Health Benefits and Functional and Medicinal Properties of Some Common Indian Spices

*Vinod Kumar Paswan, Chandra Shekhar Singh, Garima Kukreja, Durga Shankar Bunkar and Basant Kumar Bhinchhar*

#### **Abstract**

India is the largest producer and consumer of some important common spices. Major Indian spices include pepper, cardamom, ginger, turmeric and chilies. Commercial cultivation in India is undertaken on 27 spices besides the herbal spices. Spices and herbs are mostly used as seasonings to impart flavors, pungency, aroma and color in the food. In addition, spices enhances shelf life of the food by preventing and delaying the spoilage and by preserving the sensory attributes of food products. Spices contain several important phytochemicals like aromatic compounds, essential oils, phenolics and pigments which imparts characteristic flavor and aroma and gives a herbal appeal to the food and beverages and enhances their consumer acceptability. In addition the active components of these herbs and spices are endowed with tremendous functional properties and medicinal values providing several health benefits and immunity. The era of Covid-19 has seen spiked consumption of spices and herbs based health drinks and concoctions for providing these health benefits and immunity. The present chapter deals with the characteristics of some important Indian spices, their usages, active components present in them along with exploring their health benefits, functional and immunomodulant properties.

**Keywords:** Indian spices, herbal food products, functional foods, seasonings, phytochemicals, bioactive components

#### **1. Introduction**

India has been famous for varieties of spices since the ancient time for its exotic flavor, taste and medicinal values, therefore known as the home of Spices [1]. Spices means whole or ground form obtained from natural plants or vegetable products which has been used for imparting flavor, aroma and pungency to foods and also used for seasoning of foods. It also has non-food applications in dyeing, perfumery products and neutraceutical industries. It mask the spoiled flavor of meat that enhance the shelf life of foods [2]. Different parts of the plants or tree are used as spices such as fruits, stigma, bark, seeds, leaves, kernel, aril, bulbs, berries etc.

Around the world about more than 70 types of spices are grown, whereas pepper, cardamom, ginger, turmeric and chillies are the most common spices widely grown in India. However India is the largest producer as well as consumer of spices. Commercial cultivation in India is undertaken on 27 spices besides the herbal spices. The most famous spices of India is black pepper, which is known as the king of spices. Kerala got first position in the production of black pepper with contributing about 97% of the total production however cardamom known as the queen of spices which has been also used as essential commodity in the world. The leading spice producing states in India are the Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Spices are mostly used as flavoring agent in a number of foodstuffs like curries, bakery products, pickles, processed meat, beverages, liqueurs etc. They enhance or change the flavors of the foods. These herbs and spices endowed with tremendous functional properties and medicinal values provide great health benefits and immunity [3, 4].

#### **2. Classification of spices**

Indian spices can be categorized based on its plant parts used, origin and flavor and economic importance. The classification is further given as hereunder.

#### **2.1 Based on its plant parts**

It is categorized based on its leaf, root, bulb, fruit, rhizome, bark, seed, pod, Kernel, bud, floral parts, latex, berry and aril. Classification is given as follows:


#### **2.2 Based on origin and flavor**

Based on the origin and flavor spices can be classified as aromatic spices, pungent spices, phenolic spices and colored spices. Classification is given as follows:


#### **2.3 Based on economic importance**

Based on economic importance Indian spices divided into two groups i.e. major and minor spices.

#### *2.3.1 Major spices*

Major spices are contributing a principle share in spice trade industry globally and contribute about 75–90% of the total imported exchange. Small cardamom, black pepper, chili, turmeric and ginger are comes under major spices.

#### *2.3.2 Minor spices*

Apart from five major spices, all other are known as minor spices. They are further divided into five sub groups. They are stated as follows:


#### **3. Common Indian spices**

Common Indian spices, parts used and active compounds present in them are listed in **Table 1** and their usage and health benefits are presented in **Table 2** and discussed in this section.

#### **3.1 Chilies (Mirch)**

Red chili is the frequently used spice in our daily life which belongs of genus Capsicum, that is most famous consumed spices all around the world [5]. Chillies



#### **Table 1.**

*List of common spices used in India, parts used and active compounds present in them.*

are having differnet size, shapes and color. The red color of chillies is due to presence of capsanthin apart form a carotenoid pigment. The pungency of chillies is due to the presence of alkaloid capsaicin which is measured in terms of scoville value. Capsicum oleoresin of red chili is used for ointments, which are used to get relief from pain, swelling and inflammation [6, 7]. Generally smaller the size more is the pungency. Ground chili is used in most of the Indian gravies and vegetable dishes. It is also used in day to day preparation foods like chutney, sauses, pickles, dehydrated chili etc.

#### *3.1.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.2 Turmeric (Haldi)**

Turmeric grown in India includes 60% of the overall area uses for spices and condiments belong to the Zingiberaceae family which is commonly cultivated in India and Southeast Asia. It is known by different names such as kunyit (Indonesian and Malay), besar (Nepali) and haldi or pasupu in some Asian nations. There are about 70 species of turmeric of which 30 species are found in India. Turmeric obtained from the rhizome of Curcuma longa plant which accounts 96% of the total turmeric obtained from this variety in India [8], however, *Curcuma aromatica* is another variety of turmeric which is accounts 4% of the area under cultivation. Turmeric rhizome contains 5% essential oil and the coloring substance present in it is known as curcumin which has been used as medicine since the many years ago because it having several pharmacological properties like anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, and anti-angiogenic. It is "Generally Recognized as Safe." By Food Drug Administration (FDA), and consumption of 12 g/day of curcumin was safe without any toxic effect [9]. It is used ground in curry powder, meat and egg dishes, in pickles and as a coloring substance in cakes and rice. It is also used in lemon rice,




#### **Table 2.**

*Uses and benefits of some common Indian spices.*

sambar, dal, kadhi, and khichdi and in marinating meat. The most common adulteration in turmeric is metanil yellow or lead salts. India is the largest producer as well as exporter of Turmeric spice to the USA, U.K and Japan. Curcuminoids are responsible for yellow color and present 2–4% in turmeric.

#### *3.2.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.3 Cardamom (Elaichi)**

The common name of cardamom is Ellettaria cardamomum belong to the family Zingiberaceae and popularly known as the Queen of spice. The cardamom contains 2–10% volatile oil with the characteristic pleasant odor. The active compounds present in the oil cineole, terpinyl acetate, pinene, sabinene and porneol. It is used in coffee, sweet preparation, cookies, breads, cakes and preserves as flavoring substances. Cardamom is sometimes sold in the market after the extraction of essential oil. All species of cardamom are used as kitchen cooking spices. Besides the above uses it can be also helpful in flatulent indigestion and to stimulate the urge for food in humans with anorexia [10, 11].

#### *3.3.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.4 Garlic (Lassan)**

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) belongs to the family Liliaceae is native to Asia however it is also grown China, North Africa (Egypt), Europe, and Mexico. Its bulb growing to 25–70 cm height with flowers, which is used for flavoring of varieties of foods to enhance the taste, nutritive value and digestion. The principle compound present in the garlic is allin (inactive form) which is converted to allicin (active form) by the enzyme allinase which has been recognized for antifungal and antiviral activities. Allicin further converted in to allyl disulphide which is responsible for pleasant flavor [12]. It is used in recipe like rasam, chutney, pulav, sauses,

and most of the non-vegetarian dishes. A numbers of pharmacological activities are found in garlic like anthelmintics, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antifungal with low side effects. (Alam, Hoq, & Uddin, 2016).

#### *3.4.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.5 Ginger (Adrak)**

It is the root of the plant Zingiber officinale Roscoe. Bioactive compounds present in the ginger are gingerol and shogaol. It has the pungency like lemony or camphory note. The flavoring compound has sharp burning sensory stimulation [13]. The pungency of dried ginger is more and valuable for the taste. Whole root is used for curries, pickles, chutney, preserve and dried fruits. Ground ginger is used in masala, pulav, pongal, all non-vegetarian foods. It is also used different beverages such as tea, lime juice and butter milk. It is used as appetizer, laxative, Indigestion, Asthma, Bronchitis [14, 15].

#### *3.5.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.6 Coriander (Dhania)**

Coriandrum sativum L. (Umbelliferae) is native of Meditarian region. It is mainly known for its fresh characteristic spring like aroma. The coriander seed

contains 0.5 to 1.0% essential oil which possesses an active compound geraniol. Coriander leaves are rich in vitamin C (250 mg/100 g), and vitamin A (5,200 IU/ 100 g). The roasted and ground coriander is used in curry powder as an ingredient. It is used as thickening and flavoring agent in the cookery. Coriander is used to make pastries, synthetic syrup and drinks. It also acts as preservative in meat preparation. Previously coriander is used to effective in digestive problem, respiratory and urinary systems [16, 17].

#### *3.6.1 Uses and health benefits*

Seeds are chewed to correct the foul breath.


#### **3.7 Clove (Laung)**

It is the small reddish flower bud of the tree Syzygium aromaticum of the family Myrtaceae. Indonesia is the famous for cloves flower buds which is used around the world in cuisine [18]. In India it is grown in Nilgiris, Tembasi hills and Kanyakumari district in Tamilnadu state and Kottayam and Quilon districts in Kerala. The major component of the essential oil is Eugeniol and oil content about 15%. The oil of clove is frequently used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine as a painkiller in dental problems [19]. Eugeniol present in the clove have antioxidant properties which retard the foods from get rancid. Eugenol esters are used as flavoring agent. Presence of strong and hot pungent taste, cloves is used as flavoring and dietary additives in meats and bakery products specially. We can blend the flavor of clove with both sweet and savory dishes. Due to its antioxidant properties it is act as preservative. It is popularly used in pan masala, betel nuts and chewing gums. A number of actions reported in clove such as analgesic property, anesthetic action, antibacterial property, antiparasitic action, antidotal property, antioxidant action, antiperspirant action, antiseptic property, carminative action, deodorant, digestive disorders, rubefacient action, stimulant property, stomachic action [20, 21].

#### *3.7.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.8 Black pepper (Kaali Mirch)**

It is the fruits of plant black pepper and belongs to the family Piperaceae. Black pepper is used as both a spice and medicine. The native place of pepper is Kerala the Southern State of India. Kerala produces nearly 95% of the total pepper output. It is dried small round berry of a tropical vine with small white flower. Pepper possess its pleasant pungency and aroma due its oleoresin, which is present in the cells of pericarp. Peperine (4–10%) is the major constituent present in the pepper responsible for the biting taste of black pepper. Chavirine, peporidine and piperethine are the others alkaloids present in the small amount in pepper. The seeds of pepper also contain crude fiber range from 8 to 18%. Peppers are good source of Manganese, Iron, Calcium, Potassium, Vitamin A, C, K, Zinc, Chromium and other nutrients.

A numbers of medicinal benefits are found in peppers such as antihypertensive, anti-Alzheimer's, antidepressant, antiplatelets, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antipyretic, antitumor, antiasthmatic, analgesic, antimicrobial etc. It also stimulates the secretion of Hydrochloric acid in the stomach, resulting improves the digestion.

#### *3.8.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.9 Cinnamon (Dalchini)**

Cinnamon (*Cinnamomum verum*) related to Lauraceae family is the most common spices used in the every household and commonly cultivated in the India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal [20]. Cinnamon is obtained from the bark of the Cinnamon tree. The bark having 1% essential oil and the active compounds present in the oil are eugenol, cineole and cinnamaldehyde. It is used for making garam masala powder. It is also act as antioxidant due to presence of methyl hydroxyl chalcone polymer. Cinnamon having many important chemical constituents likes cinamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, and cinnamate that are providing many promising health benefits such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anti-microbial, immunity boosting, cancer and heart disease protecting abilities [22, 23]. The use of cinnamon with ginger stimulates the blood circulation and digestion [24].

#### *3.9.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.10 Ajwain**

It related to the Family Umbelliferae and originated in India. The leaves and seeds of the ajwain plant are edible in nature. Its seeds are resembles with the other seeds of Family Umbelliferae like caraway, cumin and fennel. The taste and flavor of the seeds are same as the aniseed and oregano. Bioactive compound present in the essential oil is thymol, which gives its bitingly hot and bitter taste that numbs the tongue when chewed. It is widely used as a spice in curries. In Ayurveda ajwain is prescribed as medicines for stomach disorder like indigestion, flatulence [25] diarrhea and colic [16].

#### *3.10.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.11 Fenugreek (Methi)**

The common name of Fenugreek is maithray (Bangla, Gujarati), methi or mithi (Hindi, Nepali, Marathi, Urdu and Sanskrit). It is a kind of hard lentil seeds with dark fawn color and astringent aroma. It contains both soluble and insoluble fiber with 5% bitter fixed oil [26, 27]. Taste of this spice is bitter and thus used in small quantities in seasonings like sambar and kadhi. It improves the flavor and keeping quality of pickles.

#### *3.11.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.12 Aniseed (Somfu)**

It is small dried seed of an annual herb and native to the East Mediterranean region. It is cultivated in a small area in Rajasthan, Punjab, U.P and Orissa. The

major compound is anethole which has the flavor of liquorice. It is used a mouth refresher and used after the taking meals [28]. It is also used in preparation of cakes, bread, cookies, and non-vegetarian dishes.

#### *3.12.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.13 Caraway**

It is black dried seed has pleasant aromatic flavor and contain about 5% essential oil. The chief flavoring compound is D-carvone and D-limonere. Its seeds are used to flavor the cakes, biscuits, cheese, apple sause and cookies. Its fine powder is effective in cataract when applied at the early stages. From the ancient times caraway oil has been used by the women as secret the beauty. The combination of black cumin and caraway seeds oils have been used to killed parasites and worms, detoxify, ameliorate amoebic dysentery, shigellosis, abscesses, old tumors, ulcers of the mouth, and rhinitis.

#### *3.13.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.14 Bay leaf (Tez Patta)**

Bay leaf (Laurus nobilis) belongs to the family Lauraoeac and it is native to the Mediterranean and Asia. They are the dried aromatic leaves of laurel tree and contain 1–3% aromatic oil. Its oil is used in the preparation of pickling spice and flavoring of vinegar. The dried leaves are mainly used for developing flavor in meat, pulav, soups, fish, tomato pickle and birinj sweet.

#### *3.14.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.15 Asafoetida (Hing)**

Asafoetida is also commonly known as Food of the God and native to Iran and Afghanistan. Asafoetida is an oleo gum resin exuded from the rhizome or root of ferula asafoetida. The flavor of asafoetida comes from the presence of a ferulic ester and sulfur containing volatile oil. It is good sources of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorous, iron, niacin, carotene and riboflavin. Asafoetida is very common and easily available spice in every home and effectively used in the treatment of indigestion, menstrual, pain, ear ache, body pains and tooth ache. It is available in the market mixed with starch (compound hing) to dilute the strong flavor.

#### *3.15.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.16 Cumin seeds (jeera)**

Cumin is especially grown in India, Syria, Iran and Turkey and related to the family Apiacae. The largest producer of cumin is India (70% of world cumin production) while the second largest producer is the Syria. The major importers of the Indian cumin are U.A.E, Central America, China and Vietnam. It contains essential oil 2 to 4% and the active compound is aldehyde cumino. The seeds are mainly used in curry and seasoning. It is also used in curry powder, sambar powder and rasam powder.

#### *3.16.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.17 Poppy seeds**

It is tiny kidney-shaped oilseed found from the poppy (Papaver somniferum). Currently poppy seed is legally cultivated and used in many countries mainly in Central Europe [20]. Its seeds are good source of thiamin, folate, and important minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc.

#### *3.17.1 Uses and health benefits*


#### **3.18 Nutmeg and mace**

Nutmeg is the dried and hard seed or pit of the nutmeg fruit; however mace is the orange red fleshy covering of the nutmeg. It contains 7–14% essential oil and this oil contains a highly toxic compound is called myristicin. Nutmeg and mace are used in small amounts to flavor the pudding and fruit pie. It is used as ground state in the cakes, cookies, pies, chocolate, garam masala etc.

#### *3.18.1 Uses and health benefits*

• It has antimicrobial properties.

#### **3.19 Saffron (Kesar)**

Saffron is known as crocus sativa and it is grown in the dry land of Kashmir valley. Name of this spice given saffron due to the fragrant stigma found in the flower of the saffron fruits. It has matchless aroma among the all spices therefore sold costly in the market. For making one ounce of pure saffron 75000 flowers are needed. Saffron is used mainly for its yellow color. It has a pleasant aroma and an essential oil crocin and the coloring principle is crocerin. It is widely used is soups, sauses, mainly in rice dishes to give them bright yellow color and distinctive flavor. It is also used in many famous sweets like sandesh, rasmalai, kesar milk, ice-cream, halwa and shrikhand.

#### *3.19.1 Uses and health benefits*

• It is used as a sedative and also used for eye infection.

#### **3.20 Kokum**

Kokum (Garcinia indica choipsy) is cultivated in the western ghats in the Konkan, Goa, South Karnataka and Kerela. The color of the ripe fruit is the dark purple due to the presence of anthocyanin and having sufficient amount of malic acid. Its colorful red juice is used for the manufacture of beverages.

#### *3.20.1 Uses and health benefits*

• It is used as soring agent in cookery.

#### **4. Use of spices and herbs for health benefits during Covid-19 pandemic**

Corona virus disease (COVID-19) has been declared as a pandemic by World Health Organization. The disease significantly affected all age groups of peoples, mainly old age patients that are suffering from diabetes, hypertension, cerebral infarction, chronic bronchitis, Parkinson's disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer [29, 30]. In the case of positivity with COVID-19 peoples lose their immunity mild to severely, therefore the demand of the natural immunity booster like spices and herbs are widely undertaken. Spices have been known for their high antioxidant and antimicrobial activity due to presence of many bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic compounds, sulfurcontaining compounds, tannins, alkaloids, phenolic and diterpenes [31, 32]. After reviewing the role of spices as an immunity booster, even the Ministry of AYUSH, Gov. of India has issued the guidelines on heral use based immunity promoting methods for self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines emphasizes the uses of spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and garlic that are suggested in cooking. The guidelines further advocates use of drink of herbal tea or decoction (kadha) made by basil, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, and raisin once or twice in a day. Similarly, 150 ml hot milk with half teaspoon turmeric powder can also be taken once or twice in a day. Several spices such as clove, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and turmeric are used as immunity boosters along with their antiviral property [33, 34].

#### **5. Conclusion**

Commonly used spices in different foodstuffs are having broad spectrum of biofunctions due to presence of bioactive compounds (curcumin, crocerin, D-carvone, D-limonere aldehyde cumino, eugenol, capsaicin, thymol, gingerol etc.) which may provide promising health benefits to our body from the many common disorders like cough, cold, fever, headache, stomach problems, cancer etc. Presence of strong flavor and aroma spices are used in small quantities that impart lower calories to food, however it enriched the foods with varieties of essential minerals, although some spices derived form seed contain high amount of fat, protein and carbohydrates. In the present pandemic situation of covid-19, spices such as turmeric, ginger, clove, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom are widely used in different foods formulation like kadha, herbal tea, masala tea etc., which play major role to arrest or reduce the effect of this virus. After reviewing this chapter we can be able to used right spices in the appropriate disorders and get benefited by its amazing functional, medicinal and nutritional properties.

#### **Conflict of interest**

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

*Herbs and Spices - New Processing Technologies*

### **Author details**

Vinod Kumar Paswan\*, Chandra Shekhar Singh, Garima Kukreja, Durga Shankar Bunkar and Basant Kumar Bhinchhar Department of Dairy Science and Food Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

\*Address all correspondence to: vkpaswan.vet@gmail.com

© 2021 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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#### **Chapter 5**

## Important Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia: A Review in Years 2015–2020

*Abebe Ayele Haile*

#### **Abstract**

Many studies on medicinal plants have been taking place in different parts of Ethiopia and the people use them for the preparation of traditional herbal medicine. The purpose of the current study is to review the assessment of the medicinal plants used in Ethiopia, to compile the components used, the method of preparation, the medical uses, and the compilation of the number of medicinal plants in 2015–2020. This review paper took place in the years 2015 to 2020 from the published papers. Various databases, such as Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar, have been searched. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentages, charts, and numbers using the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet 2010. In Ethiopia, a total of 4,007 medicinal plants were identified from different areas by different authors in the years 2015–2020. But, from this total number of identified medicinal plants, there was a similarity between types of plant species. Therefore, this total result has present similarities in plant species and types found in different areas. In 2015, a total of 1,062 medicinal plants were identified from different areas by different authors. Similarly, 315, 613, 944, 341, 732 medicinal plants were identified by different authors in different study areas in the years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 respectively. The years 2015 and 2018 were the years many plants of medicinal value were documented. The growth forms of medicinal plants were analyzed from 2015 to 2020 in the different study areas with different authors but with the same year and valued for each year and put the average one. To calculate the 2015 growth form of medicinal plants for example to calculate herbs, add all herbs identified by different authors in the same year, and take the average one. This method applied to all growth forms of medicinal plants each year. In all years (2015–2020) the dominant growth forms were herbs. The highest average of growth form was herb in the year 2020 which is 44.2%. In all years the least growth form was a climber. In all growth forms, the parts used for medicine were identified. Add each medicinal plant's parts in the same year and then take the average for all years. In 2020 year, the traditional healers mostly used leaves (56.3%) for the preparation of remedy. In general, in all year leaves was dominant for the preparation of remedy. Oral and dermal ways of the route of administration were the most important in medicinal plants to treat directly different ailments. The route of administration was varying in percentage from year to year and also, a place to place according to the potential of traditional healers and type of diseases. But, different study areas and years showed that oral administration was the dominant one. In 2019, most of the prepared remedy was taken orally. Crushing was the most important and more cited in the preparation of remedy in the year 2015–2020. Also, powdering, boiling, chewing, concoction, grinding, direct and immediate, chopping, squeezing, decoction, boiling/unprocessed use, liquid form, Homogenizing in water, heating, cooking, smoking, and fumigation are common methods of preparation of remedy. In general, this review highlights the situation of Ethiopian traditional medicinal plants associated with their knowledge from years to years. In addition, this review paper plays an important role in the extraction of potential medicinal plants to discover new drugs through detailed researches in the future.

**Keywords:** Ethiopia, Medicinal plants, new drugs

#### **1. Introduction**

Ethiopia is the sixth major country in tropical Africa in terms of the diversity of flora [1]. The country is endowed with rich flora, having more than 6,500 species of vascular plants out of which an estimated 12% are endemic and many plant species are used as medicinal plants [2, 3]. In Ethiopia, 80% of people depend on traditional medicine for their health care, and more than 95% of traditional medicinal preparations are made from plant origin [4]. Ethiopia is also a home for many languages, cultures and beliefs that have in turn contributed to the high diversity of traditional knowledge and practice of the people, which, among others include the use of medicinal plants [5, 6]. Ethiopian traditional medicines are greatly complex because the country harbors much cultures and endogenous knowledge [7].

Medicinal plants are plants that are used to treat diseases of humans and animals [8]. Traditional healers practice on these plants using their indigenous knowledge and hence, they are called traditional medicines. Primitive peoples in all ages have had some knowledge of medicinal plants derived as the result of trial and error [9]. Medicinal plants were traditionally used for health care and serve as the bases for the emergence of modern medicine. About 6,000 medicinal plants are believed to be used in traditional medicine globally [10–12]. Most of the medicinal plants are directly used from the wild and some from home gardens. However, home gardens played important role in cultivating and retaining medicinal plants beyond other useful plants [13]. Ethnobotanical knowledge as part of living cultural knowledge and practice between communities and the environment is essential for biodiversity conservation [14–16]. Most traditional medical treatments put into performing in Ethiopia rely on an amplification of disease that draw on both the "mystical" and "natural" base of medical circumstance and put together use of a holistic approach to management [17]. The usage of herbal medicine in Ethiopian patients in the treatment of diseases like cancer, liver, neurological and hepatic diseases were reported by some authors [18, 19]. In general plants are very important in Ethiopia to treat various ailments.

The present review was conducted to gather information about the plants used by people of Ethiopia in traditional medicine in the years 2015 to 2020, such as to highlight the description of medicinal plants including local name, the parts used, the preparation methods, traditional uses, and to compile the number of medicinal plants in each year till 2015 to 2020. This is believed to show the importance of traditional knowledge on treating ailments and elucidate the degree of development of this knowledge to marketable business.

#### **2. Methods and materials**

This review paper took place in the years 2015 to 2020 from the published papers. Various databases, such as Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar,


#### *Important Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia: A Review in Years 2015–2020 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97937*



#### *Important Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia: A Review in Years 2015–2020 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97937*


*List* 

#### *Herbs and Spices - New Processing Technologies*

have been searched. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentages, charts, and numbers using the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet 2010.

#### **3. Medicinal plants in Ethiopia**

In Ethiopia many medicinal plants are useful for treatment of different health problems. As indicated in **Table 1**, (review of recent literature: 2015–2020 years) medicinal plants in Ethiopian pharmacopeia are studied in different parts of the country by different authors. The review was restricted to the years 2015–2020 because the study made so far is bulky. This review showed that the total number of medicinal plants documented varied from year to year. In 2015, a total of 1,062 medicinal plants were identified from different areas by different authors. Similarly, 315, 613, 944, 341, 732 medicinal plants were identified by different authors in different study area in years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively.

#### **4. Identified medicinal plants in Ethiopian in the years 2015–2020**

The pattern of number of identified medicinal plants per year in Ethiopia in the years 2015–2020 was different (**Figure 1**). In 2015, 1,062 of medicinal plants were identified. When compared to the year 2016, it was greater by 747. Years 2015 and 2018 were the years many plants of medicinal value were documented (**Figure 1**).

**Figure 1.**

*Pattern of number of identified medicinal plants in Ethiopia years 2015–2020.*

#### **5. Growth forms (habits) of medicinal plants**

The growth forms (habits) of medicinal plants was analyzed from 2015 to 2020 in different study area with different authors but with the same year and valued for each year and put the average one. To calculate the 2015 growth form of medicinal plants for example to calculate herbs, add all herbs identified by different authors in the same year and taken the average one. This method applied for all growth form

**Figure 2.** *Growth forms (habits) of medicinal plants years 2015–2020.*

of medicinal plants to each year (**Figure 2**). In all years (2015–2020) the dominant growth forms were herbs. The highest average of growth form was herb in year 2020 which is 44.2% (**Figure 2**). In all years the least growth form was climber (**Figure 2**).

#### **6. Parts of medicinal plants**

In all growth forms, the parts used for medicine were identified. Add each medicinal plants parts in the same year and then taken the average for all years (**Figure 3**). In 2020 year the traditional healers mostly used leaves (56.3%) for the

**Figure 3.** *Average of plant parts used in preparation of remedies 2015–2020.*

*Important Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia: A Review in Years 2015–2020 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97937*

preparation of remedy. In general, in all year leaves was the dominant for the preparation of remedy (**Figure 3**).

#### **7. Route of administrations**

Oral and dermal ways of route of administration were the most important in medicinal plants to treat directly different ailments. The route of administration was varying in percentage from year to year and also, place to place according to the potential of traditional healers and type of diseases. But, in different study areas and years showed that oral administration was dominant one (**Figure 4**). In 2019, most of the prepared remedy was taken orally.

**Figure 4.**

*Route of administration of remedies years 2015–2020.*

#### **8. Methods of preparation of medicinal plants**

Crushing was the most important and more cited in the preparation of remedy in the year 2015–2020 (**Table 2**). Also, powdering, boiling, chewing, concoction, grinding, direct and immediate, chopping, squeezing, decoction, boiling/ unprocessed use, liquid form, Homogenizing in water, heating, cooking, smoking and fumigation are almost common for many traditional healers were shared methods to preparation of remedy.

#### **9. Conclusion**

All the medicinal plants reported in the current review work have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of different human ailments in Ethiopia. But, the studied plants in the present review need further investigation for detailed extraction of natural products, pharmacological and biological activities as well as a safety control. Therefore, today's review is a gateway for a new researcher to


#### *Herbs and Spices - New Processing Technologies*


#### *Important Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia: A Review in Years 2015–2020 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97937*


#### *Herbs and Spices - New Processing Technologies*


#### *Important Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia: A Review in Years 2015–2020 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97937*


#### *Herbs and Spices - New Processing Technologies*


#### *Important Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia: A Review in Years 2015–2020 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97937*


#### *Herbs and Spices - New Processing Technologies*


**Table 2.** *List of most common medicinal plants used in Ethiopia with their local name, scientific name, family, parts utilized method of preparation,*

 *ailment treated and route of* 

*administration.*

#### *Important Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia: A Review in Years 2015–2020 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97937*

**85**

discover new drugs and screening chemicals resulting from these plants for against different health problems.

### **Conflict of interest**

The authors declare that there is no any conflict of interests.

### **Author details**

Abebe Ayele Haile Department of Biology, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia

\*Address all correspondence to: abebeayele230@gmail.com

© 2021 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

*Important Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia: A Review in Years 2015–2020 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97937*

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