article · Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
An ethnobotanical investigation in Delanta, northern Ethiopia, documented traditional medicinal plant use and evaluated the consequences of the 1984/85 resettlement programme on indigenous knowledge. Using semistructured interviews, discussions, and market surveys across six study sites, the study recorded 133 medicinal plant species across 116 genera and 57 families. These plants serve in treating roughly 76 human and livestock ailments. Asteraceae emerged as the most widely represented family, with herbaceous species making up over half of documented plants and leaves serving as the most frequently used part. The findings show that resettlement influenced both local botanical knowledge and ecological rehabilitation in mixed ways, amidst ongoing human pressures. Plant knowledge remains predominantly with traditional healers and long-term residents. Prioritising in situ conservation across two specific plant communities could safeguard approximately half of the documented medicinal species.
Documenting traditional botanical knowledge preserves vital healthcare practices that rural communities rely on for treating human and livestock diseases. Understanding how historical events like resettlement alter local ecological knowledge helps conservationists and policymakers design targeted protection programmes. Identifying key plant communities ensures that conservation resources can be deployed efficiently to protect a large proportion of therapeutically important species.
This research is at an early, descriptive stage focusing on ethnobotanical documentation and conservation planning rather than product development. While the documented catalogue of 133 species could eventually inform bioprospecting by herbal medicine or veterinary health developers, the abstract does not indicate an immediate application pathway or commercial readiness level.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
The present study was conducted in Delanta (Ethiopia) to examine the use of medicinal plants and investigate the impacts of the 1984/85 resettlement program on the local people's knowledge on herbal medicine and its uses. The research was conducted with 72 informants in six study sites through semistructured interviews, group discussion, and market survey. In this study, 133 species belonging to 116 genera and 57 families were documented. These plants were mentioned for uses in the treatment of about 76 human and livestock ailments. The family Asteraceae was represented by the highest number with 14 species. Herbs accounted for 52.6% of the total species and leaves (32.6%) were the most frequently used parts. The analysis showed that the resettlement program has both positive and negative impacts on nature rehabilitation and local knowledge along with many human induced threats. Most of the plant knowledge is held by traditional healers and permanent residents. The people's preference for some medicinal plants gave indications of continuity of the ethnomedicinal information among the inhabitants. The findings inform that efforts need to be directed to in situ conservation in two of the plant community types which could protect a good proportion (about 50%) of the medicinal plant species.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1155/2016/5060247
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
