic Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea Antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant Thyme Thymus vulgaris Antibacterial, bronchospasmolytic Mashmallow Althaea officinalis Antitussive Black and green tea Camellia sinensis Anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant Liquorice Glycyrrhiza glabra Anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant What you need to know Due to the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, there is currently much interest in using medicinal plants as an alternative to antibiotics. Outbreaks of postweaning diarrhoea can occur suddenly, and morbidity may be up to 50 per cent.5,6 In a study summarised on p 316 of this issue of Vet Record, Ayrle and colleagues evaluated the effect of oral garlic supplementation on certain performance (bodyweight and daily weight gain) and health (body condition and clinical score) variables in postweaning pigs in Switzerland.7 It was hypothesised that garlic supplementation would reduce the incidence and severity of postweaning diarrhoea. Effects of dietary supplementation of fermented garlic powder on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility, blood characteristics and faecal microbial concentration in weanling pigs.