Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants and Conservation Status Used to Treat Human and Livestock Ailments in Fadis District, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted to document medicinal plants, and indigenous knowledge, used to treat human and animal ailments. Eighteen key informants were selected purposely and eighty one informants were selected randomly. Ethnobotanical data were gathered using semi-structured interviews, field observations and group discussions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The Ethnomedicinal use of forty plant species was recorded distributed as twenty one families. Solanaceae were the highest number of medicinal plants consisting of 6 (28.57%) species followed by Fabaceae (14.29) species. 18 plant species were used to treat humans, 2 species used to treat livestock and 20 were used for both human and livestock disease. The growth habits of medicinal plants shrubs were highly constituted (47.5%) followed by herbs (32.5%). Poundings is the highest method of preparation constituted (29.41%) followed by crushing (16.80%). The most common used plant parts were the leaves (36.36%) followed by roots (19.69%). The most commonly used route of administration was oral followed by dermal. Stomachache, Malaria, evil eye, headache, and intestinal parasite the highest ICF value > 93. People in the study area have their own ways of managing health problems of humans and livestock. The study indicated that the Fedis district possesses rich indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants and it’s used to treat animal and livestock diseases. The major threats to MPs and associated knowledge are lost due to agricultural expansion, charcoal productions, and unsustainable use of medicinal values.