Status and utilization of medicinal and aromatic plants in Eastern Hararghe, Ethiopia

Abstract

Medicinal and aromatic plants are playing remarkable role in primary health care of human and livestock. This study was conducted in three districts of Eastern Hararghe to identify status and utilization of medicinal and aromatic plants. In the inventory, total of 87 plant species belonging to 50 families were recorded from the study areas distributed in wild, farmland, home gardens and roadsides. Of which 72 (82.8%) were identified for their medicinal value and the rest 15(17.2%) were utilized as both medicinal and aromatic. Fabaceae (18.75%) was the most species‐rich family in the plants used for medicinal purpose. In the medicinal and aromatic plant categories family Lamiaceae and Rutaceae accounts the highest species richness. The average Shannon diversity index (H’) of medicinal plants were 3.68 whereas 2.32 were for medicinal and aromatic plants in the three study areas. ICF value of the identified MAPs used to treat 17 frequently occurring human and 11 livestock health problems showed that the selection is based on well-defined criteria. The most frequently utilized plant parts of the identified plants were the leaf (52.9%), followed by the roots (18.4%) and bark (17.2%). The route of administration for prepared traditional medicine were oral (56%) followed by external application (17%) and nasal (12%). The majority of medicinal and aromatic plant growth forms were identified as trees (48.30%), herbs (29.90%, shrubs (19.50%) and climbers (2.3%). Anthropogenic activities and natural factors were the most prominent factors responsible for reduction of medicinal and aromatic plants in the study areas.