BackgroundThe Ethiopian people have been dependent on traditional medicine, mainly medicinal plants, from time immemorial for control of human and animal health problems, and they still remain to be largely dependent on the practice. The purpose of the current study was to conduct ethnobotanical study to document medicinal plants used to treat diseases of human and domestic animals in Kilte Awulaelo District in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia.MethodsEthnobotanical data were collected between July and September 2011 through semi-structured interviews, ranking exercises and field observations. For the interviews, 72 knowledgeable informants were sampled using purposive sampling method. For the different ranking exercises, key informants were identified with the help of elders and local administrators from informants that were already involved in the interviews.ResultsThe study revealed 114 medicinal plant species belonging to 100 genera and 53 families. The plants were used to treat 47 human and 19 livestock diseases. Of the species, the majority (74%) were obtained from the wild. Herbs were the most utilized plants, accounting for 44% of the species, followed by shrubs (29%). Leaf was the most commonly used plant part accounting for 42.98% of the plants, followed by roots (25.73%). Preference ranking exercise on selected plants used against abdominal pain indicated the highest preference of people for Solanum marginatum. Direct matrix ranking showed Cordia africana as the most preferred multipurpose plant in the community. Preference ranking of selected scarce medicinal plants indicated Myrica salicifolia as the most scarce species, followed by Boscia salicifolia and Acokanthera schimperi. According to priority ranking, drought was identified as the most destructive factor of medicinal plants, followed by overgrazing and firewood collection.ConclusionMedicinal plants are still playing significant role in the management of various human and livestock diseases in the study area with herbs taking the lead in the number of plants used in the preparation of remedies, which may be an indication of their relatively better abundance as compared to other life forms. Recurrent drought was reported to have seriously threatened medicinal plant resources in the District. Awareness is thus needed be raised among local people on sustainable utilization and management of plant resources. Ex situ and in situ conservation measures should be taken to protect the medicinal plants of the District from further destruction and special attention should be given to the medicinal plants that were indicated by preference ranking exercise as the most threatened ones.

BackgroundEthiopia is one of the six centres of biodiversity in the world with several topographies, climatic conditions and various ethnic cultures. Ethnobotanical study is a real and encourageable in rich biological resource areas for medicinal plant identification, documentation, ranking, conservation and sustainable usages. The purpose of this study was to identify the most effective medicinal plants for specific treatment through priority ranking and to assess the status of the transfer of Traditional Botanical Knowledge (TBK) based on age groups and educational levels.MethodologyEthnobotanical data were collected using field observation and semi-structured interview, A total of 30 key informants and 165 community members were interviewed and data on medicinal plant species and associated knowledge were recorded, quantified and verified using several preference ranking methods.ResultsThe study revealed a total of 49 medicinal plant species (belonging to 31 families and 46 genera) used to treat various human ailments, the majority of which 40 (81.6%) species were collected from wild while the rests from home garden. Herbs constituted the largest growth habit (18 species, 37%) followed by trees (16 species, 32%) and shrubs (15 species, 31%). Leaf `17 (35%) is the plant part widely used followed by root 13 (27%), leafy-stem 5 (10%), and seed 6 (12%). Oral administration was the dominant route (63%), followed by dermal route (22%) and nasal (11%). The highest number of plant species being used for infectious (48%) followed by two or more diseases and non-infectious disease. Of five and seven medicinal plants of preference ranking the highest ranks were given first for Croton macrostaychus used for malaria treatment and for Prunus africana as ‘’rare” for immediate collection and use in the traditional treatment. Significantly higher average number of medicinal plants (p < 0.05) were reported by informants of higher institution (14.3 ± 34) and adult age groups (11.6 ± 43).ConclusionThe Ghimbi people possess rich ethno-medicinal knowledge. This study can be used as a basis for developing management plans for conservation, sustainable use and drug development.

BackgroundIn Ethiopia, medicinal plants have continued to play vital role in fulfilling human and livestock healthcare needs of different communities. However, these valuable resources are being depleted mainly due to agricultural expansion and deforestation. Therefore, immediate action is required to conserve these resources and document the associated knowledge. The purpose of this study was, thus, to document and analyze information associated with medicinal plants that are used in managing public and animal health problems in Seharti Samre District, Southern Tigray, Ethiopia.MethodsEthnobotanical data were collected from July 1, 2011 to December 30, 201 mainly using semi-structured interviews with informants sampled using purposive sampling technique and through field observations.ResultsThe study revealed the use of 90 medicinal plant species in Seharti Samre District for the treatment of several human and livestock diseases. The plants belonged to 46 families and 82 genera. The majority of the medicinal plants were indicated to be harvested from the wild. Leaf was the most frequently harvested plant part accounting for 44% of the reported plants, followed by roots (16%), whole plants (10%) and seeds (8%). The most widely used method of preparation was crushing (37%), pounding (15%) and chewing (13%). Most medicinal plants were applied internally (64.6%), followed by external application on the skin (35.4%). Febrile illness is the disease group in the study area that scored the highest ICF value (0.97), followed by cardio-vascular problems (0.97) and evil eye (0.95). Different preference ranking exercises were also used to determine the most preferred and potential medicinal plants in the study area.ConclusionIn Seharti Samre District, medicinal plants are still playing important role in the management of various human and livestock diseases, many of which are harvested for their leaf parts. However, activities of claimed medicinal plants need to be evaluated before recommending them for their wider use. Evaluation priority should be given to medicinal plants with the highest informant agreement as such plants are believed to have better activity.

An efficient in vitro propagation protocol was developed for anamed (A-3) cultivar of Artemisia annua. Two and 1.5% concentration of NaOCl treatment for 10 and 20 min were found to be optimum for sterilization of shoot tip and nodal explants, respectively. Maximum percentage (98.75 ± 2.50) shoot induction was observed from nodal explants cultured on MS supplemented with 0.8 mg/l BAP + 0.1 mg/l IBA followed by 82.50 ± 2.88% from shoot tip explants on the same medium with 0.8 mg/l TDZ for shoot tip explants. The highest number of shoots (8.05 ± 0.66/explant) was regenerated on MS + 1 mg/l BAP + 0.1 mg/l IBA. Best rooting with mean values of 18.25 ± 0.95/explant root number and root length (6.35 ± 0.10 cm) was recorded on 1/2 MS + 0.5 mg/l IBA. Up on acclimation and transplanting, 80% survival efficiency was observed on the soil mix ratio of 2 : 1 : 1 (decomposed coffee husk, forest soil and sand, respectively). The developed regeneration protocol enables a large scale commercial production and a possible system towards the genetic improvement of this crop.

An efficient and reproducible in vitro mass propagation protocol was developed for Mareko Fana cultivar of hot pepper (C. annuum L.) through direct organogenesis using nodal and shoot tip explants. Three percent active chlorine for 20 minutes was found to be optimum treatment combination yielding 82.5% ± 5.00% contaminant-free germinated seedlings. For shoot induction, MS + 4.5 mg/l BAP + 0.5 mg/l IAA and MS medium containing eight mg/l Zeatin were found to be optimum resulting 77.5% ± 5.00% and 67.50% ± 5.00% induction percentage for nodal and shoot tip explants respectively. Maximum shoot multiplication responses were obtained on MS + 3 mg/l BAP + 2 mg/l Kinetin with mean number of 9.2 ± 0.2 and 8.6 ± 0.00 shoots for nodal and shoot tip explants respectively. Best shoot elongation and rooting responses were obtained on MS + 0.5 mg/l IBA resulting mean value of 29.6 ± 0.12 root number, 4.25 ± 0.20 cm root length and 5.12 ± 0.20 cm shoot height. The plantlets showed 77.5% survival during acclimatization and transplanting.