Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by local people in treatments of human and livestock ailments in Gasera Woreda, Bale zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia

Plants have been used as a source of traditional medicine in Ethiopia. However, this valuable ethnobotanical knowledge is not formally documented and thus the objective of this study was to investigate ethno-medicinal plants, their preparation and application in treating ailments in humans and livestock in the boricha district of Sidama Zone, Ethiopia. Forty two traditional healers (37 male and 5 female) of different ages (30–80 years) were purposively and randomly selected with the help of local elders, agricultural office workers and administrative personnel. Prior to the interview process, discussions was held with the informants through assistance of local elders to clarify the purpose of the study and build confidence of the respondents to provide reliable information without suspicion and were asked to provide information on plant(s) use against any kind of illness in humans and livestock. Forty two plant species belonging to 29 families and 35 genera were documented. Of the 42 species, 33% were trees, 45% shrubs, 17% herbs and 5% climbers. Leaves were the most utilized plant part (62%), followed by stem bark (19%) and seed (12%). The routes of administration are mainly internal in which oral administration is the common one. Informants Consensus Factor indicated that clustered numbers of plant species used for treatment of ailments such as febrile illness, sudden sickness and headache (11 species) followed by skin, eye infection and ecto-parasite related (7 species), glandular swelling and cancer related problems (6 species). Based on the finding, Informants claimed that fresh forms of the preparations were considered more powerful than dried ones to treat the ailments in humans and livestock and oral administration of prepared medicine were the common one. Key words: Boricha, ethnobotany, informant consensus factor, medicinal plants, traditional knowledge.

This study was conducted to document medicinal plants, and indigenous knowledge, used to treat human and animal ailments. Eighteen key informants were selected purposively and eighty one informants were selected randomly. Ethnobotanical data were gathered using semi-structured interviews, field observations and group discussions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The Ethnomedicinal use of fourty plant species were recorded distributed as twenty one families. Solanaceae were the highest number of medicinal plant consisting 6(28.57%) species followed by Fabaceae (14.29) species. 18 plant species were used to treat human, 2 species used to treat livestock and 20 were used both human and livestock disease. The growth habits of medicinal plants shrubs were highly constituted (47.5%) followed by herbs (32.5%). Poundings is the highest methods of preparation constituted (29.41%) followed by crushing (16.80%). The most common used plant parts were the leaves (36.36%) followed by roots (19.69%). The most commonly used route of administration was oral followed by dermal. Stomach-ache, Malaria, evil eye, headache, and intestinal parasite the highest ICF value > 93. People of the study area have their own ways of managing health problems of human and livestock. The study indicated that Fedis district possess rich indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants and it’s used to treat animal and livestock diseases. The major threats to MPs and associated knowledge are lost due to agricultural expansion, charcoal productions, and unsustainable use of medicinal values.

This research was initiated to document indigenous knowledge associated with traditional medicinal plants; specifically to identify the plant parts used for medicinal purposes and investigate plant species that are used as medicines for the treatment of human health problems. Twelve traditional healers in the study area were interviewed to gather information on the knowledge and use of medicinal plants used as a remedy for human ailments. The study reported that 16 plant species were commonly used to treat various human ailments. Most of these species (68.75%) were wild and harvested mainly for their leaves and the remedies were administered through oral and dermal. The indigenous knowledge transfer was found to be different. Some traditional healers transfer their indigenous knowledge while others kept the knowledge with them for the sake of secrecy. Most of the traditional healers were found to have poor knowledge on the dosage and antidote while prescribing remedies to their patients. More than one medicinal plant species were used more frequently than the use of a single species for remedy preparations. Key words: Ethno-botany, indigenous knowledge, knowledge transfer, medicinal plants.

BackgroundEthiopia harbors a wealth of plant biodiversity, diverse ecological zones, rich cultural heritage, and long-standing traditional knowledge and medical practices. Despite documentation of this knowledge in few regions, information remains limited for the Addi Arkay district of northwestern Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to document the indigenous and local knowledge on the use of human and livestock medicinal plants.MethodologyEthnobotanical data were collected between October and December 2024 through semi-structured interviews, guided field observations, focus group discussions, and ranking exercises conducted with 385 informants. Stratified sampling, random, and purposive sampling techniques were employed. A mixed-methods approach (both qualitative and quantitative) was used for data analysis. Quantitative analyses included preference ranking, Direct Matrix Ranking (DMR), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), Jaccard Similarity Index (JSI), and Rahman’s Similarity Index (RSI). T tests and one-way ANOVA were employed to compare mean levels of indigenous and local knowledge across different socio-demographic and socio-economic factors.ResultsThis study documented 112 medicinal plant species (105 genera, 58 families, including four endemic and one nearly endemic) were used for human and livestock remedies in the Addi Arkay district, northwestern Ethiopia. Fabaceae was the dominant family (7.14%). The majority of plant species (75.89%) were used to treat human ailments, while a smaller proportion (5.36%) were used for livestock, and 18.75%) were used for both human and livestock ailments. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (34.6%) followed by roots (27.9%), and grinding was the most common method of preparation (30.4%). The preference ranking exercise revealed Opuntia ficus-indica as the top choice for treating human hemorrhoids and Phytolacca dodecandra as the preferred treatment for rabies in livestock. DMR revealed Cordia africana, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata, and Terminalia leiocarpa as the most threatened multipurpose medicinal plants. Informant Consensus Factor values ranged from 0.63 to 0.93. Fidelity level analysis revealed that Phytolacca dodecandra was most effective against rabies, followed by Rubia cordifolia for cough and Plumbago zeylanica for swelling. Agricultural expansion posed the most significant threat, followed by overgrazing and fuel (charcoal and fuel wood). The highest levels of indigenous and local medicinal plant knowledge were predominantly transmitted orally through family lines, with paternal contributions often playing a significant role. Compared to other studies conducted in Ethiopia, the Jaccard Similarity Index (JSI%) for human medicinal plants ranged in value from 6.9% to 68.92% and for veterinary plants from 10.91% to 27.91%, whereas the Rahman’s Similarity Index (RSI) ranged from 0.98% to 15.63%. Ten novel medicinal plant uses, not previously documented in Ethiopia or elsewhere, were identified.ConclusionThis pioneering study in Addi Arkay district, northwestern Ethiopia, documented 112 medicinal plants for the treatment of human and livestock ailments, revealing the significant array of plant resources utilized for local primary healthcare services. However, threats from agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and fuel (charcoal and fuel wood) use necessitate in situ and ex situ conservation actions. Implementing sustainable harvesting practices and community-based conservation initiatives is recommended to protect the rich medicinal plants wealth of the district for continual use across generations besides ensuring preservation of valuable ethnomedicinal knowledge.

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Sekela District, northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract. Assefa B, Megersa M, Jima TT. 2021. Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used to treat human diseases in Gura Damole District, Bale Zone, Southeast Ethiopia. Asian J Ethnobiol 4: 42-52. Many countries, including Ethiopia, use medicinal plants for their primary health care system. Plants have been used as a source of medicine to treat human diseases in Ethiopia. This study aimed to document medicinal plants to treat various human diseases in southeast Ethiopia's, the Gura Damole District of Oromia Regional State. Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants was carried out from August 05 to November 06, 2019. A total of 90 informants were selected to collect ethnobotanical information from 6 kebeles. Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions with informants, and field observation. Various ethnobotanical ranking indices were used to analyze the importance of some plant species. A total of 30 medicinal plants belonging to 21 families were identified. These medicinal plants comprised shrubs (36.6%), trees (26.6%), herbs (23.3%), and lianas (13.3%). The plant families with the highest medicinal plants in the study area used for various diseases treatment were Asteraceae and Solanaceae (3 species each). Leaves (46.7%) were the dominant plant part used to prepare remedies, followed by roots (36.7%). Powdering (50%) and oral route of administration (59%) were commonly mentioned methods of preparation and administration, respectively. Carissa spinarum was the most preferred medicinal plant to treat evil eyes and is also ranked highest as the preferable medicinal plant for various purposes. Although the current study revealed the existence of indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants to treat human diseases, agricultural expansion became the primary threat to medicinal plants. Hence, different conservation methods should be applied to conserve those mostly preferred and frequently used medicinal plants for various purposes.

BackgroundEthiopia is one of the species-rich countries in the world and the center of origin with regard to the diversity of many plant species. Ethnobotanical studies are vital to investigate these diverse biological resources for medicinal purposes. The aim of this study was to document the indigenous knowledge of the Sidama people regarding the use of medicinal plants to treat human and livestock diseases in the Hawassa Zuria district of Southern Ethiopia.MethodsA total of 150 informants (118 men and 32 women) were selected to collect ethnobotanical information from ten kebeles by means of a stratified purposive sampling method. Among the informants, 30 key informants were selected purposefully. Ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews and group discussions and were analyzed by descriptive statistics, informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), and ranking methods.ResultsA total of 105 medicinal plants distributed across 52 families and 96 genera were collected. Fabaceae (11 species) was represented by the highest number of plant species, followed by Lamiaceae (7 species). Herbs (34%) were the dominant growth habits, followed by trees (33%). Leaves (56%) were the dominant plant part used in the preparation of remedies, followed by fruit (15%). The most common method of remedy preparation was grinding (39%) followed by chewing and boiling (11% each). Oral (74%) was the major routes of administration, followed by dermal (20%). There was a significant knowledge difference (p < 0.05) between social groups regarding the use of traditional medicinal plants. Insects and ectoparasites disease category (0.95) had higher informant consensus factor value followed by fever disease category (0.91). Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (100%) had a higher fidelity level to treat stomachache, followed by Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman. (87.27%) to treat placenta delay. Ensete ventricosum (total score = 73) was ranked highest as the most preferable medicinal plant for various purposes by local people, followed by Olea welwitschii (Knobl.) Gilg (total score = 72).ConclusionThe present study revealed the existence of indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants to treat human and livestock ailments. However, agricultural expansion, firewood collection, environmental degradation, and deforestation are the main threats to medicinal plants. Therefore, there should be mentoring for the local people in the study area to conserve their indigenous knowledge resources and prevent the extinction of medicinal plants.

This study was conducted to document medicinal plants, and indigenous knowledge, used to treat human and animal ailments. Eighteen key informants were selected purposely and eighty one informants were selected randomly. Ethnobotanical data were gathered using semi-structured interviews, field observations and group discussions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The Ethnomedicinal use of forty plant species was recorded distributed as twenty one families. Solanaceae were the highest number of medicinal plants consisting of 6 (28.57%) species followed by Fabaceae (14.29) species. 18 plant species were used to treat humans, 2 species used to treat livestock and 20 were used for both human and livestock disease. The growth habits of medicinal plants shrubs were highly constituted (47.5%) followed by herbs (32.5%). Poundings is the highest method of preparation constituted (29.41%) followed by crushing (16.80%). The most common used plant parts were the leaves (36.36%) followed by roots (19.69%). The most commonly used route of administration was oral followed by dermal. Stomachache, Malaria, evil eye, headache, and intestinal parasite the highest ICF value > 93. People in the study area have their own ways of managing health problems of humans and livestock. The study indicated that the Fedis district possesses rich indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants and it’s used to treat animal and livestock diseases. The major threats to MPs and associated knowledge are lost due to agricultural expansion, charcoal productions, and unsustainable use of medicinal values.

Ethnobotany is the study of how people of a particular region use diff erent indigenous plants for treatment of various diseases. Th e indigenous knowledge system of medicine, which exists as a superstructure, eff ectively serves as a remedy for the people of a particular region for curing diff erent ailments; further, the indigenous practices are easy to administer and are economical. Th e benefi ts of indigenous knowledge can be off ered to the vast majority of population by establishing its appropriate medicinal usage for specifi c diseases, thus confi rming the validity of such knowledge and integrating it with various development programmes. For ethnobotanical survey, two districts of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra were selected and survey was conducted in the month of March-April 2006. Th e data reported was compiled through a fusion of interview and non-participant observation method. Various plants were found to have medicinal value and the tribal people largely depend on them for treating various types of diseases. Our country is a rich source of fl ora and traditional heritage of herbal wealth. India’s share in herbal world market is just less than 1.5%. To overcome this present scenario, there is an urge to develop trust and faith among the people towards the safer indigenous system by organizing diff erent programmes at a various levels. In the present survey, a defi ned attempt has been made to document the indigenous knowledge of some medicinal plants of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Key words: Ethnobotany, herbal drugs, indigenous, medicinal plants, survey

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by indigenous people in and around Dirre Sheikh Hussein heritage site of South-eastern Ethiopia

The study conducted in Malga district in 2019 aimed at documenting indigenous medicinal plants use among the Kebeles community, and the factors threatening local knowledge on medicinal plants before suggesting ways to overcome such threats. A total of 100 informants were selected and snowball sampling techniques were used. Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, field observations, guided field walk, and group discussion with traditional medicine practitioners. The ethnobotanical study reveals that 60 medicinal plant species are inventoried and are distributed across 55 genera and 37 families while they are used as a cure for 40 ailments. Of these, 36 medicinal plants were reported for human ailments treatment, 7 for livestock, and 17 for both human and livestock ailment treatment. Leave were reported as most frequently utilized plant part with 45.78%. Intestinal parasite ailments were reported as one of the common problems along with oral administration. Informant consensus analysis showed that ailments like rabies, poisoning, and snakebite scored the highest value (0.98), while and pneumonia and jaundice scored the lowest values (0.63). Agricultural expansion, firewood, deforestation, and cash crop expansions were reported as driving factors for the loss of medicinal plants. Here the Wereda administration, as well as concerned governmental and non-governmental bodies should interven to minimize the loss of medicinal plant and associated knowledge. Key words: Malga Wereda, medicinal plant, Indigenous knowledge, Informant, consensus.

Medicinal plants have constituted a fundamental aspect of human health and wellness for millennia. The objective of this study was to document medicinal plants used to treat human and livestock ailments in the Tehuledere District. The data were collected using semistructured interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations with local informants. Preference ranking, direct matrix ranking, and informant consensus factor were used for data analysis. A total of 63 medicinal plant species belonging to 59 genera and 41 families were documented. The predominant families identified were Lamiaceae and Asteraceae, each containing 6 and 5 species, respectively. Of the recorded medicinal plants, 53 (80.95%) species were used for human ailments, whereas 12 (19.05%) species were used for animal health issues. Among the recorded medicinal plant species, shrubs constitute the highest number with 35% species. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves, accounting for 59% of remedies targeting human ailments. The administration of herbal treatments was primarily oral, aimed at addressing various diseases. The most significant threat to these medicinal plants was attributed to agricultural expansion, followed by the collection of firewood. The aim of documenting the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases was to capture traditional practices, with species such as Eucalyptus globulus, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata, and Lepidium sativum serving as the foundational basis for future pharmacological studies. It is imperative to prioritize the conservation of Laggera tomentosa and Urtica simensis to safeguard biodiversity and the cultural traditions associated with these endangered species. Engaging local communities in the management and conservation of plant resources, along with the preservation of their traditional knowledge, presents a cost-effective and sustainable solution.

Plants have been used as a traditional medicine for many years for the people of Wolaita, Ethiopia. The aim of the study was to record the local knowledge of the peoples who inhabit the Diguna Fango district. A semi‐structured interview was conducted with a total of 60 informants. Totally, 50 species belonging to 24 families were identified to treat 28 human and livestock ailments. Solanaceae (14.3%) was the most abundant family whereas; the Rosaceae (1.00) had the highest family use value (FUV). Most of the plants (82%) were reportedly used to treat human diseases. Herbs (34%) were the dominant growth habits, followed by trees (33%). The leaves (30%) were identified as the most used plant part. The most common methods of remedy preparations were eating and chewing (18.2% each) followed by grinding (13.61%). Oral (73.3%) was the major route of administration, followed by dermal (21.7%). The cardiovascular system diseases category (1.00) had a higher informant consensus factor value followed by the fever disease category (0.90). Croton macrostachyus Hochst. ex Delile, Commelina benghalensis L., Triticum dicoccon (Schrank) Schübl. and Pentas arvensis Hiern (100%) had a higher fidelity level to treat swelling, chirt (skin diseases), weight gain and bone fractures, respectively. Persea americana Mill. was ranked highest as the most preferable medicinal plant for various purposes by local people, followed by Acacia abyssinica Benth. The principal threatening factors reported were charcoal production (26%), agricultural expansion (15%) and firewood (14%). Out of the plants and their uses documented, 16% of the medicinal plants and 28.6% of the uses were novel. The present study showed the existence of indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants to treat human and livestock ailments. Therefore, there should be mentoring for the local people in the study area to conserve their indigenous knowledge and resources.

Historical information on the use of medicinal plants is in danger of extinction due to different changes in different parts of the world, including Ethiopia. This study, carried out in the DallomAna, Oromia regions of Ethiopia, aims at the ethnobotanical analysis of medicinal plants used in the treatment of animal diseases. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the information sources selected. Analysis of ethnobotanical data using tools such as the Consensus Consent Factor (ICF) preference ranking, ranking matrix, and calculating the degree of fidelity. In Dallomanna Region reported all 68 medicinal plant species used to treat veterinary diseases. The most common family is Fabaceae (7 spp.), followed by Euphorbiaceous (5 spp.), Asteraceae (5 spp.) Solanaceae (4 spp.). For the preparation of drugs for the treatment of livestock diseases, plants are generally used as the root, followed by leaves, seeds and stems. All of the medicine is made and used immediately, and some of it is boiled and dried for use. In addition, the most common way of route of administration for treatment animal diseases in the study area is oral, followed by topical application and nasal .The highest consensus criteria (ICF) values were recorded in ophthalmology, followed by dermatology. Most species have been reported for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, followed by species for the treatment of skin diseases and fever. Ten participants compared nine herbs used to treat veterinary diseases to see how they ranked. This was followed by Hagenia Abyssinia in first place, then Zingier ofcinale and Embelia schimperi in third place. Nicotiana tabacum, Phyllanthus ovalifolius, Ruta chalepensis Santalum album followed Hagenia abyssinica, which achieved the highest value among traditional oyster medicinal plants. The main threats to veterinary medicinal plants were overharvesting of available species, agricultural land expansion, and less attention to traditional medicine due to modernization.

BackgroundThis paper reports an ethnobotanical study that focused on the traditional medicinal plants used by local communities to treat human and livestock ailments. A cross-sectional study was undertaken from September 2009 to June 2010 in Wayu Tuka District of Oromia Region, Ethiopia. The aim of the study is to document medicinal plants used by local people of the study area and the threats currently affecting medicinal plants.MethodsEthnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, field observations and group discussion in which 63 (41 men & 22 women) randomly selected informants participated. Of which, 11 (10 male and 1 female) were local healers. Paired comparison method, direct matrix ranking and Informant consensus factors (ICF) were used to analyze the importance of some plant species.ResultsA total of 126 medicinal plant species, distributed in 108 genera and 56 families, were collected together with their medicinal uses. Of the 126 species of medicinal plants collected from the study area, eighty six (68%) were obtained from the wild whereas thirty three (26%) were from homegardens. The Fabaceae came out as a leading family with 15 medicinal species while the Solanaceae followed with eight species. Seventy eight (62%) of the medicinal plants were reported as being used for treating human ailments, 23 (18.2%) for the treatment of livestock ailments and 25 (20%) for both. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (43%), followed by roots (18.5%) while crushing, which accounted for (29%) and powdering (28%) were the widely used methods of preparation of traditional herbal medicines.ConclusionThe number of reported medicinal plants and their uses by the local people of the District indicate the depth of the local indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants and their application. The documented medicinal plants can serve as a basis for future investigation of modern drug.