Survey and Identification of Traditional Medicinal Plants in Arsi Zone, Sude Woreda, Ethiopia
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Date
2016-09
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study on the survey and identification of traditional medicinal plants in Arsi Sude
district was performedfrom October 2015 to February 2016 in three kebeles Gojama
negele, Yabeta kula and Akiya meti. In the area diverse medicinal plant species which are
used to treat many human and livestock disease have been documented.The data were
collected from the informants through semi-structured interview, discussion and collecting
plant samples from the study areas that are used to treat different human and livestock
ailments. A total of 21 informants were selected that consist of seven informants from
each kebele of which 16 were males and five females. Among the informants six of them
were key informants selected by purposive sampling method. A total of 36 medicinal plant
species were collected from the study area and identified using the Flora of Ethiopia and
Eritrea (volume 3, 1989). The medicinal plant collected are used to treat six disease
categories. Namely, dermatological, respiratory, ureno-genital, gastro-intestinal, febrile and
livestock disease. The frequently applied plant part was leaf (58%) followed by root (25%).
Traditional healers commonly used the juice of fresh leaf and root of medicinal plants.To
prepar it fresh part of the plant is crushed and the juice applied orally, nasally or dermally.
However; these plant species are threatened by the activities of the community like
expansion of agriculture, overgrazing, cultivation of eucalyptus tree as cash plant and
application of the root of medicinal plant is a factor that needs risk of extniction.
To conserve the biodiversity of the area and preserve the medicinal plants it is
recommended to make aware of the society and to develop in –situ and ex-situ
conservation of medicinal plants.
Key word; Traditional medicinal plants, traditional healer, Human diseases, Livestock
ailments.
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Keywords
Traditional Medicinal Plants, Traditional Healer, Human Diseases, Livestock Ailments