2018, Vol. 6, Issue 5, Part A

author(s)
Abebe Worku

abstract
This study was carried out to collect and document indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants among the traditional healers of Fedis district of Oromiya regional state, East Ethiopia. The ethnobotanical data were collected from 36 traditional healers (24 male and 12 female) using semi-structured questionnaire, observation and guided field walks. The survey identified 64 medicinal plants distributed into 39 families and 59 genera. The Asteraceae and Fabaceae families were the most dominant plant families contributed medicinal plant species. The study revealed that 53 species (82.8%) were used against human ailments, 3 species (4.7%) were used to treat health problems of livestock while 8 species (12.5%) were used to treat both human and livestock ailment. Leaf was the most commonly used part (29.7%) followed by root (23.4%), stem (12.5 %), both root and leaf (10.9%), both stem and leaf (7.8%), both leaf and root (4.7%), and whole plant (3.1%). Traditional remedies were processed mainly through crushing, followed by squeezing. The study revealed five types of route of administrations of traditional medicine i.e., oral drinking, dermal application, oral or dermal, nasal, and subcutaneous. The study showed that Fedis district possess wealthy of indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants and their applications. Moreover, this ethnobotanical study can assist scientists for further research on medicinal properties of identified plants species that could contribute to development of new drugs.