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. 2007 Jun 4:3:24.
doi: 10.1186/1746-4269-3-24.

Traditional medicinal plant knowledge and use by local healers in Sekoru District, Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

Haile Yineger  1 , Delenasaw Yewhalaw
Affiliations

Traditional medicinal plant knowledge and use by local healers in Sekoru District, Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

Haile Yineger et al. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. .

Abstract

The knowledge and use of medicinal plant species by traditional healers was investigated in Sekoru District, Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia from December 2005 to November 2006. Traditional healers of the study area were selected randomly and interviewed with the help of translators to gather information on the knowledge and use of medicinal plants used as a remedy for human ailments in the study area. In the current study, it was reported that 27 plant species belonging to 27 genera and 18 families were commonly used to treat various human ailments. Most of these species (85.71%) were wild and harvested mainly for their leaves (64.52%). The most cited ethnomedicinal plant species was Alysicarpus quartinianus A. Rich., whose roots and leaves were reported by traditional healers to be crushed in fresh and applied as a lotion on the lesions of patients of Abiato (Shererit). No significant correlation was observed between the age of traditional healers and the number of species reported and the indigenous knowledge transfer was found to be similar. More than one medicinal plant species were used more frequently than the use of a single species for remedy preparations. Plant parts used for remedy preparations showed significant difference with medicinal plant species abundance in the study area.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map showing location of the study sites.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Methods used by traditional healers in remedy preparation.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Route of traditional medicine administrations.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Added values of traditional medicinal plant species.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Reported threats to medicinal plant species of the study area.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. Martin GJ. Ethnobotany: a methods manual. London, UK: Chapman and Hall; 1995.

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