Tamene S., et al.

Der Pharmacia Lettre, 2021, 13(3):21-28

Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plant Uses and the Problems Associated

With Local Community Perception in Dale District, Sidama Region, Ethiopia
Sintayehu Tamene1 and Dagne Addisu2
1
Department of chemistry, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hawassa University, P.O.
Box 128, Shashemene, Ethiopia
2
Department of chemistry, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawassa University, P.O.Box 05, Hawassa,
Ethiopia
*
Corresponding author: Dagne Addisu, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawassa University
Chemistry Department, P.O.Box 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia, Tel: 0932670557, E-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

Peoples have used traditional human and veterinary medicine to treat diseases for generations. An ethnobotanical study was conducted
at Dale district in Sidama Region, Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to document indigenous medicinal plant utilization and the
factors affecting it. A total of 90 informants 66 male and 24 females (including 20 key informants) were selected and snowball sampling
techniques was used. Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, field observations, guided field walk, group
discussion, preference ranking and paired comparison with traditional medicine practitioners. The Ethnomedicinal uses of 55 plant
species which are distributed across 52 genera and 36 families were documented used as cure for 38 ailments. Among these, 31
medicinal plants were reported for human ailments treatment, 7 for livestock and 15 for both human and livestock ailment treatment.
The most frequently utilized plant parts were leaves. Intestinal parasite ailment was reported as common problems. Oral administration
observed as dominant one. Preference ranking analysis indicates that Vernonia amygdalina ranked first and most effective medicinal
plant to cure intestinal parasite problems in human. While for livestock ailment, Achyranthes aspera ranked first and most effective
medicinal plant to cure pneumonia. In paired wise comparison Stephania abyssinica ranked first and most effective medicinal plant to
cure jaundice in humans as compared to the others. Informant consensus analysis showed that ailments like rabies, poisoning and
snake bite scored the highest value (0.98), while pneumonia and jaundice scored the lowest values (0.63) respectively. Agricultural
expansion, fire wood, deforestation and cash crop expansions were reported as driving factors for loss of medicinal plants.

Keywords: Dale, Medicinal plant, Indigenous knowledge, Informant, Informant consensus

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.

INTRODUCTION

In Ethiopia, approximately 80% of humans and 90% of the livestock population rely on traditional medicinal plants to cure different
ailments [1] and due to difficulties in accessing modern health facilities, the cultural acceptability of healers and low cost of traditional
medicine invited local communities to dwell traditional healers [2]. Similarly Peoples have used traditional human and veterinary medicine
to treat diseases for generations [3]. Owing to its long period of practice and existence, traditional medicine has become an integral part of
the culture of Ethiopian people [4]. The previous studies conducted on medicinal plants in Ethiopia also reported that, the existing medicinal
plants were on conservation risk [5, 6]. Also the problem is further compounded by the fact that traditional knowledge on traditional
medicine is also being lost at an alarming rate [7].

Additionally, the medicinal plants available in the study region are becoming extinct and the associated knowledge held by elders has
received less attention and hence, they are in the verge of disappearance [8 – 10]. Furthermore, the rich ethnomedicinal knowledge held by
the Sidama community at large and traditional medicine practitioners in particular needs an in-depth study and documentation [11] and
medicinal plants are exposed to various destructive anthropogenic activities. Thus, this study aimed on documenting the medicinal plants
and the associated indigenous knowledge and factors affecting those resources in Dale district of Sidama Region, Ethiopia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was conducted at Dale district in Sidama Region, Ethiopia, The study area geographically extends from 6°44’99’’N to
6074’99’’N and 38°19′60’’E to 38°33’33’’E Latitude and Longitude respectively and about 320 km south of Addis Ababa, the
capital of Ethiopia. Dale district is the biggest district in Sidama Region. The altitude of Dale district ranges from 1170 m around Lake
Abaya to the west and about 3200 m a.s.l. in the eastern part of the district. Hence, there is a general decrease in altitude and resulted in
associated change in climatic elements from east to the west. The district has four agro-climatic zones. Moist dega and wet dega (2300-
3200 m a.s.l), moist weina dega (1500-2300 m a.s.l) and Moist Kola (500-1500 m, a.s.l). Except Wet-dega which recives 1400 mm of
rainfall, all the rest receives less annual rainfall. The district is subdivided into 76 Peasant Associations. According to CSA (2003), the
population of the district is estimated at 36,954 of which women account for 57.6% of the population. The altitude at Yirgalem (Capital
city for the district) is 1,765 m asl. According to the data obtained from Sidama Region, in the district there are about 37,040 rural
agricultural household heads, out of which 63.4% and 36.6% are male and female headed households respectively.

The wealth status of the households was the major variable influencing farm size, with average sizes of 0.51, 1.37 and 2.37 ha for the
poor, middle income and rich farmers respectively. Coffee and en set dominate in over 50% of the home garden area, while the share of
other crops is much smaller than the dominant crops. The home gardens were on average 0.66 ha in area (range: 0.13-6.79 ha). The land
holdings included forest cover (1.5%), residential and grazing areas (11.5%), cultivated lands (49%) and arable land (38%). Average
farm size is estimated at 1.5 ha and the area under coffee is 15,375 ha.

Sample size and sampling techniques

The study was conducted in five Kebeles in the Dale district in 2019. Kebeles were purposively selected based on reconnaissance
survey and recommendation from local society (knowledgeable elders, religious leaders and development agent). The selected Kebeles
were ‘Awada,’‘Masincho,’‘Tulla,’Debub Kege and ’Debub mesinkella‘(Figure 1). A total of 90 informants 66 male and 24 females
were selected. Out of these, 20 key informants were purposively selected based on recommendations from local authorities (Kebele
administrator, knowledgeable elders, religious leaders, development agent and local guides). Appointments were made prior to visiting
the key informants and the informants except the key informants, were selected through the Snowball method [12], which consists in
the search for new interviewees by the indication of people already interviewed. They were asked to give their knowledge about the

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plants they use against a disease, plant parts harvested method of preparation of the remedy, details of administration and the dosage
and were proportionally selected from each Kebele [10]. The ages of the informants were between 18 to 93 years.

Figure 1: Location map of the dale district

Ethnobotanical data collection
Following techniques described [13, 14], Ethno botanical study was collected from April to July of 2019. The techniques employed for
data collection were group discussions; field observations, guided field walks, and a semi-structured questionnaire pre-prepared by
Sidama language and finally translated to English. Floristic voucher specimens were collected with the help of traditional healers,
knowledgeable elders and development agent. The collected specimens were properly identified by comparing with already identified
specimens in National Herbarium of Ethiopian using taxonomic literatures [15 – 17].

Data analysis
Descriptive statistical methods such as percentages and frequency were employed to analyze and summarize the data on medicinal
plants [13, 14]. The most useful information gathered on medicinal plants reported by local people: medicinal value, application,
methods of preparation, routes of administration, disease treated, and parts used and habit was analyzed through descriptive statistics.
To make simple calculation, to determine proportions and to draw bar graphs MS Excel spread sheet was utilized.

Quantitative analysis
Factor Informant Consensus (FIC) was measured to study total usage of plant species according to culture applicability. Health
disorders were categorized into eight groups like plant with high FIC value can be consider as more pharmacologically active as
compared to low FIC value. FIC values will be high if maximum respondents acknowledge one or few plants to treat a specific disease.
FIC value can be calculated by the formula FIC = nur – nt/ nur – 1; Where FIC = informants consensus factor, nur=number of use
citation, nt=number used species [18].

Preference ranking
Preference ranking was undertaken [13]. Using eight key informants based on the values of free listing and informant consensus,
selected MPs used to treat intestinal parasite for human and lung infection for livestock were subjected to this procedure. The healers
gave MPs believed to be most effective to treat those illnesses the highest value (5), and the least effective was given the lowest value
(1). The preferences of the top five and four MPs said to be used to treating intestinal parasite and Pneumonia disease. The practitioners

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were requested to compare selected MPs based on their knowledge to treat the illnesses. The values given to each species were summed
up, and the ranks were determined based on the total score. This procedure helped to identify the MP species that are very likely to be
the most effective for treating the specific disease based on the consensus/agreement among the healers.

Paired comparison
Paired comparisons can be used for evaluating the degree of preference or levels of importance of certain selected plants. This method
was used to find out about the efficacy and popularity of five medicinal plants species used to treat jaundice following the procedure
[13]. Eight key informants were randomly selected by lottery method to show their responses independently for pairs of five medicinal
plants that are noted for treating jaundice. A list of the pairs of selected plants with all possible combinations was made and sequence of
the pairs and the order within each pair was randomized before every pair is presented to selected informants. Then their responses were
recorded. The total value summed and the rank made based on the total score of the informants.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The field interviews conducted here included heterogeneous informants with varying educational levels, gender, social position and age. The
sample comprises of 27% female and 73% male informants. Fifty five plant species distributed into 52 genera and 36 families were
documented and reported. (Table 1, 2, 3). The leading family was Fabaceae with five species, followed by Cucurbitaceae, Euphorbiaceae,
Rutaceae and Solanaceae each with four species and Asteraceae with three species (Table 1).
Table 1: Medicinal plants used for the treatment of livestock diseases in Dale District, Southern Ethiopia. Habit (Ha): Tree (T),
Shrub (Sh); Herb (H); Climber (Cl)

List of medicinal plants for treating livestock diseases

Local H Applicatio
Scientific name Family Parts used Preparation Diseases treated Uses
name a n

Fresh leafs Intestinal parasite

Amaranthacea Livestoc
Achyranthes aspera L. Nole H / Fresh Pounding Oral s and Lung
e k
root infection

Dry/fresh Pounded/powdere Livestoc

Antiaris toxicaria Lesch. Moraceae Dimbicho T Oral Rabies
stem bark d k

Crushed and Livestoc

Dodonaea angustifolia L.f. Sapindaceae Itancha T Fresh leafs Oral/dermal Ecto-parasites
pounded k

Ehretia cymosa Fresh stem Crushing and Intestinal Livestoc

Boraginaceae Gidicho T Oral
bark pounding parasites k
Thonn.

Hypoestes forskaolii(Vahl)R. Intestinal Livestoc

Acanthaceae Xexxe H Fresh root Pounding Oral
Br parasites k

Millettia ferruginea (Hochst.) Hengedich Fresh stem Crushing and Livestoc

Fabaceae T Oral/dermal Ecto-parasites
Bak. o bark pounding k

Nuxia congesta R.Br. ex Intestinal Livestoc

Loganiaceae Burcanna T Fresh leafs Pounding Oral
Fresen. parasites k

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CONCLUSION
Common ailments and plant species used in the study area
Traditional healers have amazing and surprising indigenous knowledge on diagnosis, treatment and determination of diseases or
ailments. Different 28 human and 12 livestock ailments were recorded. The practitioners commonly diagnose each health
problem by interviewing and visual inspection of the patient. The patients are commonly interviewed for symptoms observed and
the duration of the diseases. Such as changes in eye color, tongue color, throat, body temperature and status of sores are all
visually inspected by the practitioner. In this study multi-functionality of plant species also reported in Figure 2. For disease like
fibril illness, evil eye and Jaundice, the local people prefer traditional healers for treatment. Some of the medicinal plants in this
study were also reported to cure specific diseases. Vernonia amygdalina, Solanum incanum, Croton macrostachyus, Carica
papaya, Arundo donax and Momordica boivinii were reported to cure intestinal parasites and associated illness. Datura
stramonium and Vernonia auriculifera were also reported to cure head infection (Fungal disease) and Allium sativum, Vernonia
amygdalina, Zingiber officinale, Artemisia abyssinica and Melia azedarach were claimed as the treatment for malaria.

Figure 2: Common human and livestock ailments in Dale district

Parts of medicinal plants used
Leafs were reported as most frequently utilized plant part with (45.78%) for human remedy preparation followed by
root (19.28%), bark (12.05%), seed (6.02%). Large proportion of herbal preparation from leafs and the root sources
were reported. Similarly, leaf and stem barks are claimed as the dominant plant parts used in the remedy
preparations for livestock ailment treatment. Both leaf and stem bark accounting to (75%) from the total remedy
preparation followed by whole plant parts and root (12.5%) each respectively.

Like human remedy preparation, leaf is the most harvested forms in remedy preparation for livestock ailment
treatment. But, remedy preparations from stem bark, roots and whole plants are very risk to plant survival. So, the
local people must adapt alternative ways of conservations of medicinal plants in their home gardens. In both human
and livestock treatments, leaves are more harvested parts of the plants. Which covered (38.71%) followed by bark
(20.97%); seed (16.13%); root (14.52%); whole plant (4.84%); fruits (3.23%) and latex (1.61%). Such wide
harvesting of seeds, barks and roots, which are important for survival of plants has a negative influence on the
survival and continuity of useful medicinal plants

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and hence affects sustainable utilization. The preference of leaves to other plant parts may be due to the easy to
preparations compared to remedy preparations from other plant parts. Furthermore, leaves carry copious amounts of
plant secondary metabolites that have medicinal properties were reported.

Fifty five medicinal plants species used by the local community were collected and recorded from the study site.
The medicinal plant resource in the area is considerable, the Wereda being relatively rich in medicinal plant
diversity. The associated knowledge of the local people is deep-rooted in the time-honoured use practices of herbal
medicine. Of the identified medicinal plants, 31 species were noted to treat human ailments, 7 species for livestock
ailment treatment and 17 species for both human and livestock health treatments. Twenty six different human
ailments and 12 livestock ailments were recorded. Shrubs were found to be dominant as traditional medicinal plant
remedy sources in the study area followed by trees, herbs and climbers. Leaves were also found to be the most
harvested plant parts for the preparation of the remedies followed by bark and roots. In the preparation of medicines,
single plants were used to prepare the medicines to cure the diseases rather than mixing with each other. The routes
of administration are mainly internal in which oral administration is the common one. However, both the plant
resources and the indigenous knowledge of herbal medicine are under threat. The main factors leading to loss of
plant species in the study area are agricultural expansion in relation to population growth and cash crop expansion
(e.g. Coffee Arabica). The study site has rich in medicinal plant diversity. But, the knowledge on medicinal plants
becomes shrinking due to its secrecy, oral based knowledge transfer to close relatives. The medicinal plant
resources, the associated traditional knowledge and medical practices are in dire need of protection through
implementation of appropriate conservation strategies.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My special gratitude goes to Hawassa University for the providing fund for this research. I also duly acknowledge
staff of the Dale District Agricultural Office and farmers for their input in identifying informants, studying Kebeles
and data collection.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The author declare that there is no conflict of interest
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