Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used to treat human ailments in Quara district, northwestern Ethiopia.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Ethiopia is recognized as one of the centers of origin for the diversity of many plant species, including medicinal plants. Throughout the country, a large proportion of the population relies on these therapeutic plant species for primary healthcare. While such traditional medicinal knowledge has been documented in some regions, there is a lack of information from the Quara district of northwestern Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to document the indigenous and local knowledge of the use of medicinal plants among three ethnic groups residing in the area. METHODOLOGY: An ethnobotanical study was conducted from August 2022 to October 2023 in ten kebeles of the Quara district. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, field walks, and focus group discussions with 286 informants using snowball, purposive, and random sampling techniques. Quantitative analyses included Rahman's similarity index (RSI), informant consensus factor (ICF), and direct matrix ranking (DMR). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze basic ethnobotanical data. RESULTS: A total of 128 medicinal plant species from 112 genera and 50 families were documented and used to treat 14 disease categories. There was a 28% overlap in medicinal plant knowledge among the three ethnic groups studied. Fabaceae was the most represented family with 22 species. Trees accounted for the majority of the documented plants (37.5%), and leaves were the most commonly used plant parts (23.1%). Oral administration (56.7%) of plant extracts was the primary mode of remedy preparation and use. The highest ICF value (0.93) was recorded for circulatory and blood-related disorders. The study identified nine plants and 39 therapeutic uses not previously reported in Ethiopia. The RSI showed high overlap with neighboring areas and low similarity with distant areas. Top-ranked multipurpose plants were Ziziphus spina-christi and Terminalia leiocarpa, with agricultural expansion and fuelwood collection identified as major threats. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate the rich diversity of medicinal plants and associated traditional knowledge in the Quara district. The high ethnobotanical indices warrant further phytochemical and pharmacological investigations. Integrated conservation efforts are recommended to address the challenges facing these valuable plant resources.