Abstract
An ethnobotanical study was conducted to investigate the use of medicinal plants Sub region Logo Anseba, Region Gash Barka, of Eritrea. Information was gathered from 100 informants and 25 are traditional healers, using semi-structured questionnaire and the informants were selected systematically. In total 115 species belonging to 90 genera and 49 families were recorded. Taxa commonly used belong to 4 families such as Fabaceae (11.7 %), Lamiaceae (8.3%), Solanaceae (7.5%) and Asteraceae (6.7%) in number of species. Shrubs formed a major component (43.6%) while herbs, trees, climbers and trailing herbs constitute 36.1 %, 17.3 %, 2.3% and 1.5 % respectively. The most frequently used plant parts for the preparations of remedy were leaves (61%), roots (21%), fruits (11%) stem (5%), and latex (2%). These medicinal plant parts were processed in various forms and the major ones include crushing (30.1 %) powdering (18.1 %), boiling (17.3%), chewing taking the solution (12%), unprocessed (8.3%), latex collection (4.5%), smoking/inhaling (3.8%) and chewing (3%). The main threats to medicinal plants in the study area were fire wood, grazing, agricultural expansion, construction and drought. Based on the findings given above the following recommendations are forwarded: further scientific investigations are needed for the isolation of active principles and pharmacological evaluation of different medicinal plant species reported in this study, medicinal plant management and conservation must be integrated in other sectors such as in health to foster better use of plant materials and education to build up awareness for protection and government must also support local medicines and provide incentives to farmers for cultivation of medicinal plants to ensure conservation issues.
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