BackgroundThe Ethiopian people have been dependent on traditional medicine, mainly medicinal plants, from time immemorial for control of human and animal health problems, and they still remain to be largely dependent on the practice. The purpose of the current study was to conduct ethnobotanical study to document medicinal plants used to treat diseases of human and domestic animals in Kilte Awulaelo District in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia.MethodsEthnobotanical data were collected between July and September 2011 through semi-structured interviews, ranking exercises and field observations. For the interviews, 72 knowledgeable informants were sampled using purposive sampling method. For the different ranking exercises, key informants were identified with the help of elders and local administrators from informants that were already involved in the interviews.ResultsThe study revealed 114 medicinal plant species belonging to 100 genera and 53 families. The plants were used to treat 47 human and 19 livestock diseases. Of the species, the majority (74%) were obtained from the wild. Herbs were the most utilized plants, accounting for 44% of the species, followed by shrubs (29%). Leaf was the most commonly used plant part accounting for 42.98% of the plants, followed by roots (25.73%). Preference ranking exercise on selected plants used against abdominal pain indicated the highest preference of people for Solanum marginatum. Direct matrix ranking showed Cordia africana as the most preferred multipurpose plant in the community. Preference ranking of selected scarce medicinal plants indicated Myrica salicifolia as the most scarce species, followed by Boscia salicifolia and Acokanthera schimperi. According to priority ranking, drought was identified as the most destructive factor of medicinal plants, followed by overgrazing and firewood collection.ConclusionMedicinal plants are still playing significant role in the management of various human and livestock diseases in the study area with herbs taking the lead in the number of plants used in the preparation of remedies, which may be an indication of their relatively better abundance as compared to other life forms. Recurrent drought was reported to have seriously threatened medicinal plant resources in the District. Awareness is thus needed be raised among local people on sustainable utilization and management of plant resources. Ex situ and in situ conservation measures should be taken to protect the medicinal plants of the District from further destruction and special attention should be given to the medicinal plants that were indicated by preference ranking exercise as the most threatened ones.

Introduction:Formalin is a colorless gas with a pungent odor. Because of its germicidal efficacy it is widely used as a preservative for human cadaver in the anatomy laboratory. Acute exposure to formaldehyde results in irritation and burning of the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, upper respiratory tract, depression, headache, nausea, coughing, irritation and burns to the skin and eye. Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of formalin toxicity among preclinical-I medical students in Adigrat University, Northern Ethiopia. Methodology: The study was conducted in anatomy laboratory, Adigrat University, Northern Ethiopia, which is located 894 Km from the capital Addis Ababa. Cross sectional study design was utilized for this study. It was carried out on 96 preclinical-I medical students who were routinely exposed to formalin during cadaver dissection. Result: In this study highest investigation was responded as unpleasant smell which accounts for 84.4% students followed by tingling sensation of the nose that is 78.1%. Effect of formalin on burning /watering of eye 67.7% and tiredness/dizziness 65.6% were also higher. Moreover, the data was showed that the effects of formalin accounts 17.7%, 16.7% and 6.25%, for abdominal pain, vomiting and fainting episodes, respectively. Conclusion: Anatomists, technicians and medical students who get regularly exposure to formalin at the dissection hall are at risk of formalin toxicity. Exposure to formalin vapour causes eye, nose, throat, and skin problems to the medical students. Therefore, this study reveals that the concerned bodies should take care of the side effects of formalin exposure.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a non-communicable disease which affects hundreds of millions of peoples in the world. This disease leads to serious problem over time if it is not properly managed. The current review is aimed at providing a comprehensive review from different research articles carried out on traditional medicinal plants/herbs used for the treatment/ management of diabetes. Several plants have been used for the management of diabetes mellitus. The search was done in Google Scholar, pub med, and Science Direct databases using the key words diabetes, traditional medicine, antidiabetic, medicinal plants, management and anti-hyperglycemic effects of diabetes. In this review, Allium cepa L., Allium sativum L., Aloe vera (L), Lepidium sativum L., Oxalis corniculata L, Ricinus communis L, Thymus schimperi Ronniger, Trigonella foenum graecum L and Zingiber officinale Roscoe found to have repeatedly positive impact for the management of diabetes. Thus, it is very important to utilize those medicinal plants for the diabetic patients as an alternative choice for the management of diabetes.

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