Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in Alefa District, Central Gondar Zone ,Amhara Regional State,Ethiopia
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Date
2024-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
An Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was conducted to document and identify medicinal plant based indigenous knowledge of people in Alefa District, Central Gondar Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. A total of 140 informants were selected to collect Ethnobotanical data. Out of these 26 key informants were selected purposively while general informants were selected randomly. Data were collected by using semi-structured interviews, group discussion, field observation and guided field walk and market serveys. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentage and frequency: informant consensus factor, preference ranking, direct matrix ranking and fidelity level.The results show that a total of 108 medicinal plants species belonging to 94 genera and 53 families were collected and identified. Family Solanaceae and Poaaceae were contributed the highest number of species. A total of 74 human and livestock ailments were recoreded. From the total of 108 medicinal plants species (70.37%) were used to treat only human ailments.(11.11%) were used to treat livestock ailments only and (18.51%) for treating both human and livestock ailments. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (39.15%).From the total of 108 medicinal plants specie (38.88%) were herbs,(30.55%) were shrubs,(22.22%) were trees and (8.33%) were climbers.The most widely used method of remedy preparation was crashing (38.16%).The most commonly reported route of administration was oral constituting (59.11%). Disease categories with relatively higher ICF values were dermatology ailments (0.81). The most serious threats to medcinal plant species were agricultural expansion. Therefor prior and special attention to preserving highly threatened medicinal plants is recommended.
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Alefa District, Ethnobotany, Indigenous Knowledge, Medicinal Plants