Selection of Promising Candidates for Herbal Veterinary Medicinal Products: A Strategic Approach

The growing urgency to reduce antimicrobial and antiparasitic use in livestock has renewed scientific interest in medicinal plants as sustainable components of veterinary healthcare. However, the absence of a dedicated regulatory framework for herbal veterinary medicinal products (HVMPs) in the European Union continues to hinder their wider application.

The need for a science-based, multi-criteria framework to identify medicinal plant species as sources of active substances of herbal origin, with the highest potential for future inclusion in a dedicated EU registration pathway for HVMPs, resulted in the establishment of a multidisciplinary expert panel. The panel evaluated over 100 medicinal plant species with documented veterinary application, using a structured scoring system integrating regulatory, pharmacopoeial, toxicological, and sustainability sources. These included regulations and documents related to veterinary, pharmaceutical, food, and feed data, as well as considerations for conservation. Weighted scores reflecting all these aspects were applied to rank the species.

The assessment resulted in the creation of List A, which contains the most promising candidates for future HVMPs, and List B, which compiles plant species whose simplified registration is currently not considered a priority or is not advisable based on the available data. Eighty-three species received positive overall scores. These medicinal plants demonstrate strong regulatory recognition, pharmacopoeial inclusion, and well-documented safety profiles, highlighting their suitability for evidence-based veterinary use.

The proposed framework offers a clear, reproducible method for prioritizing botanical species for regulatory consideration as HVMPs. It supports EU initiatives to enhance sustainable animal health, antimicrobial stewardship, and innovation in veterinary phytotherapy.