Amenu, Endalew (2007) Use and Management of Medicinal Plants by Indigenous People of Ejaji Area (Chelya Woreda) West Shoa, Ethiopia: An Ethnobotanical Approach. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.
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Abstract
The purpose of the study was to organize and document information on use, management and conservation of medicinal plants by Chelya Woreda people (Ejaji area), West Shoa, Western Ethiopia. The area lies between latitudes 9° 02' and 9º1' North and longitudes 37° 25' and 37º 16' East. The study involved traditional healers, knowledgeable elders and local communities. Various ethnobotanical techniques were used to collect and analyze the data: semi- structured interview, guided field walk and observation, group discussion, preference raking and paired comparison, use diversity matrix and fidelity level index, combined with descriptive statistical analysis. Seventy-two informants from 9 kebeles and 36 quadrats were included in the study. A total of 188 plant species (145 from wild, 31 from home garden and 12 plant species from crop field and agricultural field) distributed in 70 families and 151 genera, were collected from the study area and identified. Out of these, a total of 89 medicinal plants distributed in 75 genera and 46 families were recorded, of which 48 species (53.9% ) are used for treatment of 47 human and 27 species (30.3%) for 34 livestock aliments, while 14 species (15.7%) are used to treat both livestock and human ailments. Herbaceous species constitute the largest number with 28 species (31.5%) followed by shrubs 27 species (30.3%) and trees make up the third growth form with 24 species (26.9%) harvested for medicinal value. In addition to their medicinal value plants in the area are utilized for forage, fencing, fire wood, construction and spiritual and cultural needs. The highest informant consensus was documented for the plants Ocimum urticfoluim (Hancabbii adii) cited by 64 (88.8%) informants for its medicinal value treating fibril illness. Allium sativum, Lepidium sativum and Nicotiana tabacum are cited by 62 (86%), 52 (72.2%) and 48 (66.7%) informants ranking 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively for their medicinal value. Oral administration is the dominant route (60.3%), followed by dermal route (20.1%) in which pounding, powdering, crushing, squeezing, smashing, chewing, burning, steam bath, dry bath and rubbing are recorded methods of preparation techniques. Preference ranking, use reports, paired comparison and fidelity level index showed the efficacy, popularity and preference people have for some species over the other for different uses and in treating ailments. Modernization and acculturation have contributed in making the younger generation unwilling to practice and retain traditional knowledge. Environmental degradation, charcoal making, collection of fuel wood, construction materials and the need for agricultural land resulted in major threat to medicinal plants and indigenous knowledge. Indigenous practices, cultural, spiritual and prime restrictions for collection have contributed to the management and conservation of medicinal plants. On the contrary, this cultural and spiritual believes were discovered to deteriorate (threaten) the local knowledge associated with medicinal plants.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Ethnobotany, indigenous knowledge, ailments, plant use-categories, informant consensus, treatment, harvest |
| Subjects: | Q Science > QK Botany R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RV Botanic, Thomsonian, and eclectic medicine |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Selom Ghislain |
| Date Deposited: | 28 Jun 2018 10:04 |
| Last Modified: | 28 Jun 2018 10:04 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/6141 |
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