An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in Kilte Awulaelo District, Tigray Region of Ethiopia

Abstract

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.

Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used for the Treatment of Human and Livestock Ailments in Dawe Kachen District of Bale Zone, Southeast Ethiopia

“…The same result was also documented in Kilte Awlalodistric of Tigrayregion by Teklay et al (2013)where herbs dominated the total medicinal plants in the area. However, the finding is in disagreement with the study conducted in Babile by Belayneh et al (2012) and a study conducted in Mena Angetu of Oromia region by Luelekal et al (2008) in both of them shrubs were dominating followed by herbs.…”

Antibacterial activity of selected medicinal plants used in South-western Ethiopia

“…100 mg/mL) against P. aeruginosa (IZ, 22.67 ± 4.17 mm) followed by petroleum extract (IZ, 22.33 ± 3.33 mm) against S. typhimurium with activity closer to standard commercial antibiotic ciprofloxacin (IZ, 32 mm) . Leaves of plants are among the commonly used plant parts although there are contradictory reports in this regards (Mesfin et al, 2009;Teklay et al, 2013). Of 114 medicinal plant species identified being used to treat 47 human and 19 livestock diseases (Teklay et al, 2013), leaves parts were the most commonly used section accounting for almost 50% of the total sample analyzed.…”

“…Leaves of plants are among the commonly used plant parts although there are contradictory reports in this regards (Mesfin et al, 2009;Teklay et al, 2013). Of 114 medicinal plant species identified being used to treat 47 human and 19 livestock diseases (Teklay et al, 2013), leaves parts were the most commonly used section accounting for almost 50% of the total sample analyzed. To the contrary, roots were reported the most commonly used plant parts (35.8%) among seventy-two plant species documented for having medicinal value as reported from Wonago district of South Nations and Nationalities Peoples Region (SNNPR), South Ethiopia (Mesfin et al, 2009).…”

WomenÂ’s Perceptions about Pregnancy and Childbirth and Their Perceived Maternal and Newborn Health Problems in Tigray District, Ethiopia

“…The residents in the Kilte Awulaelo district speak Tigrigna, an official language in Tigray region. The total population of the Kilte Awulaelo district in 2007 was about 112,000, and teff, wheat, barley, and beans are the main grains grown there [12]. To recruit eligible women for this study, a cluster sampling method was used.…”