scholarly journals Indigenous Knowledge and Practices on Medicinal Plants Used by Local Communities of Gambella Region, South West Ethiopia

Author(s):  
Jemberu Alemu Megenase ◽  
Ketema Tilahun Gelaye ◽  
Prem Kumar Dara

Indigenous knowledge and practices on medicinal plants used by local communities of Gambella region, south west Ethiopia was conducted to investigate those potential and popular medicinal plants used for the treatment of various diseases in Gambella region. A total of 100 purposively selected inhabitants were employed in the study of which 84 were male and 16 were females. A traditional use of plants information was obtained by semi structured oral interviews from experienced rural elders, Focus group discussion and through questionnaire administered to traditional herbal medicine practitioners of the study area. 81 medicinal plants were identified for the traditional treatment of both human (25) and animal (16) disease. The highest numbers of medicinal plants for traditional uses utilized by this community were belonging to shrubs 30(37.03%) followed by trees (32.10%). The result reviled that 15.2% of the remedies are prepared from root part and squeezing accounts 17(20.99%) followed by chewing 14(17.28%). The major routs of administration of traditional medicines were reported oral 50(61.73%). Urine, placental retention and milk let down accounts higher informants’ consensus factor value (0.96). The findings showed that sheferaw and leele have higher fidelity level which is 100 and 92 respectively. Various factors were recorded as the main threats of medicinal plants in the study area. In conclusion, the community carries a vast knowledge of medicinal plants but this knowledge is also rapidly disappearing in this community. Such type of ethno-botanical studies will help in systematic documentation of ethno-botanical knowledge and availing to the scientific world plant therapies used as antivenin by the Gambella community and further research on plant species identification and chemical extraction is recommended.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Misbahu Aman ◽  
Zemede Asfaw ◽  
Gemedo Dalle

Abstract Background Systematic documentation and promotion of indigenous knowledge associated with medicinal plants are limited. The aim of this study was to undertake ethnobotanical investigation on medicinal plants used for the treatment of human and livestock ailments and document indigenous knowledge of local communities on the preparation and administration of herbal remedies in the study area. Methods The study involved 153 informants from nine kebeles, comprising traditional healers, knowledgeable elders and local user communities. Various ethnobotanical techniques were used to collect and analyze data: semi- structured interview, guided field walk, group discussion, preference ranking, and fidelity level index. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis. Results Local communities had rich and diverse indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants, types of ailments, methods of remedy preparations and routes of applications. There were differences in this indigenous knowledge across age and sex. A total of 83 medicinal plants were documented during this study. Fifty two (62.65%) plants were used for treating human ailments, 20 species (24.10%) for treating health problems of livestock and the remaining 11 (13.25%) for treating both human and livestock ailments. The highest informant consensus was documented for the plants Allium sativum , Asparagus africanus and Azadirachta indica. Leaves were the most commonly used parts of medicinal plants accounting for 51.81% of the total followed by roots (20.48%) and barks (2.41%). Oral administration of the herbal medicine was the dominant route 66.3%, followed by dermal (22.7%) which included washing, holding on, rubbing and brushing. Smoking (8.5%) was also important. It was documented that 27 species (32.5%) were used in fresh, 13 species (15.7%) dried and 43 species (51.8%) either in dry or fresh state. Conclusion Owing to their access, curing ability, manageable charges, existence of deep indigenous knowledge and other associated cultural values, medicinal plants continued to play a significant role in meeting healthcare needs of the community in the study area. Conservation and sustainable use of the diverse medicinal plants need to be promoted. Systemic documentation and protection of the rich knowledge of local communities and further research on selected potential species was recommended as a result of this study.


Author(s):  
R Possa ◽  
P Khotso

The indigenous knowledge of the Basotho makes it simple for this speech community to name their traditional medicinal plants in such a way that they are meaningful; this could also be viewed as an empowerment technique, especially in the economic sphere. Their medicinal plants names seem to be idiomatic and to express certain philosophies of the Basotho society. Creativity is observable in this kind of naming, and many names allude to the kind of remedy that is associated with the medicinal plant. It is therefore the interest of this paper to consider the names of medical plants among the Basotho whose names allude to the remedy they provide. The names of Sesotho medicinal plants and the reasoning of the Basotho in general behind the name and the use of each medicinal plant will be discussed in this article. This paper will further preserve and promote the use of Basotho traditional medicines for the future generation.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Temesgen Assefa ◽  
Netsanet Nigussie ◽  
Destaw Mullualem ◽  
Gebiru Sinshaw ◽  
Yeshaneh Adimasu

In Ethiopia, medicinal plants had been used since ancient time and became an important source of health care. Though majority of the people in the study area depend on ethnomedicine to manage different ailments, the indigenous knowledge largely is not documented. As a result, an ethnobotanical survey was conducted with the objective of assessing the role of medicinal plants in traditional medicine. Data was collected by using semi-structured interview and group discussion. Twenty informants were purposefully selected based on indigenous knowledge and gender. Ethnobotanical data was analyzed with descriptive statistics and expressed in tables and flow charts. A total of 25 medicinal plants (22 families) recorded to treat human and livestock ailments. Medicinal plant habit analysis indicates that shrubs occupy the highest proportion (36%), followed by trees and herbs (28% for each) and climbers (8%). The most commonly used plant parts in the study area were leaves and roots. Although medicinal plants play a great role in the society, their  sustainability is declining through time in the study area due to the increasing number of users, improper uses of the plants and poor conservation. Therefore, the conservation of these medicinal plants would be important.


1997 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fundación Indígena (FSI) ◽  
Brij Kothari

Research on indigenous knowledge has resulted in innumerable benefits to the Outsider(s). Indigenous peoples should be compensated in return. This article argues for integrating compensation and empowerment into the heart of the research process itself rather than viewing them as post-project undertakings. "Rights to the Benefits of Research" (RBR) is proposed as a unifying term to coalesce ideas of compensation for benefits to the Outsider(s) obtained from a noncommercial research process. In contrast, compensation of indigenous peoples via "Intellectual Property Rights" (IPR) is seen as predicated primarily upon commercial benefits. A strategy to implement RBR based on ethical guidelines and indigenous peoples' empowerment is suggested. A participatory ethnobotanical research project conducted in Ecuador serves to illustrate benefits for which compensation would fall under RBR but not IPR. The project involved the local communities in documenting their oral knowledge of medicinal plants in a written form, primarily for themselves. It is assessed along extractive, compensatory, and empowering tendencies through post-project self-reflection. The article posits that the conservation of indigenous knowledge for and by the local peoples could have positive implications for protecting their intellectual property from predations by the Outsider(s).


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-47
Author(s):  
M Nagalakshmi ◽  
S Rashmi

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted to collect information from traditional healers on the use of herbal medicine in Doddakavalande Hobli, Nanjangud taluk of Mysore District. The indigenous knowledge of local healers was documented through questionnaire and personal interviews. In the present study, about 19 respondents of age group between 50 to 89 yrs gave information of traditional medicines used to cure different ailments. Of about 35 plant species belonging to 26 families were used for the treatment of human ailments. In which family Fabaceae and Polygonaceae contained 3 plant species, followed by Acanthaceae, Amaranthaceae, Apocynaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Poaceae contained 2 species each, and the rest of the families Amaryllidaceae, Anacardiaceae, Apiaceae, Aristolochiaceae, Asteraceae, Cleastraceae, Crassulaceae, Lamiaceae, Lecythidaceae,  Meliaceae,  Olaceae, Phylanthaceae, Piperaceae,  Plumbaginaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Rutaceae,  Smilacaceae, Solanaceae,  Styracaceae and Zingiberaceae. Habit wise analysis of medicinal plant species used indicated that herbs (19 species) were the most preferred life form followed by trees (8 species), shrubs (5 species) and climbers (3 species) for drug formulation. Herbal formulations were administrated either internally or applied externally depending on the type of ailment. Local people in the study area possess traditional knowledge of medicinal plants to treat various human ailments, therefore it is necessary to preserve the indigenous knowledge on traditional medicines by proper documentation, identification of plant species used, and herbal preparation. Keywords: Ethnobotany, Traditional knowledge, Medicinal plants, Mysore district.


Author(s):  
Jayasimha Rayalu Daddam ◽  
Peddanna Kotha ◽  
Umamahesh Katike ◽  
Sreenivasulu Basha ◽  
Muralidhara Rao Dowlathabad

Abstract Ethnopharmological relevanceAnantapuram district is known for rich plant source and their traditional practices from long time by certain tribes for different diseases. Despite of increase in acceptance of traditional medicines in India, this rich indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants of Anantapuram district is not adequately documented previously.MethodsExtensive was done for past three years and a total of 66 plants from 66 species and 64 genera of 42 families were recorded. Interviews, Observations and guided talks with 415 participants were conducted to obtain ethno botanical data on medicinal plants grown and maintained in Anantapuram District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The names of plant species, their local name, mode of administration and parts used for different diseases are gathered with FIC and FL values.ResultsPlants widely used to cure the common symptoms of Intestinal disorders has highest agreement of FIC, followed by Toothache, Fever, Snake bite, Eye drops, Dermatological, Headache (0.88%), Hair shampoo (0.87%), Cut and Wounds (0.85%), Boils and Burns (0.84%), Bronchitis/cough (0.83%), Earache (0.82%), Pain (0.82%), Antihelmintic (0.81%), Diabetes (0.81%) and Stress (0.63%).ConclusionThis ethano botanical survey noticed that in Anantapuram very few medicinal plants were reported with their traditional use, can be an important economic source to develop this region and also planned exploitation is needed to make tribal people to continue folk medicine.


Our Nature ◽  
1970 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mani Bahadur Rai

Vaidhya (Herbalist) use the medicinal plants to remove the ailments since time immemorial. Tehrathum district is found rich in medicinal plants. A total of 105 vascular plants were recorded to be used in different diseases. Information was collected by discussion through local communities and field observations. Some plants were found to be used in different diseases in different places. The indigenous knowledge is transferring from generation to generation in certain families without any written records. Keyword:s Medicinal Plants, NTFPs, Tehrathum, Shamandoi:10.3126/on.v1i1.304Our Nature (2003) 1: 42-48


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Getachew Sime ◽  
Abadi Hagos

Abstract Background In Ethiopia, traditional medicine based mainly on medicinal plants, has been used for centuries for the treatment of human and animal health problems. The objective of this study was to document medicinal plants used to treat human and domestic animals ailments as well as the associate indigenous knowledge and conservation methods in Raya Alamata District in Northern Ethiopia. Methods Ethno-botanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews, guided field walks, group discussions, field observations, preference ranking, paired comparison and direct matrix. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, informant consensus factor, and various ranking methods. Results The results showed 47 medicinal plant species belonging to 44 genera and 31 families. The plants were used to treat 27 human and 8 livestock diseases. Among others, members of Fabaceae were leading in terms of the number of medicinal plant species composition, consisting of 9 species. Of these species, the majority (53.19%) grew naturally in the wild. Herbs took the lead in terms of the number of plants used in the preparation of remedies, constituting 46.81% of the species, followed by shrubs that instituted 27.66%. Leaves were the most commonly used plant part, constituting 41.94% of the total uses, followed by roots, constituting 20.97%. Dermal route of administration was the most commonly used route of administration (43.55%), followed by oral route of administration (38.71%). Direct matrix ranking showed Balanites aegyptiaca L. as the most preferred multipurpose species in the community. Paired ranking indicated that Aloe megalacantha Bak. as the most commonly used medicinal plants for healing external wounds. Agricultural activity for new agricultural lands became seriously threatened medicinal plant resources. Many of the local communities with traditional medicinal knowledge gave priority to the immediate use of medicinal plants than to the sustainable uses. Particularly, the collection method of plants or plant parts for medicinal use is mostly destructive. Conclusion local communities heavily depend on traditional medicinal plants and associated knowledge for treating human and livestock ailments. However, medicinal plants and the associated knowledge are eroding mainly due to agricultural expansion, deforestation and land degradation for seeking new agricultural lands and firewood, as well as the unsustainable practices of plant or plant part sampling for medicinal values. Thus, public awareness needs to be raised among local communities and all other stakeholders on sustainable utilization and management of medicinal plant resources and associated knowledge. On the top of that ex-situ and in-situ conservation measures in particular should be taken for the sustainable management of medicinal plants and the indigenous knowledge.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document