Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used by Indigenous People in Ticho District, Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2022 to February 2023 in Ticho District, Arsi Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants was conducted to document and investigate medicinal plants used to treat human and livestock ailments before people’s knowledge of traditional medicinal plant use vanishes. Ethnobotanical data was collected using semi-structured interviews, field observation, group discussion, guided field work, and market surveys. In this study, 82 informants participated in collecting ethnobotanical data of which, 56 general informants were selected by systematic random sampling, whereas twenty six key informants were selected purposively. Descriptive statistics and other ethnobotanical indices such as preference ranking, informant consensus, and direct matrix ranking were employed to quantify and analyze the collected data. The study revealed that 78 medicinal plant species belonging to 77 genera and 47 families were identified to treat human and livestock ailments. Family Fabaceae has contributed the highest number of medicinal plant species 7 (9%), followed by Asteraceae 5 (6%). The majority of these plants, 64(81%) were used to treat human ailments followed by 12(15.2%) were used to treat livestock ailments alone. Most medicinal plants of species 48 (61.5%) were collected from the wild. Herbs constituted the largest growth form 28 species (35.9%) followed by shrubs 25 species (32%). The leaf was the most commonly used plant part, accounting for 38 (48.6%), followed by root 14(17.95%), and bark. Oral administration was the more common route (61.5%), followed by the topical route (32%). The analysis of direct matrix ranking showed that Ficus sycomorus and Podocarpus falcatus are the most widely used multi-purpose plant species by the local community. It is possible to conclude that plants are still valued for their medicinal uses in the Ticho district and the local community has rich indigenous knowledge of herbal medicinal plant uses. However, the availability of medicinal plants is at risk due to various activities such as agricultural expansion, construction use, firewood production, and charcoal production.  Therefore, the concerned body should apply in-situ and ex-situ conservation strategies for the sustainable use of herbal resources and to prevent species from extinction.7 families were identified to treat human and livestock ailments. Family Fabaceae has contributed the highest number of medicinal plant species 7 (9%), followed by Asteraceae 5 (6%). The majority of these plants, 64(81%) were used to treat human ailments followed by 12(15.2%) were used to treat livestock ailments alone. Most medicinal plants of species 48 (61.5%) were collected from the wild. Herbs constituted the largest growth form 28 species (35.9%) followed by shrubs 25 species (32%). The leaf was the most commonly used plant part, accounting for 38 (48.6%), followed by root 14(17.95%), and bark. Oral administration was the more common route (61.5%), followed by the topical route (32%). The analysis of direct matrix ranking showed that Ficus sycomorus and Podocarpus falcatus are the most widely used multi-purpose plant species by the local community. It is possible to conclude that plants are still valued for their medicinal uses in the Ticho district and the local community has rich indigenous knowledge of herbal medicinal plant uses. However, the availability of medicinal plants is at risk due to various activities such as agricultural expansion, construction use, firewood production, and charcoal production. Therefore, the concerned body should apply in-situ and ex-situ conservation strategies for the sustainable use of herbal resources and to prevent species from extinction.