An ethnobotanical study of traditional medicinal plants used for human ailments in Yem ethnic group, south Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Medicinal plants (MPs) have been widely used traditionally for strengthening the health care among communities of low-income countries including Ethiopia. The Yem ethnic group in Ethiopia traditionally utilize MPs for treating human ailments since ancient times. However, MPs and the associated traditional knowledge are under erosion due to human-induced and natural factors. Therefore, documenting the plant biodiversity along with the associated indigenous knowledge is an urgent task for conservation.Methods: This study was conducted between 2013 and 2016 with the objective of documenting MPs used for treating human ailments. Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews and guided transect walks. The data were collected from 69 informants that were selected by stratified random sampling and purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using paired ranking (PR), Informant consensus factor (ICF), Fidelity Level (FL (%)) and Direct Matrix Ranking (DMR).Results: About 213 plant species that are used for treating 117 human ailments were recorded. Gastrointestinal & Visceral organs ailments scored the highest ICF value of 0.82. Analysis of FL revealed that species such as Haplocarpha rueppellii, Carduus schimperi and Inula confertiflora had a 100% fidelity, Maesa lanceolata 80% and Rumex abyssinicus 75% fidelity. Multipurpose medicinal species such as Cordia africana, Juniperus procera and Podocarpus falcatus were species locally threatened by use pressure. Conclusion:The Yem ethnic group has rich traditional knowledge of utilizing diverse plant species for maintaining human health care. Conducting phytochemical screening and clinical trials of the species with high fidelity is suggested for their efficacy, safety, and standard uses.

Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Human and Livestock Ailments in Basona Werana District, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

“…This may be due to the fact that herbs are more readily available and plentiful in the surrounding areas than shrubs and trees [ 18 ]. This result is consistent with the general trend of herbaceous species dominance found in numerous ethnobotanical studies conducted in Ethiopia [ 4 , 8 , 16 , 18 , 30 , 31 ]. In contrast to the present finding, shrubs or trees were the dominant life forms as a contributor of medicinal plants in other findings [ 11 , 17 , 28 , 32 ].…”

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plant species in Nensebo District, south-eastern Ethiopia

“…This makes the district an important site for the practice of traditional medicine. It also indicates that the local communities are heavily dependent on traditional medicine for primary health care (Mengistu et al 2022, Woldemariam et al 2021. Of the reported medicinal plants, 34 species were reported by Ashagire et al (2016) in Bule Hora district, southern Ethiopia and 35 species were also reported by Chekole et al (2015) in Libo Kemkem…”

“…An available, deep rooted traditional knowledge of human health care and the culturally important traditional medicines form the basis of an accessible and affordable healthcare system and are an important source of livelihood among rural populations (Mesfin et al 2009, Woldemariam et al 2021. The accessibility of medicinal plants, a cultural acceptance of natural medication and the contrasting high costs of "western" biomedical health care are factors that promote extensive use of plant therapy for human primary health care.…”

“…As a result, traditional medicine is a widely growing health care system of significant economic importance. Therefore, documenting the plant biodiversity and its associated indigenous knowledge brings an urgent call for conservation efforts (Woldemariam et al 2021).…”

“…Currently, it is estimated that individual countries range between 50-95% reliance on medicinal plants (Pan et al 2019, Wanjohi et al 2020). As a nation in a developing country, Ethiopians mostly relied for centuries on a system of traditional health care knowledge for treating various physical and mental disorders (Chekole 2017, Gebre 2018, Kebede et al 2016, Woldemariam et al 2021. This implies that traditional medicine continues to be an essential part of the local culture as well as the basis of a rural community health care system (Gijan & Dalle 2019).…”