Ethiopia Medicinal Plants

Study on Actual Situation of Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia

The medicinal plant of Ethiopia and the developing countries play major

supplementary roles to the limited modern health care available. The development of

useful and widely used drugs like Digoxin and Digitoxin, from Digitalis leaves; quinine

13 from the cinchona bark; reserpine from Rauwolfia serpentine; morphine from Papaver

somniferum; coaine from Erythroxzion coca and the anti cancer Vincristiner and

Viblastine from Cartharathus troseus of Madagascar and again anti-cancer compound,

bruceatin, from the Ethiopian plant, Brucea antidysentrica, just to name a few, are

examples of the contributions of traditional pharmacopoeia (Desta Belachew, 1984)

The various literature available show the significant role of medicinal plant in primary

health care delivery in Ethiopia where 70% of human and 90% of livestock population

depend on traditional medicine again similar to many developing countries particularly

that of Sub-Saharan African countries. Those plants are part of the economic

commodity for some members of the society which make their livelihood on their

collection, trade and medicinal practices by practitioners or healers. It thus has a

substantial potential to make contributions to the economic growth and alleviation of

poverty in the country. Its proper management protect environment and conserve

biodiversity. The traditional health care is deep rooted with oral and written

pharmacopoeias. Ethiopian plants have shown very effective contributions for some

ailments of human and domestic animals. Such plants include Phytolacca dodencadra

(Aklilu Lemma,1965), Many species of Maytenus studied by National Cancer Institute,

USA see Kupchan et al. 1972 and many species that show antimalarials (see Nkunya,

M. H. H., 1992).

More at

http://www.jaicaf.or.jp/publications/ethiopia_ac.pdf

Medicinal plant resources of Ethiopia

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The Ethiopian region is characterized by a wide range of ecological, edaphic, and climatic conditions that account for the wide diversity of its biological resources, both in terms of flora and faunal wealth. The plant genetic resources of the country exhibit an enormous diversity as seen in the fact that Ethiopia is one of the twelve Vavilov centres of origin for domesticated crops and their wild and weedy relatives. According to recent studies, it is estimated that there are more than 7000 species of flowering plants recorded in Ethiopia, of which 12 percent or more are probably endemic.

Medicinal plants comprise one of the important components of the vegetation. On record there are 600 species of medicinal plants constituting a little over 10 percent of Ethiopia's vascular flora. They are distributed all over the country, with greater concentration in the south and south-western part of the country. The woodlands of Ethiopia are the source of most of the medicinal plants, followed by the montane grassland/dry montane forest complex of the plateau. Other important vegetation types for medicinal plants are the evergreen bushland and rocky areas.

Over 85 percent of the rural population, plus an increasing number of the poor in urban centres, and animal husbandry employ many of the available plants, as well as products from wild animals and minerals as their primary source of healthcare in the fight against various physical and mental health problems. The value and role of these traditional healthcare systems will not diminish in the future because they are both culturally viable and expected to remain affordable while the modern healthcare service is both limited and expensive.

Ethiopia has a long history of traditional healthcare based largely on rich, though unstandardized, pharmacopoeia drawn mostly from plants used both by women in the home in self-administration and traditional health practitioners (THPs). The efficacy of a few of these plants (Hagenia abyssinica) and Glinus lotoides from the treatment of tapeworm, and Phytolacca dodecandra as a molluscicide in the control of schistosomiasis) has been scientifically determined, but the safety and efficacy of many others in the treatment of various diseases remains underdeveloped.

However, many of these plant species used in traditional systems by women and THPs are becoming rare and limited in distribution; they are threatened by several factors, both man-made and natural. Environmental degradation, agricultural expansion, loss of forest and woodlands, over-harvesting, fire, and urbanization appear to be the principal threats to the medicinal plants of the country. The danger certainly poses a significant threat to the future well being of the population which has, for generations, relied on these resources to combat the ailments of both human beings and domestic animals.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/x6690e/x6690e02.htm

SOME COMMON MEDICINAL AND POISONOUS PLANTS USED IN ETHIOPIAN FOLK MEDICINE

by
Amare Getahun,
Associate Professor,
Faculty of Science,
Addis Abeba University,
Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.
March, I976

INTRODUCTION

Ethiopia is rich in medical lore. The use of plants in religjous ceremonies as well as for magic and medicinal purposes is very commonplace and widespread. Based upon strong primitive roots. The art ofnative medicine is still widely practicedo While much of this lore isindigenous, yet there are strong indications of Hebrew and Egyptian aswell as Greek and other Arabic influences.

Among natives of various countries, a knowledge of medicine has been passed by word of mouth from one generation to the next by priests, witchdoctors or medicine men. This is no less true in Ethiopia where written records in this field are almost absent even though the country has had a written language for over two thousand years. The method is crude and highly conducive to distortion in an area where much accuracy is needed. Some of the lore is lost at each point of transfer or otherwise modified and thereby becomes erroneous and dangerous to use. In addition, witchdoctors, to safeguard their interests and win the respect of the inflicted masses, usually compose a long and impressive list of curative herbs for a particular disease when they know that it is only one of those listed that causes a cure. This is also done to fence out or discourage others from becoming herbal doctors if they are forced to tell the secret. For the same reasons, the plants comprising the remedy are selected from different ecological locations such as alpine, highlands, or lowlands; thus rendering it more difficult to exactly duplicate the ingredients. This means that even if one knew and had the list of the alleged curative herbs, he would not necessarly be able to become a practicing witchdoctor.

More fascinating is the belief witchdoctors have been able to implant into the minds of many that the healing power of the plant loses its curative and healing vertues should the secret (that is, the name) of the plant and its reputed use, be disclosed. The informant is also thought to be subject to misfortune and bad luck and a life full of uncertainty. This has meant that a witchdoctor will be hesitant to pass on his knowledge and, as a rule, will not pass on his knowledge of medicine to anyone except his offspring, and even then only as he nears death. In medicine, it is the first-born son that is entrusted with the secrets. If he is found unworthy of the trust and is believed to talk too freely and is generally careless about his ways, then another member of the family is considered. At any rate, whoever merits the honor, is sworn to keep the secret with due care throughout his life and only pass it on in a similar manner. Having given his solemn oath, he is then taken to all the places, near and far, where the plants are known to grow. Should this not be possible, he is given verbal directions and descriptions of the plants and their localities. Thus at each point or act of transfer, secrecy becomes more and more binding and cloaked in mystery. As with the herbalists of sixteenth century Europe, bizzarre stories, legends and beliefs developed in Ethiopia; astrological implications became common place and were incorporated quite freely as part of the cure. The gathering of the medicinal herbs, their preparation and administratlonto the patient is still astrologically determined in many cases. Advocating or implementing such practices as the wearing of a certain grass around one's neck to dispel meningitis, or applying lard from a snake to an infected organ as a cure against elephantiasis are semingly unfounded practices.

http://ip.aaas.org/tekindex.nsf/0/99b535e7618170c485256ae100696f4c/Body/M1

Medicinal plants used in traditional medicine by Oromo people, Ghimbi District, Southwest Ethiopia

Balcha Abera

Background

Ethiopia is one of the six centres of biodiversity in the world with several topographies, climatic conditions and various ethnic cultures. Ethnobotanical study is a real and encourageable in rich biological resource areas for medicinal plant identification, documentation, ranking, conservation and sustainable usages. The purpose of this study was to identify the most effective medicinal plants for specific treatment through priority ranking and to assess the status of the transfer of Traditional Botanical Knowledge (TBK) based on age groups and educational levels.

Methodology

Ethnobotanical data were collected using field observation and semi-structured interview, A total of 30 key informants and 165 community members were interviewed and data on medicinal plant species and associated knowledge were recorded, quantified and verified using several preference ranking methods.

Results

The study revealed a total of 49 medicinal plant species (belonging to 31 families and 46 genera) used to treat various human ailments, the majority of which 40 (81.6%) species were collected from wild while the rests from home garden. Herbs constituted the largest growth habit (18 species, 37%) followed by trees (16 species, 32%) and shrubs (15 species, 31%). Leaf `17 (35%) is the plant part widely used followed by root 13 (27%), leafy-stem 5 (10%), and seed 6 (12%). Oral administration was the dominant route (63%), followed by dermal route (22%) and nasal (11%). The highest number of plant species being used for infectious (48%) followed by two or more diseases and non-infectious disease. Of five and seven medicinal plants of preference ranking the highest ranks were given first for Croton macrostaychus used for malaria treatment and for Prunus africana as ‘’rare” for immediate collection and use in the traditional treatment. Significantly higher average number of medicinal plants (p < 0.05) were reported by informants of higher institution (14.3 ± 34) and adult age groups (11.6 ± 43).

Conclusion

The Ghimbi people possess rich ethno-medicinal knowledge. This study can be used as a basis for developing management plans for conservation, sustainable use and drug development.

More at:

http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/10/1/40

Traditional medicinal plant knowledge and use by local healers in Sekoru District, Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

The knowledge and use of medicinal plant species by traditional healers was investigated in Sekoru District, Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia from December 2005 to November 2006. Traditional healers of the study area were selected randomly and interviewed with the help of translators to gather information on the knowledge and use of medicinal plants used as a remedy for human ailments in the study area. In the current study, it was reported that 27 plant species belonging to 27 genera and 18 families were commonly used to treat various human ailments. Most of these species (85.71%) were wild and harvested mainly for their leaves (64.52%). The most cited ethnomedicinal plant species was Alysicarpus quartinianus A. Rich., whose roots and leaves were reported by traditional healers to be crushed in fresh and applied as a lotion on the lesions of patients of Abiato (Shererit). No significant correlation was observed between the age of traditional healers and the number of species reported and the indigenous knowledge transfer was found to be similar. More than one medicinal plant species were used more frequently than the use of a single species for remedy preparations. Plant parts used for remedy preparations showed significant difference with medicinal plant species abundance in the study area.

Background

Traditional medicine has remained as the most affordable and easily accessible source of treatment in the primary healthcare system of resource poor communities and the local therapy is the only means of medical treatment for such communities.

In Ethiopia, medicinal plants have been used as traditional medicine to treat different human ailments by the local people from time immemorial. These medicinal plants are estimated to be over 700 species [1] and most of them are confined to the southwestern regions of the country[2].

There is a high expectation of enormous traditional knowledge and use of medicinal plant species in Ethiopia due to the existence of diverse cultures, languages and beliefs among the people. However, since cultural systems are dynamic [3], the skills are fragile and easily forgettable as most of the indigenous knowledge transfer in the country is based on oral transmission [4]. To our knowledge, there are no data regarding the traditional medicinal plant knowledge and use by the local communities in Sekoru District, Southwestern Ethiopia. Therefore, the current study was conducted to assess and document the indigenous knowledge and use of medicinal plant species by traditional healers to treat human ailments in the study area.

http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/3/1/24

Spices, condiments and

medicinal plants in Ethiopia,

their taxonomy and agricultural significance

P. C.M. Jansen

From 1965 to 1977, ca 30 000 herbarium specimens (dried or preserved in spirits)

of Ethiopian plants were collected from all over Ethiopia by staff of the Laboratory

of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography of the Agricultural University at

Wageningen.

In 1967, E. Westphal started a project to survey useful plants of Ethiopia. His

collections and those of his successors showed that Ethiopia was remarkably rich in

useful plants. He particularly studied the Ethiopian pulses (Westphal, 1974) and the

agricultural systems in Ethiopia (Westphal, 1975). My study concentrated on spices,

condiments and medicinal plants of Ethiopia.

This book is based on the herbarium material to which I contributed about 7000

specimens in the years 1975-1977, on observations in the field and on literature.

The method of working and the arrangement of the text are similar to those in

Westphal's book on pulses. To obtain a complete collection of all stages of growth of

the spices and condiments, seed samples, collected mainly from markets from all

over Ethiopia, were sown. The growing plants were studied and all relevant stages

were collected and stored in the WAG herbarium (for the codes of herbaria

see p. 5). A duplicate set of all specimens is stored in the ACD herbarium. At

Wageningen, the samples were mainly grown in a greenhouse (a few in the open air)

and in Ethiopia all samples were grown at Alemaya (alt. ca 2000 m) and a selected

group at Melkassa (alt. ca 1500 m, garden of the Institute of Agricultural Research

near Nazareth). So, plants from the same seed were grown in three habitats and it was

hoped that the plants would show their variability.

By careful observations, comparisons and measurements of all material thus

obtained, a detailed description could be made of each species.

http://edepot.wur.nl/201964

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.

http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/531/art%253A10.1186%252F1746-4269-5-28.pdf?auth66=1418681582_88717e454731d763c3433ad4ee6ffb4e&ext=.pdf

Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies

Vol. 1 No. 4 2013 www.plantsjournal.com Page | 32

Ethnobotanical Study of Traditional Medicinal Plants Used by Indigenous People of Gemad District, Northern Ethiopia  Ethnobotany is the study of the interaction

between plants and people, with a particular emphasis on traditional tribal cultures. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) about

65-80% of the world’s population in developing countries depends essentially on plants for their primary healthcare due to poverty and lack of

access to modern medicine[1]

.About 80% of the total population of Ethiopia is depending on traditional medicine to treat different types of human ailments[2]

.

They use their perceptions and experiences to categorize plant species indigenously and local people over the past period take traditional

Medicine

http://www.plantsjournal.com/vol1Issue1/Issue_july_2013/11.1.pdf

Medicinal plants in folk medicine system of Ethiopia

R. Hiranmai Yadav

School of Natural Resource Management and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental

Sciences, P.O. Box #337, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. E-mail: mayahiranbt@gmail.com.

Tel: +251919231748.

Accepted 18 February, 2013

Folk medicine encompasses the knowledge acquired by generations through indigenous methods of

treatment. It comes from the herbal resources, animal and mineral parts which contribute to the

treatment system with beliefs. It comprises the knowledge of endemic herbs transferred from one

generation to the other as guarded secrets. There are magical and astrological influences invoked in

this system that forms an integral part of the treatment. The magicoreligious beliefs and empirical

knowledge from the natural environment and its effectiveness makes it friendlier giving a widespread

use. Approximately 80% of Ethiopia’s population relies on traditional medicine to cure ailments. The

system is said to be an outcome of African, Greek, Arabic and Hebrew traditions that makes the system

unique. Besides being environment friendly and sustainable it upholds the socio cultural development

of the society. The long isolated history of Ethiopia also adds to the development of its unique

indigenous pharmacopoeia.

Key words: folk medicine, herbals, medicinal plants, socio economic aspect.

http://www.apexjournal.org/jpmpr/archive/2013/May/fulltext/Yadav.pdf

Ethiopian medicinal herbs

Last year, when I was hiking the northern mountains of Ethiopia, I came across many native plants. For example the pretty famous and widely used in the west  aloe vera(eret in Amharic). This succulent plant seems to have originated in Northern Africa and from there was introduced to America, Europe, and Asia. In Ethiopia alone, there are about 38 species of aloe which have traditionally been used in skin and hair care products and also to form the basis of health drinks and tonics. In rural parts of Ethiopia the fluid coming from the cut leaf is applied to cuts and wounds to prevent infections and bring about healing. The gel is known to cause drying of the skin and the dried and powdered roots, together with the dried leaves of other species are applied for the treatment of a skin lesion caused by the herpes infection. 
These are only some uses of one widely known plant so imagine how many more Ethiopian plants can be found that are not listed in any database. 
Most herbs in Ethiopia are regularly used in local medicine and are the first step, and often the only one, to treat illnesses for millions of Ethiopians. 
All that herbal knowledge is at risk of being lost, first due to lack of documentation, and second because of the extinction of native plants. Climate change, soil degradation and intensive use of land to cultivate more profitable crops by foreign companies are primary the culprit of their disappearance. 
Besides the fact that herbs are already in use to treat different ailments, there is a huge potential of discovering new uses for them, whether as herbal treatments or as pharmaceutical products. Many plants have never been experimented with in western medicine, and if they are lost they never will. 
While I was researching this subject, I discovered that traditional Ethiopian medicine is not only practiced by Ethiopians in their country but also by those living abroad who brought with them the knowledge passed from generation to generation. There is an interesting article online by Dikla Danino and Zohar Amar about this happening in Israel: Little Ethiopia: An Ethno pharmacological Study of the Ethiopian Community in Israel . 

http://ethiopia.limbo13.com/index.php/ethiopian_medicinal_herbs/

Traditional Use of Medicinal Plants By the Ethnic

Groups of Gondar Zuria District, North-western Ethiopia

Abstract

The aim of the study was to document informati on on medicinal plants and to describe the traditi onal health care practi ces

of Gondar Zuria district, North-west Ethiopia. Field trip was made in each village of the district to collect ethnomedicinal

informati on from the traditi onal healers by using semi-structured questi onnaire and fi eld observati on. Forty-two plant

species representi ng forty-one genera and thirty-one families were encountered during the study. Results of the study were

analysed using two quanti tati ve tools: informant consensus factor for the analysis of general use of medicinal plants and

fi delity level for calculati ng the most frequently occurring diseases for the categories with the highest informant consensus

factor. The result of the informant consensus factor showed that the general health category had the greatest agreement

followed by the respiratory, malarial, and gastrointesti nal categories. The present study has documented curious ethno

medicinal facts on the plant therapies currently uti lised in Gondar Zuriadistrict. Evaluati on of the pharmacological acti vity

for the promising medicinal plant is suggested.

http://www.jnronline.com/index.php/jnr/article/viewFile/30153/26093

The Role of Indigenous Medicinal Plants in Ethiopian Healthcare

Introduction

     In today's world of evidence-based medicine, the old system of traditional medicine has been scrutinized very closely, and rightly so, from the scientific angle in an attempt to render it more amenable to systematic investigation. In fact, looking back in time, modern medicine has benefited a lot from traditional medicine in that the latter had provided key leads emanating from folkloric uses of medicinal plants. A large array of modern pharmaceutical agents has been derived from such leads, which were eventually traced back to traditional uses of medicinal plants. Consequently, substances such as the antimalarial quinine, the decongestant pseudoephedrine, the pain killer codeine, just to name a few, were discovered as a result of ethnobotanical information obtained from traditional uses of plants, which are the natural "manufacturing houses" of these drugs. Plants continue to play a major role in providing prototype molecules for possible development into conventional drugs by the pharmaceutical industry. This article deals with the role played by medicinal plants in healthcare in Ethiopia against a backdrop of condensed history. It also provides synopses of select Ethiopian medicinal plants, and concludes by pointing out the future role that they can play as a source of enhanced herbal products.

http://www.hollerafrica.com/showArticle.php?artId=217&catId=1

Ethiopian Traditional and Herbal Medications and their Interactions with Conventional Drugs

Methods

Author Alevtina Gall discussed the use of traditional medicine by Ethiopian patients with Dr. J. Carey Jackson, Medical Director of the International Medicine Clinic at Harborview Medical Center, and with Zerihun Shenkute, co-author of this article and pharmacist at Harborview. Zerihun Shenkute contributed information based on professional knowledge of pharmacy and Western medicine, experience as a pharmacist serving Ethiopian immigrant patients, and firsthand cultural knowledge of Ethiopian communities' traditional and herbal medicine practices. Information was also obtained through a literature review that included studies of patient-health care provider relationships and current scientific data regarding chemical interactions of herbs and conventional drugs.

Brief History of Traditional Medicine in Ethiopia

The first recorded epidemic that occurred in Ethiopia dates back to 849 following the expulsion of Abba Yohannes, the head of the Ethiopian church, from the land. The plague and famine that ensued was perceived as God’s punishment for Yohannes’ misdeeds.  In a terrified letter to Abba Yohannes, the Ethiopian emperor wrote that “great tribulations have come upon our land, and all our men are dying of the plague and all of our beasts and cattle have perished” (Pankhurst, 1990).

It is impossible to pinpoint the birth of medicine in Ethiopia, but certainly the evolution of curative practices closely follows the path of a disease. Traditional medical practitioners mostly implement herbs, spiritual healing, bone-setting and minor surgical procedures in treating disease. Ethiopian traditional medicine is vastly complex and diverse and varies greatly among different ethnic groups. Most traditional medical practices in Ethiopia rely on an explanation of disease that draws on both the “mystical” and “natural” causes of an illness and employ a holistic approach to treatment (Bishaw, 1991).

http://ethnomed.org/clinical/pharmacy/ethiopian-herb-drug-interactions

ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN

GINDEBERET DISTRICT, WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia, is a country characterized by a wide range of climate and ecological conditions, possesses

enormous diversity of fauna and flora. Semi-structured interviewees, observation and guided field walks with informants

were employed to obtain ethnobotanical data in Gindeberet district, western Ethiopia. A total of 120 informants (84

males and 36 females) were selected purposefully from six sub districts. A total of 26 species of medicinal plants were

collected and identified for treating 36 human ailments. The medicinal plant preparations were administered through

oral, dermal and nasal routes. Oral application (33 preparations, 67.3%) was the highest and most commonly used

route of application followed by dermal application (15 preparations, 30.6%). The most commonly used plant parts for

herbal preparations were leaves (28%) and roots (28%) followed by barks (14%) and fruits (14%). Gindeberet

district is rich in its medicinal plant composition and the associated indigenous knowledge. Encouraging the local herbal

medicinal practitioners to enhance the use of traditional medicine and licensing the work of the practitioners are

recommended.

Healing Agriculture: Medicinal Plants in the Semien Mountains of Ethiopia

Contributed by Morgan Ruelle

Subsistence farmers in the Semien Mountains of Ethiopia maintain a rich legacy of plant diversity, including many plants they know how to use as medicine. These farming communities are encountering a number of complex changes, including population growth, new road construction and local effects of global climate change. Favorable market prices induce farmers to increase production of a few cash crops, often decreasing crop diversity and increasing the amount of land under permanent cultivation. As land use changes, medicinal plants may be eliminated from the landscape, thereby diminishing important local health care options.

http://ethnobiology.net/healing-agriculture-medicinal-plants-in-the-semien-mountains-of-ethiopia/

Medicinal plants potential and use by pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Erer Valley of Babile Wereda, Eastern Ethiopia

Background: Ethiopian plants have shown remarkably effective medicinal values for many human and livestock

ailments. Some research results are found on medicinal plants of the south, south west, central, north and north

western parts of Ethiopia. However, there is lack of data that quantitatively assesses the resource potential and the

indigenous knowledge on use and management of medicinal plants in eastern Ethiopia. The main thrust of the

present ethnobotanical study centres around the potential and use of traditional medicinal plants by pastoral and

agro-pastoral communities in Babile Wereda (district) of eastern Ethiopia. The results can be used for setting up of

conservation priorities, preservation of local biocultural knowledge with sustainable use and development of the

resource.

Materials and methods: Fifty systematically selected informants including fifteen traditional herbalists

(as key informants) participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews, discussions and guided field walk

constituted the main data collection methods. Techniques of preference ranking, factor of informant consensus and

Spearman rank correlation test were employed in data analysis. Medicinal plant specimens were collected,

identified and kept at the National Herbarium (ETH) of Addis Ababa University and Haramaya University Herbarium.

Results: Fifty-one traditional medicinal plant species in 39 genera and 28 families were recorded, constituting 37%

shrubs, 29% trees, 26% herbs, 6% climbers and 2% root parasites. Leaves contributed to 35.3% of the preparations,

roots (18.8%) and lower proportions for other parts. Formulations recorded added to 133 remedies for 54 human

ailments, in addition to some used in vector control. The majority of remedies were the juice of single species,

mixtures being generally infrequent. Aloe pirottae, Azadirachta indica and Hydnora johannis were the most cited and

preferred species. Aloe pirottae, a species endemic to Ethiopia, is valued as a remedy for malaria, tropical ulcer,

gastro-intestinal parasites, gallstone, eye diseases and snake bite. The jel extracted from dried and ground plant

material, called SIBRI (Oromo language), was acclaimed as a cleaner of the human colon. Concoction made from

leaf, seed and flower of Azadirachta indica was given for treatment of malaria, fungal infections and intestinal

worms. Root preparations from Hydnora johannis were prescribed as remedy for diarrhoea, haemorrhage, wound

and painful body swelling, locally called GOFLA (Oromo language).

Conclusions: The study documented many well known and effective medicinal species of relevance for human

healthcare, including for the treatment of malaria which is rampant in the area as it is in many parts of Ethiopia.

This underscores the importance of the traditional medicinal plants for the people living in the area and the

potential of the resource for development. Consequently, the study area deserves urgent conservation priority

coupled with mechanisms for the protection of the associated indigenous medical lore as well as development and

effective use of the medicinal plant resource.

http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1746-4269-8-42.pdf

thiopia: Medicinal plants potential and use by pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Erer Valley of Babile Wereda, Eastern Ethiopia

Ethiopian plants have shown remarkably effective medicinal values for many human and livestock ailments. Some research results are found on medicinal plants of the south, south west, central, north and north western parts of Ethiopia.

However, there is lack of data that quantitatively assesses the resource potential and the indigenous knowledge on use and management of medicinal plants in eastern Ethiopia. The main thrust of the present ethnobotanical study centres around the potential and use of traditional medicinal plants by pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Babile Wereda (district) of eastern Ethiopia.

The results will be used for setting up of conservation priorities, preservation of local biocultural knowledge with sustainable use and development of the resource. Materials and methodsFifty systematically selected informants including fifteen traditional herbalists (as key informants) participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews, discussions and guided field walk constituted the main data collection methods.

http://sodere.com/profiles/blogs/ethiopia-medicinal-plants-potential-and-use-by-pastoral-and-agro

Traditional Ethiopian Knowledge of Medicine and Surgery: An Introduction of Sources

Traditional Ethiopian Knowledge of Medicine and Surgery: An Introduction of Sources  (Richard Pankhurst, Addis Ababa University) Ethiopia comprises lands of varying altitudes and climates. It has a variety of vegetation, including medicinal plants, in close geographical proximity. Ethiopians, in their long history, discovered the medicinal properties of many plants. Medical practitioners of the northern and central provinces had the advantage of recording the information for future generations. Such written data can be supplemented by the observations of foreign travellers, who preserved much information about Ethiopia's medical traditions. Ethiopian medical traditions have also been studied, in the twentieth century, by many scholars from various disciplines: history, linguistics, social anthropology, botany, and medicine. Ethiopian Medicinal Texts

http://www.ossrea.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=251

Hepatoprotective activities of two Ethiopian medicinal Plants

The present study evaluated the in vivo hepatoprotective activity of two medicinal plants, namely, Justicia

schimperiana (Hochst. ex Nees) (Acanthaceae) and Verbascum sinaiticum Benth. (Scrophulariaceae) used

in Ethiopian traditional medical practices for the treatment of liver diseases. The levels of hepatic marker

enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase

(ALP) were used to assess their hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4

)-induced hepatotoxicity in Swiss albino mice. The results revealed that pretreating mice with the hydro-alcoholic

extracts of both plants significantly suppressed the plasma AST ((P<0.01) J. schimperiana; (P<0.05)

V. Sinaiticum) and ALT ((P<0.05) J. schimperiana) activity when compared with the CCl4

 intoxicated control. Among the Soxhlet extracts of each of the plants, the methanol extract of J. schimperiana showed

significant hepatoprotective activity. Further fractionation of this extract using solid phase extraction and

testing them for bioactivity indicated that the fractions did not significantly reverse liver toxicity caused

by CCl4 . However, the percentage hepatoprotection of the distilled water fraction was comparable with

that of the standard drug silymarin at the same dose (50mg/kg) as evidenced by biochemical parameters.

Histopathological studies also supported these results. In vitro DPPH assay conducted on the water

fraction of J. schimperiana and the Soxhlet methanol fraction of V. sinaiticum showed that they possess

moderate radical scavenging activity (IC50=51.2 and 41.7 μg/mL, respectively) which led to the conclusion

that the hepatoprotective activity of the plants could be in part through their antioxidant action.

file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/Hepato.pdf

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/3948/1/IJTK%208%282%29%20281-284.pdf

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Kafficho people, southwestern Ethiopia

Tesfaye Awas1

 and Sebsebe Demissew2

*

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by Kafficho people was carried out in Kafa

zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Regional States in Southwestern

Ethiopia. Kafficho are the dominant indigenous people living in the zone. Their language is

Kaffinono, which belongs to Omotic language family. Inquiries were made regarding the

local names of medicinal plants and the disease treated. Informants were asked to rank

medicinal plants used to cure a specific aliments.

Traditional medicine is used throughout the world as it is dependent on locally available

plants, which are easily accessible, and capitalizes on traditional wisdom-repository of

knowledge, simple to use and affordable. These medical systems are heavily dependent

on various plant species and plant based products. The current account of medicinal

plants of Ethiopia, as documented for National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan by

Tesema Tanto et al. (2002), shows that about 887 plant species were reported to be

utilized in the traditional medicine. Among these, about 26 species are endemic and

they are becoming increasingly rare and are at the verge of extinction. Equally

threatened is the knowledge base on which the traditional medicinal system is based, as

the ethnobotanical information is not documented and remains in the memory of elderly

practitioners. Therefore, detailed information on the medicinal plants of Ethiopia could

only be obtained when studies are undertaken in the various parts of the country where

little or no botanical and ethnobotanical explorations have been made.

Ethnobotany tries to find out how people have traditionally used plants, for whatever

purposes, and how they are still doing so (den Eynden et al., 1992). Thus, ethnobotany

tries to preserve valuable traditional knowledge for both future generations and other

communities. Recently, the subject has adopted a much more scientific and quantitative

methodology and has studied the ways in which people manage their environment

(Phillips and Gentry, 1993a, b; Martin, 1995; Cotton, 1996; Höft et al., 1999).

Quantitative methods and species use values enable comparisons of use between

vegetation types or ecological zones, between people of different ages, gender or

occupation within or between communities (Höft et al., 1999, Cunningham, 2001).

http://portal.svt.ntnu.no/sites/ices16/Proceedings/Volume%203/Tesfaye%20Awas%20and%20Sebsebe%20Demissew%20-%20Ethnobotanical%20study.pdf

Assessment of indigenous knowledge of medicinal

plants in Central Zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Gidey Yirga

Biology Department, Mekelle University P. O. Box 3072, Mekelle Ethiopia. E-mail: gidey1998ec@yahoo.com. Tel: +251-

914-750373.

Accepted 13 November 2009

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.

http://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1380106233_Yirga.pdf

An Ethnobotanical Study

of Medicinal Plants in

Amaro Woreda, Ethiopia

Fisseha Mesfin, Talemos Seta, and Abreham Assefa

An ethnobotanical study was conducted in Amaro Woreda,

Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region

(SNNPR), Ethiopia, with an objective to (1) document indigenous

knowledge of the people on the use of medicinal

plants and (2) investigate plant species that are used

as medicines for the treatment of human health problems,

thereby identifying indigenous knowledge for the conservation

of biological and cultural diversities and threatening

factors on plant species. Plant and ethnobotanical information

were collected from selected areas of the woreda.

A total of 17 traditional healers, most of them aged

from 28 to 70 years were selected, and information was

collected through questionnaires and personal interviews

during field trips in the Korre ethnic group from August to

December 2012. Descriptive analysis was performed for

the data collected. A total of 56 medicinal plant species

were reported by traditional healers of the Korre ethnic

group, representing 52 genera and 31 families. The majority

of plants recorded (77%) were wild. Of the plants,

38% were herbs and 34% shrubs. Thirty-one human ailments

were identified by the traditional healers of the

study area. Leaves constituted 33% of the total uses followed

by roots (27%). Fifty-seven percent of the healer

remedies were applied orally while 23% were applied on

the skin. The plants recorded from Korre group were the

ones with the highest fidelity level (FL) values. Conservation

priority should be given for identified threatened medicinal

plants, promoting in situ and ex situ conservation.

http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/handle/10125/34005/Ethnobotany2014_19.pdf?sequence=1

Medicinal plants – guidelines to promote patient safety and plant conservation for a US$ 60 billion industry

WHO issues new recommendations for ginseng, echinacea and other medicinal plants

10 FEBRUARY 2004 | GENEVA - The World Health Organization (WHO) today releases guidelines for good agricultural and collection practices for medicinal plants - an industry estimated worth more than US$ 60 billion. The guidelines are intended for national governments to ensure production of herbal medicines is of good quality, safe, sustainable and poses no threat to either people or the environment.

Herbal medicines could be the natural answer to some ailments and can often be readily available. For these reasons, they are growing in popularity in wealthy countries and their use remains widespread in developing regions.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2004/np3/en/

Antimycobacterial Activities of Selected Ethiopian Traditional

Medicinal plants used for treatment of symptoms of

Tuberculosis

Yonas Eshetu Gizachew1

, Mirutse Giday2 and Tilahun Teklehaymanot2

1Department of Animal production and ecotourism, College of Agriculture, Aksum University

2Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University

Accepted 25 October, 2013

Tuberculosis (TB) is serious infectious diseases affecting many people across the world particularly sub-Saharan

Africans. Ethiopia is ranked 7th among TB burden shouldering countries in the world. Conventional

chemotherapeutic control approach has faced serious, flourishing drug resistance strains. Traditional herbal

remedies have endeavored to supplement or replace ineffective drugs. This study determined the

antimycobacterial activity of selected Ethiopian medicinal plants traditionally used to treat TB. Leaf of Ocimum

lamiifolum, Clausena antisata and Myrsine africana were collected, air dried and extracted with distilled water and

absolute methanol (MeOH). The crude aqueous and MeOH crude extracts of the plants were tested against

Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv strain and M. bovis (SB 1176). Broth micro-dilution method (BMM) was used to

determine the anti-mycobacterial activities and minimum inhibitory concentration of the plant extracts. MeOH and

aqueous crude extracts of O. lamiifolum, C. antisata and M. africana have demonstrated promising activity against

at least one species of two Mycobacterium species. Both MeOH and aqueous crude extracts of M. africana were

active against both species. Antimycobacterial activity was documented within inclusive MIC range of 400-

1600µg/m for the extracts of three plant species. The plant extracts have anti-mycobacterial activities pin pointing

scientific ground for ethnomedicinal use of the plants against TB. This finding could serve as baseline information

for further antimycobacterial agent study of these plants. Future studies ought to assess the exact chemicals

involved and identify, if any toxicity. There will also be way to encourage the traditional use of the plant against TB

after further research.

http://garj.org/garjmp/pdf/2013/november/Gizachew%20et%20al.pdf

Invitro Antibacterial Screening of Extracts from Selected Ethiopian Medicinal

Plants

Indigenous knowledge, literature reports and ethnobotanical records suggest that plants are the

basis for medicines. They constitute natural source of antimicrobial drugs that will provide novel

or lead compounds for the fight against disease. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of three

selected Ethiopian medicinal plants was studied with the objective of screening their antibacterial

activity. The fruits of Measalanceolata, aerial part of Cissus quadrangularis and leaf of

Dodonae angustifolia were collected, air dried under shed, powdered and soaked in 80%

methanol and extracted. In vitro antibacterial activity of the extracts was tested at different

concentrations by using agar disc diffusion method and measuring the zone of inhibition. The

plant extracts showed broad spectrum activity against gram positive (S. aureus) as well as gram

negative (E. coli) bacteria, except Cissus quadrangularis which did not show any activity against

E. coli. Furthermore, the plant extracts had also concentration dependant zone of inhibition

against the tested bacteria. In fact, the highest activity was obtained for Dodonae angustifolia at

1000mg/ml against S. aureus. The activities are attributed to the presence of some secondary

metabolites present in the tested plants which have been associated with antibacterial activities.

This finding suggests that these medicinal plants can be potential source to isolate antibacterial

drugs.

http://www.mu.edu.et/mejs/pdfs/V6N1/10-MEJS-00115-102-110.pdf

An ethno-veterinary botanical survey of medicinal

plants in Kochore district of Gedeo Zone, Southern

Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State

(SNNPRs), Ethiopia

For many years, different social and ethnic groups of Ethiopia, the use of ethno-veterinary

practices to treat and control livestock and human diseases is an old practice, particularly the

marginal districts where animal health services are still poor. However, this traditionally

medicine practices source of knowledge is not sufficiently documented, that hampers the

extensively utilize, validation and evaluation tracks. This study was aimed to document the

ethnoveterinary knowledge and practices used to treat and control of livestock and human

diseases in Kochore district, SNNPRs, Ethiopia. A purposive sampling technique study was

carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire and field observational to document

indigenous knowledge of 23 traditional healers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and

summarize the ethno-botanical data. Forty plants, which have medicinal value against a total of

29 livestock and animal diseases, were reported and botanically identified as belonging to

various 26 plant families. Most of the plant species reported to belong to one of nine major

families: So lanaceae (11.76%), Fabaceae (9.80%), Asteraceae (9.80%), Lobeliaceae (7.84%),

Lamiaceae (7.84%), Euphorbiace (7.84%), Simaroubaceae (3.92%), Rutaceae (3.92%) and

Rubiaceae (3.92%). Woody plants (trees 30% and shrubs 27.5 %) and herbaceous 27.5% were

the major growth habit used, whilst leaves (62.5 %) were the major plant parts used in the study

areas. The informants mostly practice oral drenching of plant technique preparations (64.7%).

Out of the total 40 ethno-veterinary medicinal plant species were identified and documented in

the study area 67.5% predominantly used to livestock aliments treatment followed by 27.5%

and 5% for livestock and human (both) and human aliments treatment respectively. The

distribution of healers indicated that the majority were in the range of 46- 60 years of age

(91.3%, elders) and 8.7% between 30 and 45 years old. Majority of informants accounting for

82.6% were males, and the remaining 17.4% were females. This study revealed that traditional

medicine is, playing a significant contribution in obtaining the first aid healthcare needs of the

Kochore district community. The acceptance and continuation of this practice are due to the

limited access to modern healthcare facilities, as main factors. Documentation of the traditional

uses of medicinal plants is an urgent matter and important to preserve the knowledge, and can

be used to support the country’s livestock and human health care system and improve lives and

livelihoods.

http://www.jsirjournal.com/Vol3_Issue4_07.pdf

Insecticidal Activity of Some Traditionally Used Ethiopian Medicinal Plants against Sheep Ked Melophagus ovinus

Twelve medicinal plants and a commercially used drug Ivermectin were examined for insecticidal activity against Melophagus ovinus sheep ked at different time intervals using in vitro adult immersion test. The findings show that at 3.13 µL/mL, 6.25 µL/mL and 12.5 µL/mL concentration of Cymbopogon citratus,Foeniculum vulgare and Eucalyptus globulus essential oils respectively, recorded 100% mortalities against M. ovinus within 3 hour of exposure. Significantly higher insecticidal activity of essential oils was recorded () when compared to 10 μg/mL Ivermectin after 3-hour exposure of M. ovinus at a concentration of ≥1.57 μL/mL, ≥3 μL/mL, and ≥12.7 μL/mL essential oils of C. citratus, F. vulgare, and E. globulus, respectively. Among essential oils, C. citratus has showed superior potency at a three-hour exposure of the parasite () at a concentration of ≥0.78 μL/mL. Strong antiparasitic activity was recorded by aqueous extract of Calpurnia aurea (80% mortality) at a concentration of 200 mg/mL within 24 h among aqueous extracts of 9 medicinal plants. The results indicated all the four medicinal plants, particularly those tested essential oils, can be considered as potential candidates for biocontrol of M. ovinus sheep ked.

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jpr/2014/978537/

Medicinal Plants to Improve Animal Health

Sidama Traditional

Medicinal Plants:

An ethnobotanical study from southwestern

Ethiopia

Summary

Small-holder farmers in poor countries like Ethiopia have for many generations used medicinal plants to try to control livestock endo- and ectoparasites, often because they simply can not afford chemical drugs. This project brings together Ethiopian traditional healers with SRUC and Hawassa University researchers to promote informed use of plants to control parasites through systematically obtaining scientific evidence on anti-parasitic efficacy of Ethiopian plants. This provides countries like Ethiopia with knowledge to optimise using their own natural resources to control animal parasites.

http://www.sruc.ac.uk/info/120372/international_activities/621/medicinal_plants_to_improve_animal_health

http://www.surgery.wisc.edu/system/assets/1951/McAlvay_Sidama_Plant_Based_Medicine.pdf?1389376111

Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry Vol. 2 No. 1 2013 www.phytojournal.com Page | 284

Medicinal Plants Biodiversity and Local Healthcare Management System in Chencha District; Gamo Gofa,

Ethiopia

Since the time of immemorial, plants were used for multiple socio-cultural and economic uses. Medicinal use is one

of the services that plants provide for human welfare. The practice of traditional medicine is common in Ethiopia

although it is not utterly studies and documented. So, the aim of this study is to conduct an ethnobotanical survey of

medicinal plants used for treatment of human and livestock health problems in Chencha district. For that reason, a

cross sectional study and systematic sampling technique was employed to select possible sampling sites and

medicinal practitioners. A total of 9 sampling sites were selected, and a total of 17 informants were selected and

interviewed. Ethnobotanical data was gathered using semi-structured interview, group discussion and field

observation, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, informants’ consensus and

fidelity level index. A total of 89 medicinal plant species, used to treat human and livestock health problems, are

discovered. Of these, nearly 42 species (47%) are harvested from only ex-situ while 19 species (21%) are harvested

from in-situ, and the rest 28 species (32%) are gathered from both in-situ and ex-situ. On the other hand, about 64

species (72%) are found to be herbs, 16 species (18%) shrubs, 8 species (9%) trees and 1 succulent species. With

regards to plant parts, leaves share the largest proportion with 44% followed by roots with 16%. Amongst several

remedies, concoction forms account for 30% followed by infusion (21%). The majority of plant remedies (67%) are

found to be administered via oral, followed by dermal (25%) and nasal (8%). On the other hand, the average

informants’ consensus factor calculated (µICF=0.64) shows the presence of high intra-cultural uniformity amongst

practitioners in using plants for multiple purposes. However, Pearson correlation coefficient analysis (r= -950,

p=0.05) depicts the existence of significant and inverse correlation between age range and medicinal plant

knowledge amongst informants.

http://www.phytojournal.com/vol2Issue1/Issue_may_2013/41.pdf

 

“Due to deforestation some of the medicinal plants are already lost some are on the verge of extinction”

 

http://www.ethpress.gov.et/herald/index.php/herald/herald-guest/3905-due-to-deforestation-some-of-the-medicinal-plants-are-already-lost-some-are-on-the-verge-of-extinction

 

Wild-food Plants in Southern Ethiopia:

Reflections on the role of ‘famine-foods’ at a time of drought

Introduction and background

03/2000

For many years the importance of wild plants in subsistence agriculture in the developing world as a food supplement and as a means of survival during times of drought and famine has been overlooked. Generally, the consumption of such so-called ‘wild-food’ has been and still is being under-estimated. This may very well be the case for Ethiopia, a so-called ‘biodiversity hot-spot’ and known as a centre of origin for a significant number of food plants (Bell, 1995).

Rural people of Ethiopia are endowed with a deep knowledge concerning the use of wild plants. This is particularly true for the use of medicinal plants (Abebe and Ayehu, 1993) but also for wild plants some of which are consumed at times of drought, war and other hardship. Elders and other knowledgeable community members are the key sources or ‘reservoirs’ of plant lore. Wild-food consumption is still very common in rural areas of Ethiopia, particularly with children. Among the most common wild plant fruits consumed by children are, for example, fruits from Ficus spp,Carissa edulis and Rosa abyssinica plant species.
The consumption of wild plants seems more common and widespread in food insecure areas where a wide range of species are consumed. The linkage has given rise to the notion of ‘famine-foods’, plants consumed only at times of food stress and therefore an indicator of famine conditions. Local people know about the importance and the contribution of wild plants to their daily diet as well as being aware of possible health hazards such as stomach irritation occasionally occurring after consumption of certain wild plants.
Nevertheless, whereas the rich indigenous knowledge on the medicinal use of wild plants has been relatively well documented, research, particularly concerning the socio-economic, cultural, traditional, and nutritional aspects of wild-food plants still lacks adequate attention. In the case of Ethiopia little, if anything, has been systematically documented on this subject. This should raise even greater concern when looking at the frequency of recent famine events in the country and the extent to which subsistence agriculture is still the norm.
In parts of Southern Ethiopia the consumption of wild-food plants seems to be one of the important local survival strategies and appears to have intensified due to the repeated climatic shocks hampering agricultural production and leading to food shortages. Increased consumption of wild-foods enables people to cope better with erratic, untimely rains and drought for several consecutive years without facing severe food shortages, famine and general asset depletion as in other areas of Ethiopia (see also Mathys, 2000). The key to this strategy for survival is the collection and consumption of wild plants in uncultivated lowland areas such as bush, forest and pastoral land as well as the domestication of a great variety of these indigenous plants and trees for home consumption and medicinal use in the more densely populated and intensively used mid- and highlands. Southern Ethiopia, particularly Konso, Derashe and Burji special weredas and parts of SNNPR (Southern Nations, Nationalities & People’s Region) may still be considered part of these so-called biodiversity hot-spots in Ethiopia.

http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Hornet/famp0300.html

 

An Ethnobotanical study of the Semi-wetland Vegetation of Cheffa

 

Bayafers Tamene1*, Tamrat Bekele2

, Ensermu Kelbessa2

 

ABSTRACT: An ethnoboatnical study was carried out in Cheffa plain, Ethiopia, between 20 November

1999 to 30 February 2000. Ethnobotanical data of wild plants were obtained from local key informants,

mainly based on semi-structured interviews. A total of 206 plant species distributed in 148 genera and 66

families were documented. Of these 54 species are non-cultivated food plants, 83 medicinal, 38 forage, 39

cleansing, laundry, toothbrush, fumigation and fragrance. The Cheffa people utilize 79 and 31 medicinal

plants for his and ethnoveterinary use respectively. Habit of medicinal plants includes shrubs (38 species),

herbs (21), trees (13) and climbers (11). The most frequently used plant parts are leaves (33 species).

Remedies are usually prepared by pounding, crushing and squeezing juice (79.69%). The two major route

of administrations are oral (53.60%) and dermal (20.72%). Relict forest islands are traditional- community

based in sit conservation sites. Traditional community based in situ conservation should be complemented

with ex situ conservation activities.

 

http://www.phe-ethiopia.org/pdf/Hujub%20Sacred%20Forests.pdf

In vitro antibacterial activity of four Ethiopian medicinal plants against some bacteria of veterinary

and public health importance

http://icophai2011.org/sites/icophai2011.org/files/sharedimages/Session2/3-ICOPHAI%20-%20Presentation-Eguale.pdf