2020, Vol. 8, Issue 2, Part A

author(s)
Fraol Hailu Olana

abstract
By the study, plants used as medicine in the study area were identified and discussed. All the medicinal plants revealed are categorized according to their knowledge types and describe about the source of the plant, values of the plants, and parts of the plant used as medicine. In addition, the use of these medicinal plants; preparation and application methods, along with the ranking preferences of the plant are discussed. Finally, discussion has made to relate the outcome of the study to existing literature and diseases/illnesses etiology, and types. The data collection was divided into two stages. At the first stage the prevalence’s of illnesses in the village were collected by the help of elders. For this, the researcher conducted 4 formal interviews. At the second stage the researcher applied mixed methodological approach to collect data on medicinal plants. The data were collected both from primary and secondary sources. The primary data were collected by using survey, key informant interview, and non-participant observation. The secondary data were also used. Forty different types of illnesses and diseases are revealed from the study area. These diseases and illnesses fall down into three disease etiology; personalistic, naturalistic and emotionalistic. These diseases/illnesses are also categorized into four according to the villager’s perception about the location of the diseases/illnesses; upper part, middle part, common part, and lower part. Based on the severity of the diseases/illnesses, these diseases/illnesses are classified into three; non serious, moderate serious, and grave. 49 medicinal plants are used by villagers to treat and prevent 23 types of diseases/illnesses prevalent in their village. Most of these medicinal plants are wild, while others are cultivated or grown near house either for other purposes or medicinal purpose. The most commonly part of plants used as medicine is leaf, followed by seed, and root respectively. The most common method of preparation of the medicine is squeezing, followed by dissolving, powdering, crushing, and others (boiling, roasting, burning and cooking) respectively, while some of these medicinal plants are used in raw form. The most common route of application of these medicinal plants is oral, followed by dermal, nasal, optical, and homeopathically respectively.