Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in and around Aba-Asrat Monastery following Chemoga River, east Gojjam zone, northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: The study was undertaken with the general objective of providing documentation of traditional medicinal plants (MPs), and associated indigenous knowledge of the people inhabiting in and around Aba-Asrat Monastery, East Gojjam Zone, North western Ethiopia. Methods: Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, observation and focus group discussions in the field. A total of 160 (100 males and 60 females) informants were interviewed. The collected data were assessed quantitatively using various measures like fidelity level (FL), paired comparison, preference and direct matrix rankings. Results: Results of ethnobotanical study revealed a total of 81 medicinal plant species belonging to 77 genera and 48 families were recorded which are used to treat human and livestock ailments. Asteraceae with nine (9.68%) species and Solanaceae with seven (7.53%) species were families represented by more species in the study areas. Herbs were found to be the most widely used life forms which account for 42 (45.16%) followed by shrubs 29 (31.18%). The most frequently used plant parts were the leaves followed by the roots. The highest FL values were recorded for Plumbago zeylanica and Prunus africana having highest scores (100%) that treat diseases like wounds, eczema and fibril illness. Nicotiana tabacum was the most preferred plant species against leech for livestock. Conclusions: The major threats to plants in the study area were overgrazing, fire wood collection, agricultural expansion and charcoal. It is therefore, recommended that the declining plants species in the study area call for encouragement of sustainable use, conserve and manage it together with the MPs sheltered in it.