Browsing by Author "Kelbessa, Ensermu(Professor)"

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    Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used By Local People in Ofla Wereda, Southern Zone of Tigray Region, Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Abdurhman, Nurya; Asfaw, Zemede(PhD); Kelbessa, Ensermu(Professor)
    ABSTRACT: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was conducted between October 2009 and April 2010, in Ofla Wereda of Southern Tigray, Ethiopia. The study employed common ethnobotanical methods including semi-structured interviews, field observations, preference ranking, paired comparisons and informant consensus. A total of 84 informants from 12 Kebeles (7 informants from each Kebele) were selected randomly and 36 key informants with the help of local administrators, recommendations from elders and members of the local community. In this study, 113 traditional medicinal plants were collected and identified. These species represent 95 genera and 51 families. The family Asteraceae with 12 species (10.62%), Lamiaceae and Solanaceae with 11 species (9.73%) each were commonly used medicinal plants in the study area. From the total of 113 medicinal plants, 82 species (72.57%) were used to treat human ailments for 55 health problems, 16 species (14.16%) were used to 14 livestock health problems and the remaining 15 species (13.27%) were used to treat both humans and livestock diseases. Herbs are the most used plants, accounting for 52 species (46%), shrubs 34 species (30.1%) and trees 27 species (23.9%). Leaves, roots, and fruits are the most used plant parts accounting for 68 species (45.3%), 31 species (20.7%) and 18 species (12%) in that order. Fresh plant parts from 74 species (65.5%) are frequently used in the study area than dried plant materials (27 species, 23.9%) and both dry and fresh materials (12 species, 10.6%). From the collected traditional medicinal plants informants reported that species used as crushed preparations were 39 (26.2%) followed by pounded which were 34 (22.8%) and those used as fumigants were 20 (13.4%). Most herbal preparations are administered externally compared to internal applications accounting for 51.6% and 48.4% respectively. Keywords: Ethnobotany, Ofla, medicinal plants, traditional medicine