Traditional medicinal plant knowledge and use by local healers in Sekoru District, Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia
2007

Traditional Medicinal Plant Knowledge in Southwestern Ethiopia

Sample size: 13 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Yineger Haile, Yewhalaw Delenasaw

Primary Institution: Jimma University

Hypothesis

What is the knowledge and use of medicinal plant species by traditional healers in Sekoru District, Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia?

Conclusion

The study documented 27 medicinal plant species used by traditional healers, most of which were wild and primarily used for their leaves.

Supporting Evidence

  • 27 plant species were documented for treating various human ailments.
  • 85.71% of the medicinal plants used were wild.
  • Most remedies were prepared from leaves, with multiple species often combined.

Takeaway

Traditional healers in Ethiopia use many plants to help people feel better when they're sick, mostly using leaves from wild plants.

Methodology

The study involved interviews with 13 traditional healers to gather data on medicinal plants used for human ailments.

Potential Biases

The study may be biased due to the reliance on self-reported data from traditional healers.

Limitations

The study relied on oral transmission of knowledge, which may lead to loss of information over time.

Participant Demographics

All traditional healers were male, aged between 30 and 84, with varying levels of literacy.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.020

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1746-4269-3-24

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