Ethno-medicinal study of plants used for treatment of human and livestock ailments by traditional healers in South Omo, Southern Ethiopia
Ketema Tolossa,Etana Debela,Spiridoula Athanasiadou,Adugna Tolera,Gebeyehu Ganga,Jos G. M. Houdijk +5 more
TLDR
Traditional medicine, mainly involving the use of medicinal plants, is playing a significant role in meeting the primary healthcare needs of the three ethnic groups and will be used to support the country’s human and livestock health care system and improve lives and livelihoods.Abstract:
Plants have traditionally been used for treatment of human and livestock ailments in Ethiopia by different ethnic and social groups. However, this valuable source of knowledge is not adequately documented, which impedes their widespread use, evaluation and validation. Here, we recorded indigenous knowledge and standard practices for human and livestock disease control, of three ethnic groups (Aari, Maale and Bena-Tsemay) in South Omo Zone of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire to document knowledge of 50 traditional healers (40 male and 10 female) in medicinal plant use for treatment of human and livestock ailments. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and summarize the ethno-botanical data. Ninety-one plants, with claimed medicinal properties against a total of 34 human and livestock ailments, were reported and botanically identified as belonging to 57 genera and 33 plant families. Most of the plant species reported belonged to one of seven major families: Lamiaceae, Solanaceae, Menispermiaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Plumbaginaceae and Geraniaceae. Woody plants (shrubs 21% and trees 29%) were the major growth form used, whilst roots (40%) and leaves (35%) were the major plant parts used in the study areas. Healers mostly practice oral administration of plant preparations (65%). Multiple medicinal plants were cited against particular ailments, and mixing of two or more different medicinal plants (14.3%) against a single ailment was also commonly reported. This study showed that traditional medicine, mainly involving the use of medicinal plants, is playing a significant role in meeting the primary healthcare needs of the three ethnic groups. Acceptance of traditional medicine and limited access to modern healthcare facilities could be considered as the main factors for the continuation of the practice. Documented knowledge of the traditional healers can be used to support the country’s human and livestock health care system and improve lives and livelihoods. Information generated will be used in future studies to validate bioactivity of selected medicinal plants used by traditional healers, so to increase their acceptability in health care systems both nationally and internationally.read more
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Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plant species used by communities around Mabira Central Forest Reserve, Uganda
Patience Tugume,Esezah Kakudidi,Mukadasi Buyinza,Justine Namaalwa,Maud Kamatenesi,Patrick Mucunguzi,James Kalema +6 more
TL;DR: The diversity of medicinal plant species used and the associated indigenous knowledge are of great value to the local community and their conservation and preservation is paramount.
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Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in the environs of Tara-gedam and Amba remnant forests of Libo Kemkem District, northwest Ethiopia
TL;DR: The diversity of medicinal plants and the associated indigenous knowledge of Tara-gedam and its environs are of a considerable value to the local community and beyond.
Journal ArticleDOI
Ethnomedicinal plants used to treat human ailments in the prehistoric place of Harla and Dengego valleys, eastern Ethiopia
Anteneh Belayneh,Negussie Bussa +1 more
TL;DR: Aloe harlana Reynolds was reported to be used for the highest number of ailments treating swollen body part locally called GOFLA, colon cleaner, snake bite, liver swelling, spleen swelling/splenomegaly, fungal infections and inflammation of skin.
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An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Debre Libanos Wereda, Central Ethiopia
Seyoum Getaneh,Zerihun Girma +1 more
TL;DR: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Debre Libanos Wereda, in central Ethiopia, was carried out from October 2008 to June 2009 and found that these plant species were found to be used in treating 50 different types of human and livestock diseases.
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Ethnobotanical assessment of plant resources of Banda Daud Shah, District Karak, Pakistan
Waheed Murad,Azizullah Azizullah,Muhammad Adnan,Akash Tariq,Kalim Ullah Khan,Saqib Waheed,Ashfaq Ahmad +6 more
TL;DR: The investigated area is rural in nature and the inhabitants are highly dependent on the native plants for their health care needs and other requirements like fuel wood and fodder due to financial constraints and unavailability of resources.
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