Traditional Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Human and Livestock Ailments in Raya Alamata District, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, traditional medicine based mainly on medicinal plants, has been used for centuries for the treatment of human and animal health problems. The objective of this study was to document medicinal plants used to treat human and domestic animals ailments as well as the associate indigenous knowledge and conservation methods in Raya Alamata District in Northern Ethiopia. Ethno-botanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews, guided field walks, group discussions, field observations, preference ranking, paired comparison and direct matrix. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, informant consensus factor, and various ranking methods. Local communities heavily depend on traditional medicinal plants and associated knowledge for treating human and livestock ailments. However, medicinal plants and the associated knowledge are eroding mainly due to agricultural expansion, deforestation and land degradation for seeking new agricultural lands and firewood, as well as the unsustainable practices of plant or plant part sampling for medicinal values. Thus, public awareness needs to be raised among local communities and all other stakeholders on sustainable utilization and management of medicinal plant resources and the associated knowledge. On the top of that, ex-situ and in-situ conservation measures should be given particular attentions.

Keywords: Medicinal plants, indigenous knowledge, human ailment, Ethiopia

DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/11-9-04

Publication date:May 31^st 2021