Abstract:
Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was conducted to document the
indigenous plants based on medical knowaledge of people in Dano Woreda,
West Shoa, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. A total of 60 informants
(age≥25) were selected to collect information on medicinal plant use from six
sampled kebeles. Of these, 10 key informants were selected purposively based
on recommendation by local elders and authorities. The rest were selected
randomly. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, field
observations and group discussions. Informant consensus factor (ICF) and
fidelity level were calculated to assess the agreement of informants on the
medicinal values of the plants. A total of 47 medicinal plant species
distributed in 43 genera and 27 families were collected and identified. Out of
these plants, 35 species (74.47%) were noted to treat only human ailments
while 8 species (17.02%) were used to treat livestock ailments and 4 species
(8.51%) were used to treat both human and livestock ailments. From the total
medicinal plant species, 16 were trees, 16 shrubs, 11 herbs and 4 climbers.
The common route of administration recorded was oral followed by dermal application. Disease categories such as goiter and tonsillitis had higher ICF
values (0.97), suggesting high incidence of these diseases in the study area
and agreement of people on their remedies. Agricultural expansion, firewood
collection, and use of plants for construction were reported as major threats
to plants of the study area.