Dataset Information

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Wonago Woreda, SNNPR, Ethiopia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Medicinal plants are the integral part of the variety of cultures in Ethiopia and have been used over many centuries. Hence, the aim of this study is to document the medicinal plants in the natural vegetation and home gardens in Wonago Woreda, Gedeo Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State (SNNPR).

Materials and methods

Thirty healers were selected to collect data on management of medicinal plants using semi-structured interview, group discussion, and field observation. The distribution of plant species in the study areas was surveyed, and preference ranking, direct matrix ranking, priority ranking of factors and Informant consensus factor (ICF) were calculated.

Results

The informants categorized the vegetation into five community types based on plant density and associated landform: 'Raqqa', 'Hakka cadanaba', 'Mancchha', 'Bullukko', and 'Wodae gido'. 155 plant species were collected from the natural vegetation and 65 plant species from the home gardens ('Gattae Oduma'). Seventy-two plant species were documented as having medicinal value: Sixty-five (71%) from natural vegetation and 27 (29%) from home gardens. Forty-five (62%) were used for humans, 15(21%) for livestock and 13(18%) for treating both human and livestock ailments: 35 (43.2%) were Shrubs, 28(34.5%) herbs, 17 (20.9%) trees and 1(1.2%) climbers. The root (35.8%) was the most commonly used plant part. The category: malaria, fever and headache had the highest 0.82 ICF. Agricultural expansion (24.4%) in the area was found to be the main threat for medicinal plants followed by fire wood collection (18.8%). Peoples' culture and spiritual beliefs somehow helped in the conservation of medicinal plants.

Conclusion

Traditional healers still depend largely on naturally growing plant species and the important medicinal plants are under threat. The documented medicinal plants can serve as a basis for further studies on the regions medicinal plants knowledge and for future phytochemical and pharmacological studies.

SUBMITTER: Mesfin F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2769162 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Wonago Woreda, SNNPR, Ethiopia.

Mesfin Fisseha F Demissew Sebsebe S Teklehaymanot Tilahun T

Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine 20091012

<h4>Background</h4>Medicinal plants are the integral part of the variety of cultures in Ethiopia and have been used over many centuries. Hence, the aim of this study is to document the medicinal plants in the natural vegetation and home gardens in Wonago Woreda, Gedeo Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State (SNNPR).<h4>Materials and methods</h4>Thirty healers were selected to collect data on management of medicinal plants using semi-structured interview, group discussion ...[more]

PMID: 19821994

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Project description:BackgroundThe Afar people inhabit the sub-arid and arid part of Ethiopia. Recurrent drought and invasive encroaching plants are taking out plants that have cultural importance, and threaten the biodiversity and the associated traditional knowledge. Thus, the aim of the current study is to conduct an ethnobotanical survey and document medicinal and edible plants in Yalo Woreda in Afar regional state.MethodsA cross-sectional ethnobotanical study was carried out in eight kebeles of Yalo Woreda from October 2015 to December 2016. One hundred sixty informants were selected using purposive sampling. The data on diseases, medicinal and edible plants were collected using semi-structure interview and group discussion. The statistical methods, informant consensus factor, fidelity level, and preference ranking were conducted to analyze the data.ResultsOne hundred and six plants were reported; gender and age differences had implication on the number of plants reported by informants. The knowledge of medicinal plants among informants of each kebele was not different (p < 0.5) and was not associated in particular with the religious establishment in the kebeles (informant*kebeles, Eta square = 0.19). Family Fabaceae was the major plant species, and shrubs (44%) were dominant plants reported. Leaf (52.94%) and oral (68%) were primary plant part used for remedy preparation and route of application, respectively. The plants with low fidelity values Indigofera articulata (0.25), Cadaba farinosa (0.22), Cadaba rotundifolia (0.19), and Acalypha fruticosa (0.15) were used to treat the category of diseases with high informant consensus value (0.69). Sixteen edible plants were identified that were consumed during wet and dry seasons. Balanites aegyptiaca, Balanites rotundifolia, and Dobera glabra were 'famine food' that were collected and stored for years.ConclusionPeople in Yalo Woreda are more dependent on natural resources of the area for their livelihood. The threat of climatic change and encroaching invasive plants on medicinal and edible plants affects the traditional use of plants in the Yalo Woreda. The conservation of the plants in the home garden and natural habitat and integration of edible plants into agroforestry development programs in sub-arid and arid regions has to be encouraged to conserve plants of medical and economic importance.

Project description:Indigenous people of a given community have their own local specific knowledge on plant use, management, and conservation. The objective of this study was to document medicinal plants used to treat human and livestock ailments in Hulet Eju Enese Woreda. The data were collected using semistructured interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations with local people. A total of 100 informants over the age of 20 years were selected to collect information on medicinal plant use. Descriptive statistics (percentage and frequency), Jaccard's similarity index, independent sample t-test and analysis of variance, informant consensus factor, fidelity level, preference ranking, and direct matrix ranking were computed. A total of 80 medicinal plant species belonging to 75 genera and 52 families were documented. In terms of species diversity, Solanaceae stood first with 5 species followed by Euphorbiaceae and Malvaceae with 4 species each. Out of eighty medicinal plants, 53 species were used to treat only human ailments, 8 species were used to treat only livestock ailments, and the remaining 19 species were used for treating both human and livestock ailments. From the total medicinal plant species, shrub constitutes the largest number with 42.5% species. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves, accounting for 28.9%. The major routes of administration were oral accounts, 81 (57%), followed by dermal, 45 (31.7%), nasal, 6 (4.2%), and others, 10 (7%). In the disease category with the highest informant consensus factor (0.83) value was sudden sickness. There was highest preference (49) for Phytolacca dodecandra to treat rabies. Cordia africana was shown to be the top multipurpose species. This study revealed that the study area was rich in medicinal plants. Agricultural expansion, charcoal making, and firewood collection were considered major threats to medicinal plants. Therefore, awareness creation to the youth and training to the healers play a pivotal role to prevent the loss of indigenous knowledge.

Project description:BackgroundResearch was carried out in Konta Special Woreda (District); it is a remote area with lack of infrastructure like road to make any research activities in the area. Therefore, this research was conducted to investigate medicinal plants of the Konta people and to document the local knowledge before environmental and cultural changes deplete the resources.MethodsThe information was collected between October 2006 and February 2007. Interview-based field study constituted the main data collection method in which the gathering, preparation, use, previous and current status and cultivation practices were systematically investigated. The abundance, taxonomic diversity and distribution of medicinal plants were studied using ecological approach.ResultsA total of 120 species, grouped within 100 genera and 47 families that are used in traditional medical practices were identified and studied. The Fabaceae and Lamiaceae were the most commonly reported medicinal plants with 16 (13.3%) and 14 (12%) species, respectively. 25.4% of the total medicinal plants are collected from homegardens and the rest (74.6%) are collected from wild habitats. Of the total number of medicinal plants, 108 species (90%) were used to treat human ailments, 6 (5%) for livestock diseases and the remaining 6 (5%) were used to treat both human and livestock health problems. The major threats to medicinal plants reported include harvesting medicinal plants for firewood (24.8%) followed by fire (22.3%) and construction (19%). Of the four plant communities identified in the wild, more medicinal plant species (34) were found in community type-4 (Hyparrhenia cymbaria-Erythrina abyssinica community), which accounted for 61.8%.ConclusionKonta Special Woreda is an important area for medicinal plants and associated local knowledge; the natural vegetation being the most important reservoir for the majority of the medicinal plants. Environmental and cultural changes are in the process of threatening the resources and this signals the need for serious efforts to create public awareness so that measures are taken to conserve the medicinal plants in the natural ecosystems and other suitable environments.

Project description: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.

Project description:BackgroundStarting from the ancient time, the people of Ethiopia use medicinal plants as traditional medicine to heal different human and livestock ailments. This ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was carried out in Ganta Afeshum District, Eastern Zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, to identify medicinal plant species used by the local community to treat various human and livestock ailments.MethodsA total of 78 informants (54 men and 24 women) were selected to collect ethnobotanical information from four study sites. Among the 78 informants, 20 key informants were selected purposefully; the other 58 informants were selected randomly by lottery method. Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, field observations, guided field walks, and group discussions and were analyzed by preference ranking, paired comparison, direct matrix ranking, informant consensus factor, fidelity level (FL), use-value, independent samples t test, and Pearson correlation coefficients.ResultsA total of 173 medicinal plants were collected and identified that were distributed across 77 families and 156 genera. The family Fabaceae stood first by contributing 17 (9.8%) species followed by Lamiaceae and Solanaceae with 9 (5.2%) species each. Rhamnus prinoides was reported for the treatment of many of the described diseases. One hundred sixteen (67.1%) medicinal plant species were collected from natural vegetation, 34 (19.7) were from home gardens, 13 (7.5%) from farmland, and 10 (5.8%) were from natural vegetation and home gardens. The most widely used life form was herbs (69 species, 39.9%) followed by shrubs (58 species, 33.5%). The most commonly used part of the medicinal plants was the leaves followed by roots. The plants were prepared by grinding, powdering, squeezing, roasting, and burning and were administered through oral, dermal, nasal, anal, ocular, and vaginal, and on the surface of the teeth. The most commonly used applications were by drinking, smearing, eating, fumigation, and chewing. There was no difference between men and women informants, showing that the two sexes had similar knowledge in the use of traditional medicinal plants. Educational level and medicinal plant knowledge of informants were negatively correlated; whereas age and medicinal plant knowledge of informants were positively correlated.ConclusionsGanta Afeshum District is relatively rich in diversity of medicinal plant resources accompanied with a rich indigenous knowledge within the local communities to harvest and effectively use to prevent different human and livestock ailments. However, nowadays, deforestation, agricultural expansion, overgrazing, drought, and overexploitation are threatening these properties. Therefore, people of the study area should apply complementary conservation approaches (in situ and ex situ) for sustainable use of these resources and to prevent species extinction.

Project description:Kinmen is an outlying island that has the richest plant resources in Taiwan. The objective of this study was to record the methods that people in Kinmen use medicinal plants and to analyze the cultural characteristics of their use. Field investigations were carried out in various towns and villages in Kinmen, and 80 respondents were included in the survey. The search for respondents was conducted through local elderly people and medicinal plant groups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the local people to obtain their knowledge of medicinal plants and how they disseminate this information. Informed consent was obtained prior to the interviews, and the following was determined: plant use value (UV), frequency of citation (FC), and factor of informant consensus (Fic). These parameters were used to quantify the data and measure the agreement among the respondents on using plants to treat different diseases. Finally, the survey results were compared with the representative ethnobotanical literature in neighboring areas to evaluate the similarity between plant usage in Kinmen and neighboring areas as well as to determine whether there are new species or novel usages in the study area. In the Kinmen area, phytotherapy is generally used by elderly people with low educational attainments. According to the survey results, 83 medicinal plants belonging to 48 families were collected. These medicinal plants were mainly distributed in the Compositae, Lamiaceae, and Solanaceae families. Eighteen novel uses that have not been previously documented were found, four of which were related to newly recorded medicinal plant species in the Kinmen area. The results showed that 93.98 and 65.06% of the species collected in the present study were also recorded in literature from Taiwan and Fujian, respectively. This study showed that Kinmen's ethnobotanical knowledge is closely related to the Catalogue of Medicinal Plant Resources in Taiwan, and local people indeed shared similar uses of medicinal species with people in Taiwan and Fujian (46.99%). The results from this study highlighted the importance of traditional medicine in the Kinmen area, where people have a specific understanding of using medicinal plants and communication with people in Taiwan and Fujian Province in China. It was found that Kinmen shares ethnobotanical knowledge with Taiwan and Fujian.

Project description:BackgroundMedicinal plants have been used for ages in Ethiopia. Some 887 plant species have been documented to heal human and livestock health problems. Documenting the traditional use of medicinal plants is a vital step in obtaining information on bioactive chemicals, preserving indigenous knowledge and ultimately interesting, medicinal plant species. We conducted this study with the aim of documenting the ethnobotanical knowledge associated with medicinal plant use in Adwa District, Northern Ethiopia.MethodsThe study was conducted from September 2018 to December 2019. A total of 393 informants (242 males and 151 females) were selected. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, guided walks and group discussions. We calculated informant consensus factors (ICF) and fidelity level (FL) and performed ranking and paired comparisons. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including independent sample t test and ANOVA.ResultsOverall, we documented 127 medicinal plants belonging to 105 genera, under 54 families to be used by local people to address 43 human and 15 livestock ailments. Families Fabaceae and Solanaceae were the most important ones with 11 (8.66%) species each. Herbs were the dominant growth form (55 species), followed by shrubs (39). The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (24.27%) followed by roots (14%). The most important preparation method was crushing and pounding (42.7%) followed by fumigation (smoke and vapour) (23, 11.1%). The common route of administration was via skin application (67 or 32%) followed by oral (63, 27%). ICF showed that tonsillitis had the higher value (0.95). Cucumis ficifolius A. Rich. was the most preferred medicinal plant (36) treating abdominal pain, followed by Kalanchoe quartiniana A. Rich. for blackleg (34).ConclusionsAdwa District is relatively rich in medicinal plant diversity and traditional knowledge on use, preparation and application of the medicinal flora. However, agricultural expansion (51%), overgrazing (43%) and drought (37%) were mentioned most when informants were asked about the threats to medicinal plants in Adwa District. Hence, on-site and off-site medicinal plant conservation would help protect medicinal plants in the district.

Project description:BackgroundDespite the fact that ethnobotanical studies have been conducted in various parts of Ethiopia, compared with the existence of the multitude and diverse ethnic groups and their associated traditional knowledge, the studies are not comprehensive enough for all the localities and communities in the country. This is also true for the Hamar community of Southwestern Ethiopia, who are totally dependent on plants and plant products for their livelihood. Hence, this investigation was done to identify and record medicine plants and the native wisdom of the community in the area.MethodsThree hundred twenty six (326) informants were selected from the 12 lowest governmental units (Kebeles) applying Cochran's formula through stratified random sampling technique. From the total informants, 74 (48 males and 26 females) were purposively selected for in-depth discussion. Semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, guided field walks as well as market surveys were used for data collection. Standard ethnobotanical analytical tools comprising ranking and comparison were used for the analysis. Preference ranking, pair-wise comparison, informant consensus factor, direct matrix ranking, Cultural Significance Index (CSI) and Jaccard's similarity coefficient (JCS) as well as Analysis of Variances (ANOVA), applying SPSS (version 20) were computed.ResultsA total of 145 species practical to cure about 72 ailments of livestock and humans were recorded. Families Fabaceae (with 22% of species), Asteraceae (11%), and Lamiaceae (9%) were discovered as the most dominant families in the area. Shrubs contributed the most (40%) to the growth forms followed by herbs (26.5%). Fresh leaves of the plants were parts that are used most frequently in the area. The highest ICF value (0.94) was recorded for reproductive problem categories. There was a relatively very high dependence of the community on plants and plant products together with a hoarded indigenous knowledge in the area that positively correlated with age (r = 0.82).ConclusionThe study's findings revealed that Buska Mountain range is a home for highly diverse and most dependable plant species and associated indigenous knowledge. However, because of the realized environmental threats in the area, the conservation efforts of the community should be invigorated and supported in order to sustain the biodiversity in general and the medicinal plant species in particular.

Dataset Information

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Wonago Woreda, SNNPR, Ethiopia.

Background

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Wonago Woreda, SNNPR, Ethiopia.

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