ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY LOCAL PEOPLE OF DIRE TEYARA WOREDA, HARARI REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

A variety of traditional medicinal plants have been widely used by different indigenous people in Ethiopia for many human and livestock ailments. This ethnobotanical study aimed to document and analyze the traditional knowledge and use of medicinal plants by the local community in Dire Teyara Woreda. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, group discussions, and field observation. 389 respondents, of which 20 were key informants were involved. Information regarding the plant species, their medicinal uses, and preparation methods were collected and analyzed. A total of 52 medicinal plant species belonging to 39 families were identified. The study revealed that these plants were used to treat various human ailments. Zingiber officinale, Nigella sativa, Allium sativum, Ruta chalepensis and Schinus molle were species with high preference ranking and used by the local people frequently. The majority of medicinal plants (53.8%) were harvested from the wild environments. The result of growth form analysis showed that shrubs constituted the highest proportion of medicinal plants (40.4%). The family Solanaceae occupied the first rank with five species followed by Fabaceae and Myrtaceae with three species each. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (44%) followed by roots (19.2%), seeds (13.4%) and stem and fruits (5.8%). Crushing was a widely used mode of preparation of traditional remedies, whereas oral administration (61.5%) was the dominant route. Results of statistical analyses showed that knowledge of traditional medicine of plant origin was significantly (P<0.001) affected by age, sex, educational status and occupation of the indigenous people of the study area. Local people in the study area possess indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants to treat various human ailments; however, agricultural expansion and disinterest of young generation became the major threat to medicinal plants. It is, therefore, necessary to preserve this indigenous knowledge on traditional medicines by proper documentation, identification of plant species used, and herbal preparation. To save medicinal plants from further loss, involving local communities in cultivation of the most utilized medicinal plants is recommended