International Journal of Environmental Chemistry

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Knowledge and Use of Medicinal Traditional Plant Species Ailments in Haramaya, Ethiopia

Received: 14 February 2019    Accepted: 25 March 2019    Published: 11 May 2019
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Abstract

The purpose of this research was to identify the medicinal plants and anal-yse local knowledge regarding the use of plants for the treatment and prevention of various human ailments in socio-cultural groups, namely in the peoples of Haramaya, East Harerge, Ethiopia by answering research questions: What were the requirements of the users in filling existing gap in knowledge regarding the traditional medicinal plants? What are the traditional medicinal plants species used as a primary healthcare? Which parts of traditional medicinal plants are used as a primary health care? How does the medicinal plant products are operated by healers? Data was selected from Haramaya District, HarargeZone, East Ethiopia from September 2016 to July 2017thedata were collected from 30 randomly selected traditional plant healer’s using semi-structured interviews and participants observation. The traditional plant species healers were involved in the study were male and female and also their ages range from 25 -95. Interviews were made with each traditional healer about the knowledge and use of medicinal plant species used to treat human diseases in the study area. 22 medicinal plant species were used as cure for 30 ailments. From these, 100 species were recorded for the treatment of human health problems, from the total medicinal Plants. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (31%), seeds (27%), seeds and fruits (3.5%) fruits (3.5%), steam (10.35%), roots (6.7%), jelly of the steam (3.5%), flowers (3.5%), leave bud (3.5%), leaves and roots (3.5%) and terminal bud (3.5%). The most widely used method of preparation was crushing (26.80%) of the different plant parts followed by squeezing (22.68%) and burning (7.21%). The common route of administration recorded was oral (52.01%) followed by dermal (28.52%) and nasal (8.3%). The most commonly used application of medicinal plant was drinking (43.37%) followed by painting (10.84%) and put on and washing accounted for 10.84%. No significant correlation was observed between the age of traditional remedy and the number of species reported and the indigenous knowledge transfer was found to be similar. More than one medicinal plants species were used more frequently than the use of a single species for remedy preparation. Plant parts used for remedy preparations showed significant difference with medicinal plant species abundance in the study area.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijec.20190301.13
Published in International Journal of Environmental Chemistry (Volume 3, Issue 1, June 2019)
Page(s) 18-23
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Medicinal Plants, Plant Parts, Traditional Healers

References
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[2] Bishaw, M. (1991). Promoting traditional medicine in Ethiopia: a brief historical review of government policy. Social Science and Medicine, 33, 193-200.
[3] Kassaye, K. D., Amberbir, A., Getachew, B., Mussema, Y. (2006). A historical overview of traditional medicine practices and policy in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Health Development, 20, 127-134.
[4] Papadopoulos, R., Lay, M., Gebrehiwot, A. (2002 May). Cultural snapshots: A guide to Ethiopian refugees for health care workers. Research Center for Trans-cultural Studies in Health.Middlesex University, London. Available on-line: http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/rctsh/embrace.htm.
[5] Lietava, J., 1992. Medicinal plants in a middle Palaeolithic grave Shanidar IV? Journal ofEthnopharmacology 35, 263–266.
[6] Balick, M., Cox, P., 1996. Plants, People and Culture. The Science of Ethnobotany. Scientific American Library, USA, 228 pp.
[7] Chadwick, D. J., Marsh, J. (Eds.), 1994. Ethnobotany and the search for new drugs. In: Ciba Foundation Symposium, vol. 185. Wiley, Chichester, 280 pp.
[8] Karan Vasisht and Vishavjit Kumar (2004) Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Padriciano 99, 34012 Trieste, Italy.
[9] MesfinTadesse and SebsebeDemissew, 1992. Medicinal Plants Ethiopian: Inventory, Identification and Classification. In: Sue Edwards &ZemedeAsfaw, (eds.). Plants Used in African Traditional Medicine as Practiced in Ethiopia and Uganda. Botany 2000: East and Central Africa. NAPRECA Monograph Series No. 5: 1-24.
[10] Jansen, P. C. M. 1981. Spices, Condiments and Medicinal plants in Ethiopia: Their Taxonomic and agricultural significance. Centre for agricultural publishing and documentation. Wageningen, the Netherlands.
[11] Pankhurst, R. 2001. The status and availability of oral and written knowledge on traditional health care. In: Conservation and Sustainable Use of Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia Proceeding of The National Workshop on Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use of Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia, 28 April-01 May 1998, pp.92-106 (MedhinZewdu and AbebeDemissie eds.). IBCR, AA.
[12] Dawit, A. 1986. Traditional medicine in Ethiopia. The attempt being made to promote it for effective and better utilization. SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Scince 9, 61-69. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
[13] Debela, H. 2001. Use and Management of Traditional Medicinal Plants by Indigenous People of Boosat Woreda, Wolenchiti Area: AnEthnobotanical Aproach. M.Sc. Thesis, Addis Ababa University.
[14] Ankobonggo, W. 1992. The Role of African Traditional Medicine in Healthcare Delivery alongside Modern Medicine. In: Plants used in African traditional medicine as practiced inEthiopia and Uganda. Botany 2000. East and Central Africa. NAPRECA MonographSeries. 2: 25-35. (Edwards, S. and ZemedeAsfaweds.). Published by NAPRECA, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa.
[15] Mirgissa Kaba (1998). Utilization of plant medicine for the treatment of health problems. The case of Oromo of Chora Wereda Illubabor Zone, Western Ethiopia. The EthiopianJournalof Health Development, 10(3): 161-166.
[16] Mirutse Giday (1999). An Ethnobotanicalstudy of medicinal plants used by the Zay People in Ethiopia. M.Sc. Thesis. Uppsala, Sweden.
[17] Endalew Amenu (2007). Use and Management of Medicinal Plants by indigenous People ofEjaji Area (Chelya Wereda) West Shewa, Ethiopia: An Ethnobotanical Approach. M.Sc. Thesis. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
[18] Etana Tolasa (2007). Use and Conservation of Traditional Medicinal Plants by Indigenous People in Gimbi Wereda, Western Wellega. M.Sc. Thesis. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
[19] Fisseha Mesfin (2007). An Ethnobotanical Study of medicinal Plants in Wonago Wereda, SNNPR, Ethiopia. M.Sc. Thesis. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
[20] Haile Yineger and Delenasaw Yewhalaw (2007). Traditional medicinal plant knowledge and use bylocal healers in Sekoru Wereda, Jimma Zone, southwestern Ethiopia. Journal of Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine, 3: 24.
[21] Tilahun Teklehaymanotand Mirutse Giday (2007). Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by people in Zegie Peninsula, Northwestern Ethiopia. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine.3: 12.
[22] Ermias Lulekal, Ensermu Kelbessa, Tamrat Bekele, and Haile Yineger.(2008). An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Mana Angetu Wereda, southeastern Ethiopia. Journal of Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine4: 10.
[23] Zewdie Kassa (2009). An Ethnobotanical Study of MedicinalPlants and Biodiversity of Trees and Shrubs in Jeldu Wereda, Western Shewa, Ethiopia. M.Sc. Thesis. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Author Information
  • Department of Chemistry, Dire Dawa University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

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    Melaku Masresha Woldeamanuel. (2019). Knowledge and Use of Medicinal Traditional Plant Species Ailments in Haramaya, Ethiopia. International Journal of Environmental Chemistry, 3(1), 18-23. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijec.20190301.13

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    Melaku Masresha Woldeamanuel. Knowledge and Use of Medicinal Traditional Plant Species Ailments in Haramaya, Ethiopia. Int. J. Environ. Chem. 2019, 3(1), 18-23. doi: 10.11648/j.ijec.20190301.13

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    Melaku Masresha Woldeamanuel. Knowledge and Use of Medicinal Traditional Plant Species Ailments in Haramaya, Ethiopia. Int J Environ Chem. 2019;3(1):18-23. doi: 10.11648/j.ijec.20190301.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijec.20190301.13,
      author = {Melaku Masresha Woldeamanuel},
      title = {Knowledge and Use of Medicinal Traditional Plant Species Ailments in Haramaya, Ethiopia},
      journal = {International Journal of Environmental Chemistry},
      volume = {3},
      number = {1},
      pages = {18-23},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijec.20190301.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijec.20190301.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijec.20190301.13},
      abstract = {The purpose of this research was to identify the medicinal plants and anal-yse local knowledge regarding the use of plants for the treatment and prevention of various human ailments in socio-cultural groups, namely in the peoples of Haramaya, East Harerge, Ethiopia by answering research questions: What were the requirements of the users in filling existing gap in knowledge regarding the traditional medicinal plants? What are the traditional medicinal plants species used as a primary healthcare? Which parts of traditional medicinal plants are used as a primary health care? How does the medicinal plant products are operated by healers? Data was selected from Haramaya District, HarargeZone, East Ethiopia from September 2016 to July 2017thedata were collected from 30 randomly selected traditional plant healer’s using semi-structured interviews and participants observation. The traditional plant species healers were involved in the study were male and female and also their ages range from 25 -95. Interviews were made with each traditional healer about the knowledge and use of medicinal plant species used to treat human diseases in the study area. 22 medicinal plant species were used as cure for 30 ailments. From these, 100 species were recorded for the treatment of human health problems, from the total medicinal Plants. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (31%), seeds (27%), seeds and fruits (3.5%) fruits (3.5%), steam (10.35%), roots (6.7%), jelly of the steam (3.5%), flowers (3.5%), leave bud (3.5%), leaves and roots (3.5%) and terminal bud (3.5%). The most widely used method of preparation was crushing (26.80%) of the different plant parts followed by squeezing (22.68%) and burning (7.21%). The common route of administration recorded was oral (52.01%) followed by dermal (28.52%) and nasal (8.3%). The most commonly used application of medicinal plant was drinking (43.37%) followed by painting (10.84%) and put on and washing accounted for 10.84%. No significant correlation was observed between the age of traditional remedy and the number of species reported and the indigenous knowledge transfer was found to be similar. More than one medicinal plants species were used more frequently than the use of a single species for remedy preparation. Plant parts used for remedy preparations showed significant difference with medicinal plant species abundance in the study area.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Knowledge and Use of Medicinal Traditional Plant Species Ailments in Haramaya, Ethiopia
    AU  - Melaku Masresha Woldeamanuel
    Y1  - 2019/05/11
    PY  - 2019
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    T2  - International Journal of Environmental Chemistry
    JF  - International Journal of Environmental Chemistry
    JO  - International Journal of Environmental Chemistry
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    EP  - 23
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2640-1460
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijec.20190301.13
    AB  - The purpose of this research was to identify the medicinal plants and anal-yse local knowledge regarding the use of plants for the treatment and prevention of various human ailments in socio-cultural groups, namely in the peoples of Haramaya, East Harerge, Ethiopia by answering research questions: What were the requirements of the users in filling existing gap in knowledge regarding the traditional medicinal plants? What are the traditional medicinal plants species used as a primary healthcare? Which parts of traditional medicinal plants are used as a primary health care? How does the medicinal plant products are operated by healers? Data was selected from Haramaya District, HarargeZone, East Ethiopia from September 2016 to July 2017thedata were collected from 30 randomly selected traditional plant healer’s using semi-structured interviews and participants observation. The traditional plant species healers were involved in the study were male and female and also their ages range from 25 -95. Interviews were made with each traditional healer about the knowledge and use of medicinal plant species used to treat human diseases in the study area. 22 medicinal plant species were used as cure for 30 ailments. From these, 100 species were recorded for the treatment of human health problems, from the total medicinal Plants. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (31%), seeds (27%), seeds and fruits (3.5%) fruits (3.5%), steam (10.35%), roots (6.7%), jelly of the steam (3.5%), flowers (3.5%), leave bud (3.5%), leaves and roots (3.5%) and terminal bud (3.5%). The most widely used method of preparation was crushing (26.80%) of the different plant parts followed by squeezing (22.68%) and burning (7.21%). The common route of administration recorded was oral (52.01%) followed by dermal (28.52%) and nasal (8.3%). The most commonly used application of medicinal plant was drinking (43.37%) followed by painting (10.84%) and put on and washing accounted for 10.84%. No significant correlation was observed between the age of traditional remedy and the number of species reported and the indigenous knowledge transfer was found to be similar. More than one medicinal plants species were used more frequently than the use of a single species for remedy preparation. Plant parts used for remedy preparations showed significant difference with medicinal plant species abundance in the study area.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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