Use and Management of Medicinal Plants by Indigenous People of Ejaji Area (Chelya Woreda) West Shoa, Ethiopia: An Ethnobotanical Approach
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Date
2007-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to organize and document information on use, management and
conservation of medicinal plants by Chelya Woreda people (Ejaji area), West Shoa, Western
Ethiopia. The area lies between latitudes 9° 02' and 9º1' North and longitudes 37° 25'
and 37º 16' East. The study involved traditional healers, knowledgeable elders and local
communities. Various ethnobotanical techniques were used to collect and analyze the data:
semi- structured interview, guided field walk and observation, group discussion, preference
raking and paired comparison, use diversity matrix and fidelity level index, combined with
descriptive statistical analysis. Seventy-two informants from 9 kebeles and 36 quadrats were
included in the study. A total of 188 plant species (145 from wild, 31 from home garden and
12 plant species from crop field and agricultural field) distributed in 70 families and 151
genera, were collected from the study area and identified. Out of these, a total of 89
medicinal plants distributed in 75 genera and 46 families were recorded, of which 48
species (53.9% ) are used for treatment of 47 human and 27 species (30.3%) for 34
livestock aliments, while 14 species (15.7%) are used to treat both livestock and
human ailments. Herbaceous species constitute the largest number with 28 species
(31.5%) followed by shrubs 27 species (30.3%) and trees make up the third growth
form with 24 species (26.9%) harvested for medicinal value. In addition to their
medicinal value plants in the area are utilized for forage, fencing, fire wood,
construction and spiritual and cultural needs. The highest informant consensus was
documented for the plants Ocimum urticfoluim (Hancabbii adii) cited by 64 (88.8%)
informants for its medicinal value treating fibril illness. Allium sativum, Lepidium
sativum and Nicotiana tabacum are cited by 62 (86%), 52 (72.2%) and 48 (66.7%)
informants ranking 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively for their medicinal value. Oral
administration is the dominant route (60.3%), followed by dermal route (20.1%) in
which pounding, powdering, crushing, squeezing, smashing, chewing, burning, steam
bath, dry bath and rubbing are recorded methods of preparation techniques.
Preference ranking, use reports, paired comparison and fidelity level index showed
the efficacy, popularity and preference people have for some species over the other
for different uses and in treating ailments. Modernization and acculturation have
contributed in making the younger generation unwilling to practice and retain traditional
knowledge. Environmental degradation, charcoal making, collection of fuel wood,
construction materials and the need for agricultural land resulted in major threat to
medicinal plants and indigenous knowledge. Indigenous practices, cultural, spiritual and
prime restrictions for collection have contributed to the management and conservation of
medicinal plants. On the contrary, this cultural and spiritual believes were discovered to
deteriorate (threaten) the local knowledge associated with medicinal plants.
Key words: - Ethnobotany, indigenous knowledge, ailments, plant use-categories,
informant consensus, treatment, harvest
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Keywords
Ethnobotany, indigenous knowledge, ailments, plant use-categories, informant consensus, treatment, harvest