**3. Medicinal plants: their parts, uses, and ecology reviewed**

Traditional healers in Ethiopia utilize the herbal resources available in nature for various disease treatments. As reported before, approximately 800 species of the medicinal plants grown in Ethiopia are used for treating about 300 medical conditions [16]. However, based on the present review, the number of medicinal plants and the treatments/medications identified and listed are limited as presented here under section by section.

#### **3.1 Medicinal plants and their growth forms and parts used**

#### *3.1.1 Composition and growth forms of medicinal plants*

As reported by many authors [6, 7, 12, 13, 17–27], there are different types of medicinal plant species with their parts, habitats, and disease types being treated and described here in **Table 1**. Accordingly, as depicted in **Table 1**, there were 80 medicinal plant species with 63 genera, used by the local communities for various human treatments. Among other revised, the common medicinal plants used for treating and curing various diseases are *Aloe* species, *Eucalyptus globulus*, *Hagenia abyssinica*, *Cupressus macrocarpa*, *Buddleja polystachya*, *Acmella caulirhiza*, *Acacia* species, *Citrus* species, *Clematis* species, *Coffee Arabica*, *Croton macrostachyus*, *Euphorbia* species, *Ficus sycomorus*, and *Moringa stenopetala* (**Table 1**).

Based on the review, all plant growth forms were not equally used as remedies, because of the difference in distribution among the growth forms. Accordingly, the life forms of medicinal plants reviewed constituted 18 trees (22.78%), 23 shrubs (29.11), 29 herbs (36.71%), 3 climbers (3.81%), 4 trees/shrubs (5.06%), and 2 herbs/ shrubs (2.53%) (**Figure 1**). Of all life forms, herbs were, thus, the major medicinal plants used by the community for human treatment followed by shrubs and trees.

#### *3.1.2 Medicinal plant parts used for preparation of traditional remedies*

The review indicated that the plant parts used for medication preparation by the traditional healers are variables. Healers mostly used fresh specimens from commonly available plants [25] to prepare remedies for their patients; this might be mostly due to the effectiveness of fresh medicinal plant parts in treatment since the contents are not lost before use compared to the dried ones [12]. As also referred from many authors, the traditional healers have harvested leaves, roots, barks, seeds, fruits, stems, flowers, barks, seeds, or latex of medicinal plants (**Figure 2**) to prepare their traditional medicines for their patient treatments. As depicted in **Figure 2**, most remedies were prepared from the leaf (32.98%) and root (29.79%) parts of the medicinal plants to treat the diseases compared to the other parts of them. This finding of the review is in line with the findings of the majority of authors' papers (e.g. [18, 25, 27]). The main reason that many traditional medicine practitioners used the leaf parts compared to others for remedial preparation is due to their accessibility and for preventing them from extinction [25]. In fact,

*Plant Science - Structure, Anatomy and Physiology in Plants Cultured in Vivo and in Vitro*

Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa between 3 and 15° northing, latitude, and 33 and 48° easting, longitude, and is also comprised of nine national regional states and two administrative states with varied agroecological zones. Since the country is characterized by a wide range of ecological, edaphic, and climatic condition, Ethiopia is also very diverse in its flora composition [4]. The flora of Ethiopia is estimated to contain close to 6500–7000 species including medicinal plants; of those, 12–19% are endemic to the country [5]. The medicinal plants have been used for various types of human and animal treatments in the country. According to [6, 7], in Ethiopia, about 80% of human population and 90% of livestock rely on traditional medicine. As also stated by many authors (e.g. [6, 7]), the medicinal plants have shown very effective medicinal values for some diseases of humans and

Even due to the trust of communities on medicinal values of traditional medicines, culturally associated traditions, and their relatively low cost, medicinal plants are highly demanded in Ethiopia [7]. Inadequate health centers and shortage of medicines and personnel in clinics might be the other reasons for driving the people of Ethiopia, in general, and the low-income community and the rural people, in particular, to the traditional health centers, whereby increasing the demand of

However, these plants have got little attention regarding the documentation of scientific names, uses, ecology, and conservation in Ethiopia, in particular and world-wise, in general. Moreover, in Ethiopia, traditional medicine is faced with a problem of sustainability and continuity mainly due to the loss of taxa of medicinal plants [8, 9] besides having lack of quality control for herbal medicines. The main causes for the loss and decline of diversity of plants in Ethiopia are human-made factors [10–12]. Habitat destruction and deforestation for commercial timber and forest encroachment for urbanization, investment, agriculture, and other land uses are the major causes of the loss of many thousand hectares of forest that harbor medicinal plants yearly for the past several decades. In addition to these, the medicinal plant materials and associated traditional knowledge are being lost due to the lack of systematic conservation, research, proper utilization, and documentation [13]. The knowledge on identifying and managing the medicinal plants with their parts, use, and ecology is mostly associated with local and elder people, who transmitted their knowledge verbally. Such verbal transmissions of knowledge on medicinal plants have thus resulted in eroding and loss of knowledge and the plant materials as well. The quantity and quality of the safety and efficacy data on traditional medicine are also far from sufficient to meet the criteria needed to support its use worldwide [14]. Therefore, assessing and documenting the medicinal plants along with their useful medicinal parts, use, and ecology in Ethiopia, as well as revising the quality control for herbal materials and medicine, are very crucial for

giving priority to their conservation and sustainable utilization.

The materials for this review were published documents. However, regarding the screening of medicinal plants, some medicinal plants not yet identified or available in more than one article being revised during this revision time, and published before 2000 with their uses, were not listed and included for this review analysis so as to increase the quality of the present review, provide the current information to the readers, and restrict the revised papers. Based on this, of the total (32) revised documents, 15 articles, which are assessing the different medicinal plants with their uses and parts, were revised for documenting the medicinal plants for this review.

**2. Materials and methods**

**90**

livestock.

medicinal plants.


**93**

*Ethiopian Common Medicinal Plants: Their Parts and Uses in Traditional Medicine - Ecology…*

**Local name Ha. Habitat Parts** 

Scrublands

rainforest

T Open woodland

Dry riverine forest

forest margins

in cultivated fields, around houses

bushland/grassland, favored by over grazing

S Riverine forest, grassland with scattered trees

> small and large plantations

bushland

Yeset af S Acacia woodland

Azamir T Riverine forest,

Abalo S/T Montane, evergreen

Anfar T Degraded woodland

Digita S Forest margins,

papaya T Home gardens,

Agam S Open *Acacia*

**used**

Leavesstem

Leaves Roots Seeds

**Uses [references** 

For treating wound by squeezing the leaves and creaming on the wound [22, 24]

**cited]**

Roots For curing hear burn [12]

Seeds For curing skin diseases by crushing and applying on wound parts [12, 18, 19]

Leaves For treating cancer, skin problem, leprosy, and external parasites

[6, 25]

cattle eye diseases by chewing and spitting on the affected area [18, 22]

For preventing poisonous snake bite by boiling the leaves and drinking with honey [12, 24] For curing amebiasis by crushing and boiling with leaf of coffee for drink. The seeds can be used as a fishpoison or as a cure for dysentery [12]

Leaves For treating the

Bark For curing sore,

Seeds Used for treating diarrhea and ascariasis by drinking the ground and boiled seeds with honey [12, 19, 27]

Root Used for shorten

the labor period just before delivery of women [19, 21]

anthrax, and evil eye using the powder of the bark with hot water [18, 20]

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86202*

**Scientific names**

*Barleria eranthemoides* R. Br. ex C. B.

*Bersama abyssinica* Fresen.

*Bridelia scleroneura* Mul. Arg.

*Brucea anti dysenterica* Fresen.

*Buddleja polystachya* Fresen.

*Calpurnia aurea* (Ait.) Benth.

*Capparis tomentosa* Lam

*Carica papaya*

*Carissa edulis* (Forsk.)

L.

Cl


*Ethiopian Common Medicinal Plants: Their Parts and Uses in Traditional Medicine - Ecology… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86202*

*Plant Science - Structure, Anatomy and Physiology in Plants Cultured in Vivo and in Vitro*

**Local name Ha. Habitat Parts** 

Girar T Dry bushland Fruits

H Wetlands, forest

Nech shinkur S Dry sandy plains,

Chigogot H Roadsides,

Eret H Steep bare mountain

Chigugn H Juniper forest, open

Yeset qest H Acacia woodland

floors, stream banks

dried river course

H Irrigable cultivated land, home garden

> riverbanks, floodplain

slopes

grassland, fallow

Forest margins

fields

Qontir S Deciduous bushland Leaves Used for treating

Grar T Dry bushland Latex Latex from the

**used**

Leaflets

Leaves Flowers **Uses [references** 

goiter [18, 22]

For treating diarrhea, diabetes, sore gum, hemorrhage, and loose teeth For curing sickness of stomach [19, 21, 27]

stem pounded is taken with honey for curing amebiasis; for treating fire wound

Used for curing tonsillitis via chewing the flowers and spitted on tonsillitis [18, 22]

[13, 27]

Root For treating cancer [20, 24]

bulb For preventing and

Leaves Used for curing diarrhea via pounded and boiled leaves [18, 22]

Root For also curing anthrax by pounding the root and mixing it with cold water and local alcohol [12, 22]

H Rocky slopes Leaves For preventing

Fresh root

treating malaria [7, 13, 18, 22, 23, 25]

wart by powdering leaf and then mix it with honey [12, 22, 26]

For preventing evil spirit by smelling and drinking after crushing the root and normalizing it in water [7, 22, 25]

and breast cancer [17, 20, 24]

Roots For curing uterine

**cited]**

**Scientific names**

*Acacia nilotica* (L.) Del.

*Acacia albida* Del.

*Acmella caulirhiza* Del.

*Aerva javanica* (Burm.f.) Schultes

*Allium sativum*

*Amaranthus caudatus* L.

*Aloe monticola* Reynolds

*Aloe macrocarpa* Reynolds

*Artemisia abyssinica* Sch. Bip. ex. Rich

*Asparagus africanus* L.

L.

Yemdir berbere

*Acacia abyssinica* Hochst ex. Benth

**92**


within broad-leaved deciduous woodland

mental disturbance

**95**

*Ethiopian Common Medicinal Plants: Their Parts and Uses in Traditional Medicine - Ecology…*

**Local name Ha. Habitat Parts** 

Atse-faris H Disturbed places,

Worq-bemeda H Woodland

Kebericho H/S Montane *Acacia*

Oulaga H/S Montane and

Nech-bahirzaf T A wide variety sites

Dedeho S Open montane

Qinchib S Live fence of home

Qulkual T Steep rocky

Banba T River and lake

Milas golgul H Open grassland;

H Cultivated in home garden, farmland

> waste ground, near water holes, roadsides

bushland, upland grassland, evergreen

bushland

woodland, disturbed bushland

riverine forest, evergreen bushland, hedgerows around compounds

(plantations)

and bushland; in clearings and along

hillsides, around churches; live fence at higher altitudes

margins, woodland, forest edges and clearings, wooded grassland

*Acacia* woodland; rocky limestone

H *Acacia*-*Commiphora* woodland, wooded grassland, near rivers on various soil

types

slope

margins

garden

**used**

Roots/ tubers

S Not defined Root For curing

**Uses [references** 

treating gastritis [12, 22]

depression [22, 25]

toothache and wound [6, 7, 12, 18, 23]

For treatment of tumor visible in body surface [20, 24]

toothache, vomiting, and headache [22, 27]

bleeding, fibril illness [12, 18]

influenza and allergic

[7, 13, 18, 22, 23, 26]

spirit, evil eye, and heartburn [12, 17]

Used as treatment of tumor/cancer [7, 12, 23]

cancer [20, 22]

skin wound and boils [12, 21]

**cited]**

Leaves Used as a means of

Seed Used for treating

Root For treating

Leaves Used for curing

Leaves Used for treating

Roots For treating evil

Latex For treating skin

Leaves Used for treating

Bark For curing hepatitis [18, 19, 22]

Root Used for treating headache [12, 22, 24]

Roots Latex

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86202*

Duba/ Yebarqil

**Scientific names**

*Cucurbita pepo* L.

*Datura stramonium* L.

*Dodonaea angustifolia* (L.fil.) J.G.West

*Dorstenia barnimiana Schwienf.*

*Echinops kebericho,* Mesfin

*Ehretia cymosa* Thonn.

*Eucalyptus globules Labill.*

*Euclea racemosa*

*Euphorbia tirucalli* L.

*Euphorbia abyssinica* J. F. Gmel.

*Rhus natalensis* Beru ex Krauss.

*Ficus sycomorus*

*Gladiolus schweinfurthii* (Baker) Goldblatt and M.P. de Vos

L.

L.

[21, 27]

*zambesicus*


*Ethiopian Common Medicinal Plants: Their Parts and Uses in Traditional Medicine - Ecology… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86202*

*Plant Science - Structure, Anatomy and Physiology in Plants Cultured in Vivo and in Vitro*

Agam S Disturbed areas,

Limich S Montane forest

Bahre-Lomi T In lowlands,

Birtukan S Cultivated in

Buna S In shaded coffee

Wanza T Moist evergreen

Yejb shinkurt H Waterlogged valley

Bisana T Forest margin, edges

Bisana T Stony streambeds,

Nech Azo hareg

**Local name Ha. Habitat Parts** 

along edges of roads, riverine vegetation

margins, moist forest, secondary bushland

evergreen forest

irrigable areas

Cl Edges and remnants of montane forest, roadsides, paths

plantations

forest, riverine vegetation, woodland, grassland

grasslands, swampy or along stream banks, fallow fields

of roads, disturbed areas, woodland

within broad-leaved deciduous woodland

Misrich S Not specified yet Root Used for treating

Hareg Cl >> Leaves

**used**

**Uses [references** 

preventing evil eye by inhaling the smoke of pounded roots. It is also used for treating wounds via applying the powder of the roots [12, 17, 19, 27]

**cited]**

Leaves For treating skin irritation by pounding together the leaf of *C. anisata*, *Solanecio gigas*, and *Justicia schimperiana* [6, 18, 20, 22]

Fruit For treating

Fruit Bark

Leaves/ stems Barks

Root

dermatophyte [6, 12, 19]

Used for treating stomach infection and wound [12, 18]

Used for treating tumor/cancer on the neck [19, 24]

Used for curing wound and stomachache [12, 18]

earache and headache [12, 20]

by pounding and mixing with honey [6, 12, 18]

via applying the powder of the root on the area [6, 12, 13, 18, 19]

of tumor in general [13, 20, 24, 25]

splenomegaly and gonorrhea [12, 17, 18, 20, 22, 25]

mental disturbance

Seeds For curing diarrhea

Roots For curing itching

Leaves Used as treatment

Bark Used for treating

[21, 27]

Bark For curing

Roots Used for

**Scientific names**

*Carissa spinarum* L.

*Clausena anisata* (Wild.) Benth.

*Citrus aurantifolia* Swingle

*Citrus sinensis* (L.) Engl.

*Clematis hirsuta* Per.

*Clematis simensis* Fresen.

*Clerodendrum myricoides* (Hochst.)

*Coffee arabica*

*Cordia africana* Lam.

*Crinum abyssinicum*

*Croton macrostachyus* Hochst. ex Del.

*Croton zambesicus*

L.

**94**


**97**

*Ethiopian Common Medicinal Plants: Their Parts and Uses in Traditional Medicine - Ecology…*

**Local name Ha. Habitat Parts** 

bush- and woodland, limestone slopes, home gardens

monasteries and churches, woody vegetation

degraded areas, live fence of houses

H Disturbed sites Root/

secondary forests, grassy meadows and along paths in

ruderal areas, on road-, hill-, river- or streamsides; in bushland areas

riverine gallery forest, disturbed habitats

bordering forest margins, hillsides, cultivated fields, in clearings

and savanna, widespread in tropical Africa

forests

by roads and paths, bushland, woodland, savannah

S Disturbed areas,

Damakesie S *Acacia-Commiphora*

Woira T Home garden,

Amira H Disturbed habitats

Chocho *S* Degraded and

Embuay H In cultivation and

Tikur awud H Cultivated and

Yayit hareg Cl In thickets

Arziniya S/T Open woodland

**used**

Leaves/ roots

leaves

Root Leaves

Leaves roots, stems

Leaves/ roots

**Uses [references** 

**cited]**

Leaves Fibril illness [7, 12, 18, 20, 22]

> For curing dysentery, wound stomachache, bone TB [6, 12, 17, 18, 20, 26]

Leaves For killing malaria vectors [22, 25]

Root For preventing

gonorrhea and hemorrhoids as well as for toothache [12, 20, 22]

For treating heart disease, cancer, trypanosomiasis [6, 20, 27]

Used for treating mastitis Used for preventing boils [12, 18]

Leaf, root, and stalk are used for cancerous sores and wound treatments. Stems eaten as pot herb for virility in men and for dysmenorrhea in females, for dysentery, and sore throat [21, 24]

Used for curing bleeding, menstruation, amebiasis [12, 17–20]

external tumor/ cancer and stomachache [6, 12, 8, 24, 25]

Root For treating

Bark Used for treating kidney via drinking the juice crushed from bark [12, 13, 19]

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86202*

Yebereha qulkual

**Scientific names**

*Ocimum lamiifolium* Hochst. ex. Benth.

*Olea europaea*

*Opuntia ficusindica* (L.) Miller

*Plumbago zeylanica* L.

*Verbascum sinaiticum* Benth.

*Premna schimperi* Engl*.*

*Solanum nigrum*

*Solanum incanum* L.

*Stephania abyssinica* (Dill. and A. Rich.) Walp. (Etse Eyesus, Nech- Hareg)

*Stereospermum kunthianum* Cham.

L.


*Ethiopian Common Medicinal Plants: Their Parts and Uses in Traditional Medicine - Ecology… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86202*

*Plant Science - Structure, Anatomy and Physiology in Plants Cultured in Vivo and in Vitro*

Mechi H Open wasteland,

Sensel S Open woodland,

Ddugot S Montane forest and

Kosso T Montane forest and

Gemie S Cultivation and

Lut H Paths and clearings

Safa/kummel T/S In gullies, in riverine

Shiferaw T Cultivated in

Koba H Cultivated on large

Timbaho H Cultivated in villages,

*Nigella sativa* L. Tikur azmud H Cultivated in

**Local name Ha. Habitat Parts** 

H Disturbed sites Leafy

grassland, weed of cultivation, roadside ditches, riverbanks

riverine vegetation, live fence of house

grassland

grassland Moist evergreen forest

waste places, grassland, riverbanks

margin of evergreen forest, along river banks and streams, open woodland and

in upland forest, upland grassland, cultivated areas near

forest, in riparian woodland, in woody vegetation on lake

terraced fields, gardens, small towns, in riverine and woodland

irrigated farms and in house gardens

home gardens, tobacco farms

homesteads, in fields; growing in

wild

T/S Gallery forest,

valleys

houses

shores

**used**

stem

**Uses [references** 

treatment [6, 22]

[6, 7, 12, 18, 20, 26]

physical strength

[7, 23, 25, 26]

dizziness [12, 20]

elephantiasis [6, 18, 26]

tumor [6, 18, 24, 25]

preventing lung cancer [12, 18]

relief [7, 12, 21]

abortion medicine

snakebite [6, 12, 18]

**cited]**

Leaves Used as wound

Leaves For preventing bat urine

Barks For giving human

[21]

Fruits Tapeworm

Leaves For preventing

Bark For curing

Root For curing cancer/

Root Used for

Root Used for asthma

Bulb It is taken as an

Leaves For treating

[19, 21]

Seed Used as treatment of headache [18, 22]

For treating tapeworm

**Scientific names**

L.

*Justicia schimperiana Hochst. ex A. (Nees) T. Anders*

*Harrisonia abyssinica*

*Hagenia abyssinica (Bruccie) T.F.Gmel*

*Laggera crispata* (Vahl.)

*Maesa lanceolata* Forssk

*Malva verticillata* L.

*Mimusops kummel* A. DC.

*Moringa stenopetala* (E.G. Baker) Cufod.

*Musa sapientum* L.

*Nicotiana tabacum* L.

*Glinus lotoides*

*Guizotia scabra* (Vis.) Chiov.

Meterie/ Amkin

**96**


**99**

**Figure 1.**

*Ethiopian Common Medicinal Plants: Their Parts and Uses in Traditional Medicine - Ecology…*

**Local name Ha. Habitat Parts** 

T Transitional

Gizawa S In cultivations,

Qurqura T Wooded grassland,

*List of reviewed Ethiopian medicinal plants used for various traditional disease treatments with their parts* 

*NB: Ha, habits; T, tree; S, shrub; H, herbs; Cl, climbers; T/S, shrubs/trees; H/S, herbs/shrubs.*

montane forest, adjacent woodland

disturbed places in the highlands, on lake shores, along riverbanks in disturbed places in open woodland

along dry riverbeds, edges of cultivations and home gardens

*Acacia-Ballanites*, woodland, *Combretum-Terminalia*, wooded grassland

Enkoy S *Acacia* woodland,

**used**

Fruit Kernel Root

**Uses [references** 

Oil from the fruit kernel is applied to fresh wounds to prevent infections and also used by some people, who have their ears or lips pierced Used for treating stomachache and tonsillitis [6, 12, 19, 20]

**cited]**

Stem Used for treating

Leaves Used for treating

Fruits Used for treatments of stomachache, tonic, for tooth aches, and tumors [21, 13]

boils and cough [12, 17]

malaria [12, 13, 17]

harvesting the root parts of the medicinal plant for preparation of traditional medicines has negative consequences on the existence of the plants themselves in the future. That is why most of the medicinal plants are currently at risk, declining

highly due to them using their root parts besides other human pressures.

*Life forms/habits of medicinal plants reviewed with their percentage (%).*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86202*

**Scientific names**

*Ximenia americana* L.

*Warburgia ugandensis* Sprague

*Withania somnifera* L. Dunal

*Ziziphus spinachristi* (L.) Desf

*and ecology/habitat.*

**Table 1.**


*Ethiopian Common Medicinal Plants: Their Parts and Uses in Traditional Medicine - Ecology… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86202*

*NB: Ha, habits; T, tree; S, shrub; H, herbs; Cl, climbers; T/S, shrubs/trees; H/S, herbs/shrubs.*

#### **Table 1.**

*Plant Science - Structure, Anatomy and Physiology in Plants Cultured in Vivo and in Vitro*

Humer/Roqa T Grassland,

Marte H *Combretum-*

Alebilabet H Among open rock

Kurnchit H Open and disturbed

Girawa S Bush/woodland,

Deha nikel H Wet forest

**Local name Ha. Habitat Parts** 

woodland *Combretum* bushland, riparian

*Terminalia* woodland, grassland, wooded grassland, evergreen forest, seasonally waterlogged

bushlands

places, often on sandy soils

Sama H Unknown Leaves For curing sore

forest habitats, home gardens

margins, in riverine vegetation by streamside

Tosign H Not reported Leaves For curing stomach

**used**

Not reported

Stem Fruit Seed

**Uses [references** 

stomachache; it is also used for treating bile and intestinal worm using the fruit juice with hot water in the morning before breakfast [12, 19]

For curing poisonous snakebite [21]

diseases, cough, and asthma [21, 25]

urinary tract and external parasite [12, 18, 19]

For curing scabrous skin diseases For congestion, headache, hepatitis, liver, vertigo, stomatitis, kidneys, liver, and

vision For treating anemia, hemorrhoid coughs, fluxes, and stomatitis [21]

Leaves For preventing

Leaves Used for treating

joints by mixing the plant juice with oil; provide cure for rheumatism and hemorrhage [18, 21]

headache and intestinal worm and for treating tumor/cancer in general [6, 7, 12, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27]

dandruff [12, 27]

Root For treating

**cited]**

Fruit Used for curing

**Scientific names**

*Tamarindus indica* L.

*Thunbergia ruspolii* Lindau

*Thymus capitatus* (L.) Link

*Tribulus terrestris* L.

*Urtica pilulifera*

L.

*Vernonia amygdalina* Del.

*Xanthium strumarium* L.

*Tragia cordata* Michx.

**98**

*List of reviewed Ethiopian medicinal plants used for various traditional disease treatments with their parts and ecology/habitat.*

#### **Figure 1.**

*Life forms/habits of medicinal plants reviewed with their percentage (%).*

harvesting the root parts of the medicinal plant for preparation of traditional medicines has negative consequences on the existence of the plants themselves in the future. That is why most of the medicinal plants are currently at risk, declining highly due to them using their root parts besides other human pressures.

**Figure 2.**

*Distribution of medicinal plant parts used for disease traditional treatments by healers.*

#### **3.2 Uses of medicinal plants in treating different disease types**

Using these medicinal plants revised in **Table 1**, the local communities could be able to treat about 69 disease types. The disease types treated by these various medicinal plants were skin disease, gonorrhea, diarrhea, wound, tapeworm, snake bites, stomachache, headache, evil eye, heartburn, cancer/tumor, and malaria (see **Table 1** for the detail). Particularly, most of the patients (who come from rural areas) with their perspective disease types have been treated by traditional healers, before coming to clinics and/or hospitals located far away by many kilometers from their residential areas. The disease types most frequently treated by traditional medications (traditional healers) provided by those medicinal plants were stomachaches, wounds, cancers/tumors, skin diseases, headaches, toothaches, and coughs and diarrhea, which took the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh ranks, respectively, although the majority of disease types were frequently treated less than four times, ranging from one to three times (**Table 2**). This also points out that one medicinal plant species can be used for treating more than one disease types.

Because of this, medicinal plants are very vital in providing traditional medicines, prepared by local healers, and thereby used for treating and curing different types of diseases that affected the local communities, where they occurred. Even, following the traditional uses and effectiveness of the medicinal plants [23], the traditional healers are also popular by the local societies, providing cultural values. The study of [23] also confirmed that the traditional health practitioners are with a good knowledge of medicinal plants used to treat different diseases of their locals.

In addition to these contributions pertinent to traditional medications and cultural values, the individual medicinal plants could provide regulating, provisioning, and supporting services. For instance, they could provide regulating services via regulating soil erosion, climate change, disease, pollution, and pollination; they also provide provisioning services such as fuel wood, timber for house construction, food (fruits, honey), and fodder and shelter for wild animals [11]. Hence, almost all of the medicinal plants are multipurpose species, providing more than one benefits.

#### **3.3 Ecology and/or habitats of medicinal plants**

As referred from the revised documents for this review, the habitat preference of medicinal plants varied from place to place (**Table 1**). As referred in **Table 1** and

**101**

be lost at alarming rate.

*Ethiopian Common Medicinal Plants: Their Parts and Uses in Traditional Medicine - Ecology…*

**No. of disease type Frequency of** 

8 (Tonsillitis, malaria, evil eye, snakebites, dysentery, boils, throat sore,

10 (Earache, amebiasis, urinary tract, heartburn, external parasites, fibril

1 (Stomachaches) 12 1 1 (Wounds) 11 2 1 (Cancer/tumor) 10 3 1 (Skin diseases) 7 4 1 (Headaches) 6 5 1 (Toothaches) 5 6 2 (Cough, diarrhea) 4 (each) 7

**treatments**

3 (each) 8

2 (each) 9

**Rank**

**Figure 3** drawn from the review, the majority of medicinal plants were available along the edges of river/streams and wetlands, disturbed sites, grasslands, cultivated lands, woodlands, bushland, grasslands, and home gardens. Generally, the majority of medicinal plants were found in wild compared to those plants found in cultivated and home gardens together. Many of the authors of the reviewed articles (e.g. [12, 23, 25]) confirmed that the majority of medicinal plants were collected from natural habitats or wild by traditional practitioners compared from home gardens. Among medicinal plants found along stream/riverbanks (**Figure 3**), the majority of them are supposed to be medicinal plants having herbal life forms/habits (**Figure 1**). This could be due to their shallow roots, which cannot bring water

*Disease type categories and their rank based on their frequency being treated by different medicinal plant* 

43 (Elephantiasis, asthma, eye diseases, diabetes, anthrax, leprosy, etc.) 1 (each) 10

Because of the anthropogenic factors such as over harvesting, fire/deforestation, agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and urbanization [25, 28], most of the medicinal plants have also been lost. This implies that the availability and accessibility of most medicinal plants in Ethiopia are also very difficult [25]. Hence, most of the medicinal plants were restricted to areas (such as cliffs, hills/mountains, gorges, disturbed areas, riverbanks, and valleys of wild) which are not easily accessible to use/harvest them. Not only is this, but also the knowledge of traditional practitioners pertinent to identification of medicinal plants with their parts and ecology and the process of preparation of herbal medicines and medication with their quality/ effectiveness are declined/lost since the knowledge is mostly transferred orally from generation to generation, not documented. Therefore, the effects of human on the natural habitat of medicinal plants are the problems for the conservation of medicinal plants and associated knowledge of traditional healers [12]. With the present ecological and socioeconomic changes, medicinal plants together with the associated ethnobotanical knowledge in Ethiopia are under serious threat and may

Under such circumstances, the use of plants for medicinal purposes will also decline, and consequently the once effective traditional healthcare system will also be lost [19]. Hence, documenting medicinal plants with their uses and ecology as well as the knowledge of traditional practitioners is so vital. Moreover, it is very essential to give conservation priority for those medicinal plants through

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86202*

illness, kidney, liver, hemorrhoids, tapeworms)

intestinal worms)

*species (as described in Table 1).*

**Table 2.**

from the deep parts of their habitats.

*Ethiopian Common Medicinal Plants: Their Parts and Uses in Traditional Medicine - Ecology… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86202*


#### **Table 2.**

*Plant Science - Structure, Anatomy and Physiology in Plants Cultured in Vivo and in Vitro*

*Distribution of medicinal plant parts used for disease traditional treatments by healers.*

**3.2 Uses of medicinal plants in treating different disease types**

Using these medicinal plants revised in **Table 1**, the local communities could be able to treat about 69 disease types. The disease types treated by these various medicinal plants were skin disease, gonorrhea, diarrhea, wound, tapeworm, snake bites, stomachache, headache, evil eye, heartburn, cancer/tumor, and malaria (see **Table 1** for the detail). Particularly, most of the patients (who come from rural areas) with their perspective disease types have been treated by traditional healers, before coming to clinics and/or hospitals located far away by many kilometers from their residential areas. The disease types most frequently treated by traditional medications (traditional healers) provided by those medicinal plants were stomachaches, wounds, cancers/tumors, skin diseases, headaches, toothaches, and coughs and diarrhea, which took the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh ranks, respectively, although the majority of disease types were frequently treated less than four times, ranging from one to three times (**Table 2**). This also points out that one medicinal plant species can be used for treating more than one

Because of this, medicinal plants are very vital in providing traditional medicines, prepared by local healers, and thereby used for treating and curing different types of diseases that affected the local communities, where they occurred. Even, following the traditional uses and effectiveness of the medicinal plants [23], the traditional healers are also popular by the local societies, providing cultural values. The study of [23] also confirmed that the traditional health practitioners are with a good knowledge of medicinal plants used to treat different diseases of their locals. In addition to these contributions pertinent to traditional medications and cultural values, the individual medicinal plants could provide regulating, provisioning, and supporting services. For instance, they could provide regulating services via regulating soil erosion, climate change, disease, pollution, and pollination; they also provide provisioning services such as fuel wood, timber for house construction, food (fruits, honey), and fodder and shelter for wild animals [11]. Hence, almost all of the medicinal plants are multipurpose species, providing more than one benefits.

As referred from the revised documents for this review, the habitat preference of medicinal plants varied from place to place (**Table 1**). As referred in **Table 1** and

**3.3 Ecology and/or habitats of medicinal plants**

**100**

**Figure 2.**

disease types.

*Disease type categories and their rank based on their frequency being treated by different medicinal plant species (as described in Table 1).*

**Figure 3** drawn from the review, the majority of medicinal plants were available along the edges of river/streams and wetlands, disturbed sites, grasslands, cultivated lands, woodlands, bushland, grasslands, and home gardens. Generally, the majority of medicinal plants were found in wild compared to those plants found in cultivated and home gardens together. Many of the authors of the reviewed articles (e.g. [12, 23, 25]) confirmed that the majority of medicinal plants were collected from natural habitats or wild by traditional practitioners compared from home gardens. Among medicinal plants found along stream/riverbanks (**Figure 3**), the majority of them are supposed to be medicinal plants having herbal life forms/habits (**Figure 1**). This could be due to their shallow roots, which cannot bring water from the deep parts of their habitats.

Because of the anthropogenic factors such as over harvesting, fire/deforestation, agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and urbanization [25, 28], most of the medicinal plants have also been lost. This implies that the availability and accessibility of most medicinal plants in Ethiopia are also very difficult [25]. Hence, most of the medicinal plants were restricted to areas (such as cliffs, hills/mountains, gorges, disturbed areas, riverbanks, and valleys of wild) which are not easily accessible to use/harvest them. Not only is this, but also the knowledge of traditional practitioners pertinent to identification of medicinal plants with their parts and ecology and the process of preparation of herbal medicines and medication with their quality/ effectiveness are declined/lost since the knowledge is mostly transferred orally from generation to generation, not documented. Therefore, the effects of human on the natural habitat of medicinal plants are the problems for the conservation of medicinal plants and associated knowledge of traditional healers [12]. With the present ecological and socioeconomic changes, medicinal plants together with the associated ethnobotanical knowledge in Ethiopia are under serious threat and may be lost at alarming rate.

Under such circumstances, the use of plants for medicinal purposes will also decline, and consequently the once effective traditional healthcare system will also be lost [19]. Hence, documenting medicinal plants with their uses and ecology as well as the knowledge of traditional practitioners is so vital. Moreover, it is very essential to give conservation priority for those medicinal plants through

#### *Plant Science - Structure, Anatomy and Physiology in Plants Cultured in Vivo and in Vitro*

**Figure 3.**

protecting them where they are found, propagating them in cultivated areas and home gardens, and creating awareness to the locals. Hence, following community and research-based approach is advised to save medicinal plants from their loss and extinction.
