Abstract
This study aimed at prioritizing medicinal plants used to manage HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections and assessing their wild population status. Data were collected using focus group discussions and inventories. Preference ranking and Microsoft Excel and QGIS software were used for data analysis. Up to seven species were prioritized as the most important in the disease management. It was also found that the species dominated the landscape with elevation between 1950 to 2050 masl. Moreover, the species displayed linear pattern distribution adjacent rivers. With regards to population structure, the species revealed J-shaped curves. The species density was 200/ha for Hagenia abyssinica and 28/ha for Myrica salicifolia. The dominance of species in higher altitudes as cited above indicates that they flourish well in highlands. The tendency of them to grow adjacent water sources reveals their water or moisture loving. Moreover, the J-shaped curves observed imply poor recruitment and hence unsustainable. The study recommends for urgent conservation plans especially on the sampled species. There is a need to ensure strict measures are put in place to safeguard the medicinal plant species to ensure their sustainability.
Highlights
IntroductionPlants form the largest part of traditional medicine [3] [4] [5] [6]) of which 80% - 90% are wild [7] [8]
Priority medicinal plants Results from preference ranking showed seven medicinal plant species to be of priority in managing HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections in the study area (Table 1)
The assessment of population status of priority medicinal plants was performed on two medicinal plant species only, Hagenia abyssinica and Myrica salicifolia
Summary
Plants form the largest part of traditional medicine [3] [4] [5] [6]) of which 80% - 90% are wild [7] [8]. Medicinal plants are important for managing HIV/AIDS related infections, and have been widely used by HIV/AIDS patients [1] [9] [10]. By 2010’s the HIV patients were reported to constitute one billion people who partly relied on medicinal plants [11], adding more pressure on the wild population of medicinal plants [7] [8]
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