Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used by the Local People of Akaki District, East Shewa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted to document the indigenous medicinal plant-based knowledge of the people of Akaki District in South East of Addis Ababa from March, 2016 to December, 2016. A total of 40 informants (32 males and 8 females) above the ages of 18 were selected to collect information on medicinal plant identification from eight sampled kebeles. Out of these, 10 key informants were purposely selected based on the recommendations of elders and local authorities. Other 30 informants were selected randomly. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and field observations. Informant consensus, preference ranking, paired comparison, informant consensus factor (ICF) and fidelity level were calculated. A total of 64 plant species distributed within 60 genera and 35 families were collected and identified. From these, 48 species were recorded for the treatment of human health problems and 16 species for the treatment of livestock health problems. From the total medicinal plant species, 26 were herbs followed by 23 species of shrubs, 12 species of trees and 3 species of climbers. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (45.31%) followed by roots (28.12%). The most widely used method of preparation was crushing (35.95%) of the different plant parts followed by chewing (18.75%) and pounding (17.18%). The common route of administration recorded was oral (53.12%) followed by dermal (18.75%). The most commonly used application of medicinal plant was drinking (43.75%) followed by painting (17.18%) and putting on accounted for 4.68%. The medicinal plants such as Ocimum lamiifolium, Allium sativum and Indigofera tinctoria that were presumed to be effective in treating certain diseases have got high informant consensus. The disease categories such as external parasites, Ascaris and tape worm as well as the categories of retained urine and retained placenta have higher ICF values of 0.93, 0.92 and 0.90 respectively. Preference ranking showed that people of the area have preference for Ocimum lamiifolium for the treatment of febrile illness. Paired comparison of five species of plants that were used for the same disease showed that Ruta chalepensis was the most preferred species by traditional healers for the treatment of stomach ache. Agricultural encroachment, firewood collection, charcoal production, drought, plant use for house and fence construction, overgrazing, urbanization, construction of Addis Ababa-Adama high way and construction of Addis Ababa-Djibouti rail way were major threats to plants in general and medicinal plants in particular in the study area. Indigenous practices, cultural, spiritual, prime restrictions for collection and awareness rising have contributed to the conservation of medicinal plants.