Plants Used for Tick and Tick-Borne Disease Control in South Africa: Ethnoveterinary Knowledge, Bioactivity Evidence, and Translation Pathways.

ABSTRACT: Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) impose a heavy burden on South African livestock systems, particularly in resource-limited communal areas. Conventional acaricides are effective but face rising challenges of resistance, high costs, and concerns for environmental and human health. As a result, there is growing interest in plant-based tick control rooted in ethnoveterinary knowledge. This review examines the landscape of South African ethnoveterinary practices for tick control and assesses the supporting evidence of bioactivity and pathways for translating these remedies into safe, registered products. A narrative review method was applied, drawing on the literature (2000-2025) from databases and local repositories, with emphasis on South African studies documenting plant use against tic

SUBMITTER: Makwarela TG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12737041 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature