






























 
East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 

 

 
*Corresponding author: 
 Email: amenefe@gmail.com, +251- 91 1300314  
 

 

 
Ethno-veterinary medicinal plants and modes of their traditional application to cure 

animal ailments in Adaa’Liben district, Ethiopia 
 

Ijigu Asefa1, Asefa Asmare2, Fikru Regassa3, Amene Fekadu2* 
 

1 Wolaita Sodo University, P. O. Box 138,Wolaita, Ethiopia 
2  Hawassa University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia 
3 College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box, Bishoftu, Ethiopia  

 
 

KEYWORDS:  
Animal disease:  

Ethno-veterinary practice; 

 Medicinal plant;  

Traditional healer 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

  
   

   
  

 

 

Journal homepage : https://journals.hu.edu.et/hu-journals/index.php/eajbcs 
  Hawassa University

College of Natural & Computational Sciences

Year 2021

Volume xx No xx

48

East African Journal of Biophysical and Computational Sciences 

Research article

Cross-sectional  survey  of  ethno-veterinary  medicinal  plants  was  carried  out  from
November 2016 to April 2017 in Ada’a-Liben district, Ethiopia.  The purposes of the study
were to identify and document medicinal plants, animal ailments treated by the medicinal
plants, and modes of preparation of the medicinal plants for the treatment of animals in the
study  area.  Rapid  appraisal  methods  were  used  to  gather  relevant  information  to  select
study  kebeles  and  identify  the  31  informants  including  traditional  healers.  Information
about the medicinal plants and their usage to cure various animal ailments were gathered
through  a  semi-structured  questionnaire,  field  observation,  group  discussion  and  market
survey. Thirty one ethnoveterinary medicinal plant species belonging to 23 families were
used  to  treat  24  livestock  ailments  in  the  study  area.  Among  the  medicinal  plants,
Zingibera  officinale,  Solanium  incanum,  Withania  somnitera,  and  Allium  sativum  were
used  to  treat  blackleg  and  respiratory  diseases  whereas  Cypresnivies,  Cordia  africana,
Celtisa  africana,  and  Vernonia  amygdalina  serve  for  deworming  animals.  Fresh  moist
medicinal plants (51.6 %, n = 16/31) were the most frequently used in preparing remedies
comparing to dry plants (48.4 %, n = 15/31). The widely used plant part was leaf (51.6 %)
followed  by  fruit,  seed  and  root  (each  9.7  %)  and  leaf/fruit/root  mixed,  seed/pods,
leaf/seed/stem,  leaf/root,  stem  and  bulb  (each  3.2  %).  The  modes  of  preparation  of
medicinal plant remedies were found to be chopping (35.5 %), grinding (25.8 %), crushing
(19.4  %)  ,  decoction  and  using  medicinal  plants  without  processing  (6.5  %  each),  and
socking  and  crushing/shopping  (3.2  %  each).  The  most  widely  used  route  of
administration of these remedies was oral (77.4 %) followed by topical (19.4 %) and nasal
(3.2 %).  Eighteen species of the medicinal plants were used to traditionally treat more than
one  animal  ailment  while  the  remaining  13  were  used  to  cure  only  one  ailment  each.
Agricultural  expansion  was  the  highest  threat  for  the  ethnoveterinary  medicinal  plants
(51.6 %, n = 16/31) followed by drought (19.4 %, n = 6/31), soil erosion and deforestation
(9.7  %,  n  =  3/31  each).  In  conclusion  medicinal  plants  and  remedies  derived  from  them
are still important and readily available source of livestock health-care to rural people in
the  study  area.  Awareness  creation  work  for  traditional  healers  and  further  research  on
formal  in-vivo  and  in-vitro  experimental trails  are suggested for  a sustainable and efficient
utilization  of these  medicinal  plants.

ABSTRACT

mailto:amenefe@gmail.com


East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

INTRODUCTION 

The use of plants as medicine goes back to early 
man. Evidences of this early association have 
been found in the grave of a Neanderthal man 
buried 60,000 years ago. Pollen analysis 
indicated that the numerous plants buried with 
the corpse were all of medicinal value. The 
earliest known medical document is a 4000-
year-old Sumerian clay tab let that recorded 
plant remedies for various illnesses (Kong et al., 
2003). The recorded uses of plants as medicine 
are also found in Babylon around 1770 BC in 
the Code of Hammurabi and in ancient Egypt 
approximately 1550 BC. Among the remedies 
prescribed were mandrake for pain relief and 
garlic for the treatment of heart and circulatory 
disorder. In fact, ancient Egyptians believed 
medicinal plants to have uses even in the 
afterlife of their pharaohs. In 77 AD, the Greek 
surgeon Dioscorides published "De material 
medica", a catalog of about 600 plants in the 
Mediterranean. It also included information on 
how the Greeks used the plants, especially for 
medical purposes (Acharya and Anshu, 2008). 

The various climatic and topographic conditions 
of Ethiopia contribute to a rich biological 
diversity. Ethiopia is believed to be home for 
about more than 6,500 species of higher 
medicinal plants with approximately 12 % 
endemism (Vivero et al., 2006). Although 
modern veterinary medicine usage is gradually 
growing in rural Ethiopia, many people are still 
using ethnoveterinary medicinal plants to treat 
their livestock ailments. This is attributed to the 
insufficient number of veterinarians, inadequate 
health facilities, and the high cost of most of the 
available drugs which is out of the reach of the 
farmers and pastoralists (Giday et al., 2003). 

Absence of response to some antimicrobial and 
parasitic treatment coupled with lack of 
adequate awareness to the usefulness of modern 
pharmacotherapy also compel livestock keepers 
particularly in rural areas to frequently visit 
traditional healers for getting solutions for their 
ill-health animals. Similar to all other parts of 
the country, majority of the community in the 
study area use traditional medicines for 
generations to treat human and livestock 
ailments. Still now the dependence on the 
traditional medicine is continuing because of its 
acceptability, accessibility and availability at 
little or no cost to the farmer. It is also believed 
that it is safe for it has been practiced for 
centuries. 

The use of traditional healing systems has 
evolved over a long period of time and the 
knowledge of selection of plant species for their 
medicinal value is not obtained over night but 
after many trial and error practices. Those 
knowledgeable people don’t easily transfer their 
knowledge on medicinal plants usage to 
community where they live. Instead, they want 
their knowledge to remain as secret and the 
knowledge of plant remedies remained in their 
hands (Giday et al., 2003). When the knowledge 
of healing by traditional medicinal plants is 
passed from generation to generation, the 
original and valuable information passed in an 
incomplete fashion (Elujoba et al., 2005). In 
addition, the knowledge is very often passed 
only verbally and most of this knowledge has 
not been comprehensively documented yet it is 
rapidly diminishing due to changing cultures 
(Kedir et al., 2012). Therefore, scientific 
research on medicinal plants enables to 
document the verbally passed knowledge and 
provides additional evidence to the present 
knowledge of medicinal plants which has been 

49



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

handed down from generation to generation 
(WHO, 1998).  In addition, research results 
provide scientific based evidences on the 
efficacy and safety of traditional medicinal 
plants before using them for therapeutic 
purposes. This is what the modern health 
professionals and some of the consumers ask 
for.  

Thus, unraveling the information and 
documentation of ethno-veterinary medicinal 
plants, recording the indigenous ethno-
veterinary medicinal knowledge, and associated 
skills, practices and beliefs pertaining to animal 
health care builds up a strong platform for 
further researches aimed at developing easily 
accessible and affordable medicines for animal 
ailments. However, such information is missing 
in some parts of the country. To the best of our 
knowledge, this study is the first of its kind in 
the study area. Therefore, the objectives of this 
study were to identify and document ethno-
veterinary medicinal plants, the way medicinal 
plants are prepared and route of administration, 
and animal ailments treated by the medicinal 
plants in Ada’a-Liben district, Ethiopia. 

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

Description of Ada’a Liben district 

Ada’a Liben district is one of the 12 districts in 
East Shoa zone and is located about 45 kms 
south-east of the capital Addis Ababa and is 
very close to the other major urban centers. The 
district covers an area of 1750 km2 , stretching 
east of the Bole International Air Port to the 
North West of the Koka dam. It is located at 38° 
58′E to 39° 22′E longitude, 08° 22′N to 8° 56′ N 

latitude and at an altitude ranging from 1500 to 
over 2000 meter above sea level. Sedentary 
farming dominated by extensive type of 
management system is a feature of the highlands 
and midlands of the districts. The human 
population in Addis Ababa, Adama and 
Bishoftu create a large market for most 
agricultural commodities produced in the 
district. About 78 % of the household 
population who are over 10 years of age are 
engaged in full agricultural activities, 19.5 % in 
partial and 2.6 % in non-agricultural activities 
(Gebremedhin et al., 2013).  

Study design and methodology 

A cross-sectional study was carried out from 
November 2016 to April 2017 to identify and 
document the ethno-veterinary medicinal plants 
and the threats currently affecting medicinal 
plants in the study area. Rapid rural appraisal 
(Beebe, 1995) was made by conducting 
meetings with traditional leaders, elders, and the 
kebele administrators, and the state veterinary 
service officers at the beginning of the study to 
explain the purpose of the research and to gather 
relevant information that helps to select study 
kebeles (the smallest administrative unit of the 
country) and indentify the knowledgeable 
traditional healers in the study area. Thus, the 
study sites were selected based on the 
availability of traditional medicinal practice as 
per the recommendations of the elders and local 
authorities in the study area. In addition, the 
agro-climatic zones were taken into 
consideration to select the study sites (kebeles). 
Accordingly, six (Qaaxilla, Hiddi, Qaaliti, 
Gandagorba, Calalaqa, Caffee) out of 27 kebeles 
of the Ada’a Liben district were selected for 
ethnobotanical data collection. All the 
traditional healers in the selected kebeles were 

50



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

included in the study. Ethno-botanical data were 
collected using semi-structured interviews, field 
observations, market observations, and group 
discussion.  

Ethno-veterinary medicinal plant data 
collection 

The semi-structure questionnaire was prepared 
and the interview was carried out according to 
the method of Cotton (1996). Field observation 
on the study kebeles including the market 
survey was done with the help of local guide 
and interpreter. At the time of observation, 
important points including culture of the 
community, market value and cultivation 
practices of the medicinal plants were recorded. 
Group discussions were made with 31 
purposefully selected traditional healers and 
knowledgeable elders. The discussions were 
made at each study kebele in order to correct, 
harmonize and share the information among the 
respondents. Those smallholder farmers, 
traditional healers, and knowledgeable elders 
who were individually interviewed were 
members of the group discussion. Each group 
had five to seven members. The group 
discussion focused on the application of ethno-
veterinary medicinal plants to cure animal 
ailments, parts of the plants that have medicinal 
values, methods of medicament preparation, 
routes of administration, and animal ailments 
treated by the medicinal plants. During the 
guided field walk, the traditional healers came 
together with the researchers to the place where 
the medicinal plants are found. They indicated 
local names and shared their ethno-medicinal 
knowledge, practice and beliefs on the 
medicinal plants. In addition, market survey and 
interview for herbal drug distributors and sellers 
was also made to distinguish the type of herbal 

drugs sold in the market and for which 
disease(s) they are indicated.  

Moreover, semi-structured questionnaires were 
used to document knowledge and skills of 
traditional healers and knowledgeable elders 
about the plants used for treatment of livestock 
diseases. An interview was also held with a 
professional veterinarian to confirm diseases 
referred to by the farmers and traditional 
healers. Then, the medicinal plants were 
collected after recording all the important 
information obtained from the traditional 
healers and farmers. 

In order to confirm the reliability of the 
information, each informant was contacted at 
least twice and if the responses that were given 
at different times contradict to each other, the 
information was considered to be unreliable and 
was rejected. In addition, reliability of the 
information was assessed and confirmed when 
information given by different informants on the 
same issue was similar.  

Plant specimen collection and identification 

Medicinal plant species were collected under the 
guidance of the traditional healers from the wild 
and home gardens. Pictures of the plants were 
taken with a digital camera. One specimen of 
each plant species was collected and pressed 
according to the methods of Fish (1999). The 
collected plants and the necessary recorded 
information were taken to the National 
Herbarium of Biology Department in Addis 
Ababa University, Ethiopia (Annex 1 & 2). 
After the specimens were taken to the 
Department, plant species were identified using 
taxonomic keys following protocol mentioned 
on The Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea (Edwards 

51



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

et al., 2000; Hedberg et al., 2006) and by 
making a comparison with the already identified 
specimens that were deposited at the Biology 
Department National Herbarium. 

Data analysis 

Descriptive statistical methods (Proportions or 
percentiles) were used to summarize the 
collected ethno-veterinary medicinal plants data. 
Microsoft Excel and SPSS (Statistical Package 

for Social Science) Version 20 software were 
used for the data analysis. 

RESULTS 

Informants and their characters 

Out of the 31 informants, 27 (87.1 %) were 
male, whereas 4 (12.9 %) were females. Twelve 
(38.7 %) were traditional healers and 18 (58.1 
%) were farmers (Table 1). 

Table- 1: General characteristic of the informants at the study area 

Variable  Character Count/response Percentage (%) 

Sex  Male  27 87.1 % 
 Female  4 12.9 % 
Age  Young  3 9.7 % 

Adult 28 90.3 % 

Educational status Illiterate 21 67.7 % 
Literate 10 32.3 % 

Marital status 
 
Occupation       

Married 24 77.4 % 
Single 
Traditional Healers 
Farmers 
Others 

7 
12 
18 
1 

22.6 % 
38.7 % 
58.1 % 
3.2 % 

 

Sources, type, and seasonal availability of 
medicinal plants 

The data collected from the study sites showed 
that most of the ethnoveterinary medicinal 
plants were collected from the wild (n = 16/31; 
51.6 %) and others were from home gardens (n 
= 15/31; 48.4 %). In addition, regarding the type 
of the plants, 13 (49.9 %) were herbs and 10 
(32.3 %) were trees. Ethno-veterinary medicinal 
plants found in the study area were affected by 
season; many of the plants were available in 
every season (81.3 %, n = 28/31) while some 

are available seasonally (12.5 %, n = 2/31), and 
the rest are difficult to find at any season (6.3 %, 
n = 1/31). 
 

Medicinal plant parts used as a medicament, 
mode of preparation, and route of 
administration 

The study showed that the widely used plant 
part for the preparation of the remedies in the 
study area was leaves (51.6 %) and followed by 
other parts of the plant (fruit, seed and root) or a 
combination of these parts (Table 3). The study 

52



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

revealed that the highest mode of preparation of 
medicinal plants for animal treatment was in the 
form of chopping (35.5 %); followed by 

grinding (25.8 %), crushing (19.4 %), and other 
methods (Table 2). 

Table- 2: Modes of preparation of the ethnoveterinary medicinal plants for animal treatment  

No; Scientific name Family name Local name  Preparations 

1 Cypresnivies  Cypraceae Quunii Grinding 
2 Euphorbia ampliphyllapex Euphorbiceae Adaamii Grinding 
3 Cordia africana Boraginaceae Wadeessa Chopping 
4 Achyranthes bidentata Amaranthaceae Maxxaanee Chopping 
5 Azadiracta indica Meliaceae Mimii Grinding 
6 Calpurnia aurea Fabaceae Ziigixaa socking  
7 Allium sativum Alliaceae Qullubiiadii Grinding 
8 Brassica carinata Brassicaceae Gomeenzera Chopping 
9 Ocimum lamifolium Lamifoliumceae Masoobila Decoction 
10 Celtis africana Ulmaceae Ceekkata Chopping 
11 Withania somnitera Solanaceae Mimmiixa Grinding 
12 Carrissa spinarum Apocynaceae Hagamsaa Crushing 
13 Coffea arabica Rubiaceae Buna Grinding 
14 Croton macrostachyus Euphorbiaceae Makaniisaa Grinding 
15 Dracaena steudneri Draceanaceae Afarfattuu Chopping 
16 Rhammus prinoides Rhamnaceae Geeshe Chopping 
17 Justicia schimperiana Acanthaceae Dhumugaa Chopping 
18 Nicotiana tabacum Solanaceae Taamboo Chopping 
19 Aloe vera Asphodeiaceae Harmagusaa Crushing/chopping 
20 Phragmanthera macrosolen Loranthaceae Dheertuu Chopping 
21 Ricinus communis Euphorbiaceae Qobboo Crushing 
22 Solanium incanum Solanaceae Hiiddii Grinding 
23 Achyranthes aspera Amarantaceae Daarguu Chopping 
24 Vernonia amygdalina Asteraceae Eebicha As it is 
25 Ocinum lamifolium Lamifoliumceae Damakase Crushing 
26 Carica papaya Caricaceae Papaya Crushing 
27 Sorghum bicolar Poaceae Mishingaa As it is without  
28 Citrus aurantifolia Rutaceae Loomii Crushing 
29 Vernonia auriculifera Asteraceae Giraawa Chopping 
30 Clausena anisata Rutaceae Uluma’ii Decoction 
31 Zingibera officinale Zingebiraceae Jinjiibila Crushing 
 

Fresh moist medicinal plants (82.5 %) were the 
most frequently used to prepare remedies 
comparing to dry medicinal plants (17.5 %). 
The most widely used route of administration 

was oral, which accounted for 77.4 % followed 
by topical (19.4 %) and other routes (3.2 %) 
(Table 3). 

 

53



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

Table -3: The use of ethnoveterinary plants for the treatment of animal ailments 

i. Herbs 

Scientific name Local  name Part  Routes Indications 

Cypresnivies  Quunii Root Oral Deworming of equidae 
Euphorbia ampliphyllapex Adaamii Stem Topical Blackleg 
Achyranthes bidentata Maxxannee Fruit oral Blackleg, Mastitis and Bleeding 
Allium sativum Qullubbiiadii Bulb oral Abdominal pain, Blackleg, Leech,  

Respiratory disease and Bloat 
Brassica carinata Gomeenzeraa Seed Oral Bloat 
Ocimum lamifolium Masobiilaa Leaf Oral Appetizer and Spice 
Withania somnifera Miimmiixaa seed/pods Oral Abdominal pain, Bloat, Black leg, 

Respiratory disease, Leech infestation 
Rhammus prinoides Geeshee Leaf Oral Leech and Tick infestation 
Aloe vera Harmaguusaa Leaf Topical Weaning of calf 
Solanium incanum Hiiddii leaf/root and 

fruit 
Oral Black leg, Respiratory disease and 

Dermatophilosis 
Ocimum lamifolium Damakaase Leaf Oral Blackleg and ‘Dingetegna’ 
Sorghum bicolar Miishingaa Seed Oral Retained placenta 
Zingibera officinale Jinjibiilaa 

 
Root 
 

oral 
 

Blackleg, Respiratory disease, 
Abdominal pain and  Leech 

 
ii. Trees, shrubs and climbers 

Scientific name Local  name Part  Routes Indications 

Cordia africana Wadeessa Leaf oral Deworming of equidae 
Azadiracta indica Miimii Leaf Oral Blackleg, Trypanosomosis and 

Abortion 
Calpurnia aurea Ziigixaa Seed Topical Lice infestation 
Celtis Africana Ceekkataa Leaf Oral/topical/nose Lice infestation, Leech, 

Diarrhea and GIT parasite 
Carrissa spinarum Hagamsa Root Oral Ring worm, Wound 
Coffea arabica Buna Fruit topical Wound 
Croton macrostachyus Makkanniisa Leaf oral/topical Ring worm, Bloat, Wound 
Dracaena steudneri Afarfattuu Leaf Oral Rabies 
Justicia schimperiana Dhummuugaa root/leaf Oral Black leg,  Rabies 
Nicotiana tabacum Taamboo Leaf Oral Leech infestation and Bloat 
Phragmanthera macrosolen Dheertuu Leaf Oral Bloat, Blackleg 
Ricinus communis Qobboo Friut Oral Retained fetal membrane, 

Rabies, Headache(human) 
Achyrentes aspera Daarguu Leaf Oral Abdominal discomfort & 

Febrile disease 
Vernonia amygdalina Eebiichaa Leaf Oral Increase milk production 
Carica papaya Papayaa Leaf Topical Wound treatment 
Citrus aurantifolia Loomii Fruit Topical Tick infestation and Wound 
Vernonia auriculifera Giiraawa Leaf Oral Anti parasite and Abdominal 

pain 
Clausena anisata Uluma’ii Leaf Oral Poultry Coccidiosis 
 

54

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withania_somnifera
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk030coidy2kbilsZb3sRufZHp7In1g:1624298114597&q=Ocimum+Lamifolium&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi7rYSBpqnxAhUJHxoKHXjODNoQkeECKAB6BAgBEC4


East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

Livestock diseases treated and plant families 
frequently used for the treatment 

According to our findings, there are a total of 23 
known livestock ailments/diseases in the study 
area, which are treated by traditional healers. Of 
the diseases, blackleg was treated by 32.3 % of 

the medicinal plants (n = 10), leech by 19.4 % 
(n = 6), bloat by 19.4 % (n = 6), wound by 16.1 
% (n = 5), abdominal pain or colic by 16.1 % (n 
= 5), respiratory disease by 12.9 % (n = 4), GIT 
helminthes by 12.9 % (n = 4), ectoparasites by 
12.9 % (n = 4) (Table 4).  

Table -4: Livestock ailments and number of ethnoveterinary plants used to treat them 
Diseases treated Local name of the disease No of ethnoveterinary plant used 

Deworming of GIT helminthes Ciniintobeylada 2 
Wound Madaa 5 
Blackleg Abba gorba 10 
Ring worm Roobbii 2 
Abdominal Pain Garaaciinina 2 
Bleeding Lola’udhiiga 1 
Respiratory diseases Gororsaa 4 
Trypanosomosis Gaandii 1 
Mastitis Dhiita’uu guru 1 
Leech Ulaandhula 6 
Bloating Bokoksaa 5 
Dermatophilosis Gogaaharcaas 1 
Rabies Sareemaraatu 3 
Lice infestation Hinjiran 2 
Coccidiosis Mugsiisalukku 1 
GIT parasites 
Diarrhea 

Maxxantoota 
Garaakaasa 

1 
1 

Tick infestation Silmiihorii 2 
Fuminant ailment Dhukkubatasa 1 
Febrile disease Ho’iinsaqaama 1 
Delayed weaning of calves Harmaadhabsiisu 1 
To increase  milk production Anaandabaluf 1 
Abortion Gatachiisa 1 
 

In this ethnoveterinary medicinal plant survey, 
thirty one medicinal plants species belonging to 
twenty three families were recorded in the study 
area. Of the plants Solanaceae and Euphorbiaceae 
families constituted the highest proportion (10.9 % 
n = 3/23 each) and followed by Rutaceae, 

Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae and Lamifoliumceae 
with the same proportion (7.3 %, 2/23 each), all the 
rest seventeen families constituted a proportion of 
3.7% (n = 1/23 each) (Table 5). 

 

 

 

 

55



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

Table- 5:Medicinal plant families frequently used by traditional healers 

Family name No of ethno-veterinary plant species used Proportion (%)  

Cypraceae 1 3.7 % 
Boraginaceae 1 3.7 % 
Apocynaceae 1 3.7 % 
Euphorbiaceae 3 10.9 % 
Amaranthaceae 2 7.3 % 
Rubiaceae 1 3.7 % 
Lamifoliumceae 2 7.3 % 
Acanthaceae 1 3.7 % 
Asteraceae 2 7.3 % 
Poaceae 1 3.7 % 
Caricaceae 1 3.7 % 
Loranthaceae 1 3.7 % 
Draceanaceae 1 3.7 % 
Asphodeiaceae 1 3.7 % 
Rhamnaceae 1 3.7 % 
Ulmaceae 1 3.7 % 
Meliaceae 1 3.7 % 
Fabaceae 1 3.7 % 
Rutaceae 2 7.3 % 
Brassicaceae 1 3.7 % 
Alliaceae 1 3.7 % 
Zingebiraceae 1 3.7 % 
Solanaceae 3 10.9 % 
 

Threats to ethnoveterinary plants and 
necessity of their conservation 

In the group discussion, it was revealed that 
agricultural expansion is the highest threat for 
the ethnoveterinary medicinal plants (51.6 %, n 
= 16/31) followed by drought (19.4 %, n = 
6/31), soil erosion and deforestation (9.7 %, n = 
3/31 each). Over grazing (3.2 %, n = 1/31) was 
the least threat for ethno-veterinary medicinal 
plants in the study area (Table 6). The study 

indicated that many of the informants who have 
knowledge on traditional medicine usage give 
priority to the immediate use of the medicinal 
plants than to its sustainable future uses, as a 
result their harvesting style is destructive. 
However, some medicinal plants have been 
protected because they are multipurpose. In 
addition to ethno-veterinary remedies, they also 
serve as spices, cash crop, food, live fence, or 
other purposes.  

 

 

56



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

Table -6:Priority ranking of factors perceived as threat to Ethno-veterinary plants 

 

Transfer of knowledge about the ethno-
veterinary medicinal plants and practices 

In the group discussion, the highest number of 
attendants/respondents agreed that the transfer 
of knowledge of traditional medicine is to 
trusted eldest son (36%, n = 11/31) followed by 
trusted sons (25.5%, n = 8/31), all members of 
the family (18.5%, n = 6/31), relatives (12%, n 
= 4/31), and friends (8%, n = 2/31). During the 
group discussion, it was evidenced that as 
people become older and older their knowledge 
of traditional medicine becomes better and 
better. It was also observed that there was no 
much trading on medicinal plants in the study 
area though very few practitioners and women 
sell some medicinal plants in the market and at 
their homes for medical purposes with a very 
low price. Some of the medicinal plants that are 
grown at home gardens and often sold as 
ethnoveterinary remedies, spices and other 
purposes are Allium sativum, Nicotiana 
tabacum, Zingiber officinale, Capsicum annum, 
Coffea arabica. The group discussion also 
revealed that there is no standardized known 
unit of measurements of the plant remedies. 
This means that the same types of ethno-
veterinary medicinal remedies for the same 
types of ailments were given with different 
measurements in the same or different kebeles 

of the study area. But, higher dosage was given 
for severe diseases. 
 
DISCUSSION 

Medicinal plants belonging to 23 families and 
31 species were being used extensively for 
curing 24 animal ailments commonly found in 
the study area. These ethnoveterinary medicinal 
plants were documented with their scientific, 
local, and family names. Their type, traditional 
preparation methods, and route of 
administration for treating animal ailments were 
also recorded. Medicinal plant species 
belonging to Solanaceae and Euphorbiaceae 
families were relatively abundant in the study 
area followed by Rutaceae, Asteraceae, 
Lamifoliumceae and Amaranthaceae. Plants 
under the families Solanaceae, Euphoraceae, 
Rutaceae, Asteraceae were also used as 
ethnoveterinary remedies in Zimbabwe 
(Nyahangare et al., 2015), whereas Solanaceae 
and Euphorbiaceae in South Africa (Luseba and 
Van Der Merwe, 2006), and Solanaceae, 
Asteraceae, Zingiberaceae, and Rutaceae in 
India (Phondani et al., 2010). Acording to 
Yigezu et al. (2014), Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae 
and Solanaceae make up larger proportion of 
medicinal plants used in Jimma zone, Ethiopia. 

Factors  Frequency  Percentage (%) Rank  
Agricultural expansion  16  51.6 % 1  
Drought  6 19.4 % 2 
Soil erosion  3 9.7 % 3 
Deforestation  3 9.7 % 3 
Low cultivation  2 6.5 % 4 
Over grazing  1 3.2 % 5 
Total  31 100 %  

57



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

The study revealed that medicinal plants are still 
important, readily available, and cheap source of 
animal health-care remedies to livestock raisers 
in the study area. The high cost of 
pharmaceutical products and limited access to 
veterinary services probably were among the 
reasons for farmers to use the traditional 
ethnoveterinary medicinal plants as means of 
keeping their animals healthy and productive. 
The same species of medicinal plants found in 
the study area were also used to cure animal 
ailments elsewhere in the world. Farmers in the 
study area used Nicotiana tabaccum for the 
treatment of leech infestation and bloat whereas, 
in Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Appalachia of Rural 
North America, it was used as acaricide to treat 
ectoparasites mainly ticks, lices, and bots 
(Gakuubi and Wanzala, 2012; Nyahangare et 
al., 2015; Terrel, 2015, respectively). In Jimma 
zone, south west Ethiopia, Nicotiana tabaccum 
is widely used by farmers for the treatment of 
snake bite, blackleg and for fattening purpose 
(Yigezu et al., 2014). Zingibera officinale was 
remedies for abdominal pain or colic in the 
study area. It was also used in India (Singh et 
al., 2012) and Appalachia of USA (Terrel, 2015) 
for the same purpose;. Herbalists in the study 
area and India (Singh et al., 2012) applied 
Allium sativum for the treatment of colic and 
bloat among others while in Ghana, Mali, Niger, 
and Nigeria it was used for the cure of fever 
(Adedeji et al., 2013). There was similar usage 
of Solanum incanum as a remedy for blackleg in 
the study area, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, and Mali 
(Adedejiet al., 2013), and skin disease in the 
study area and Kenya (Gakuubi and Wanzala, 
2012). Another ethnoveterinary medicinal plant, 
Azadiracta indica was used for curing blackleg 
in the study area and India (Sajal et al., 2016). 
On the other hand, the same medicinal plant was 

used in Kenya (Gakuubi and Wanzala, 2012) 
and Senegal (Adedeji et al., 2013) to deworm 
animals. Aloe verae was used for deworming 
animals in Zimbabwe (Matekaire and Bwakura, 
2004) and for treating diarrhea in Somalia 
(Adedeji et al., 2013), and for delayed weaning 
of calves in the study area. Diarrhea and delayed 
weaning of calves may mostly be connected 
with helminthiasis because most of the calves in 
the rural areas of the said countries totally 
depend on grazing as source of their feed where 
they can easily acquire parasites. 

Most of the medicinal plants in the study area 
were available always, while some were found 
seasonally mainly during the rainy season. 
About 6% of the medicinal plants were at the 
verge of extinction probably due to expansion of 
agriculture in which most of the bushes and 
forests were destroyed to grow crops and the 
remaining land was overgrazed. Traditional 
healers in the study area gather medicinal plants 
of different plant group (41.9 % herbs and 32.3 
% tree) from the wild and/or home gardens. 
Increased number of medicinal plants was 
collected from the wild comparing to the home 
garden. Similar finding was recorded by 
Tamene (2000), Giday (2003), and Awas and 
Demissew (2009). This may indicate the 
necessity of conserving medicinal plants 
because those plants in the wild are at the risk of 
extinction. According to Demisse (2001), the 
biodiversity of Ethiopia is eroding by natural 
and anthropogenic pressures, the later being 
predominant in urban and peri-urban areas. 

Most medicinal plants were collected when 
needed but some were dried, ground and stored 
in the form of powder. In general, fresh moist 
medicinal plants were the most frequently used 
in preparing remedies comparing to dried plants. 

58



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

This is in agreement with the finding of Balemie 
et al. (2004). This might be because fresh moist 
medicinal plants were more effective remedy 
than dried ones and drying probably decreased 
active ingredients and hence the efficacy of 
remedies extracted from medicinal plants. 
Leaves, roots, seeds and fruit from the 
documented medicinal plants were used to 
prepare remedies. Leaves were the most 
frequently used parts in the study area 
particularly for 18 medicinal plants used, 
followed by roots for five, and seeds for four 
and fruits for other four medicinal plants. This 
finding is in agreement with the finding of 
Giday et al. (2003), Mesfin (2007), Yigezu et al. 
(2014) and Abera and Mulate (2019) . Leaves of 
most medicinal plants were used to process 
remedies probably because they are collected 
without affecting sustainability of the medicinal 
plants and further they may contain more 
medicinally valuable ingredients that make them 
more effective than the other plant parts. 
Moreover, the use of leaves compared to their 
roots is advantageous to protect the plants from 
extinction. The end products of the traditional 
medicinal remedies were prepared by grinding, 
crushing decoctions, chopping, roasting, and 
pounded forms. Then, most of the plant 
remedies were administered orally (77.4%) 
followed by topical (19.4%) and intra nasal 
(3.2%). Similar route of administration of 
medicinal plant remedies was registered by 
Abebe and Ayehu (1993), Teklehaymanot and 
Giday (2007), Teshale et al. (2004), Yigezu et 
al. (2014). The group discussion revealed that 
there was no standardized known unit of 
measurements of the plant remedies. This means 
that the same types of ethno-veterinary 
medicinal remedies may be given for the same 
types of ailments perhaps with different 

measurements in the same or different kebeles 
of the study area. However, respondents of the 
current study and reports on previous studies 
argued that higher dosage was given for severe 
diseases. 

Most of the traditional ethnoveterinary 
knowledge is not yet documented particularly in 
the study area and the country at large. It is 
passed on orally from generation to generation. 
The healers pass the knowledge to the family 
member only when they are unable to prepare 
the remedies by their own particularly when 
they get very old or critically sick. This might 
be the reason why elders are important source of 
the ethno-veterinary knowledge in this study. 

CONCLUSION  

Thirty one medicinal plants species belonging to 
23 families were used to traditionally treat 24 
livestock ailments including blackleg, wounds, 
leeches and rabies among others. Most of the 
medicinal plants, majorly their leaves, were 
gathered by traditional healers from the wild 
and about 6% of the medicinal plants are at the 
verge of extinction. Crushed leaves of fresh 
moist medicinal plants mixed with water were 
primarily administered through oral route as a 
preferred ethno-veterinary remedies.  However, 
there was no standardized known unit of 
measurements (dose) of the plant remedies for 
the treatment of animal diseases in the study 
area. Although, medicinal plants are still 
important, readily available, and cheap source of 
animal health-care remedies to livestock raisers, 
they have not yet received good attention by the 
researchers. Their efficacy has not been tested 
through formal in-vivo and in-vitro experimental 
trails on which more work is required. For 
efficient and sustainable use of these plants, 

59



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

particularly those endangered, awareness 
creation is required for traditional healers.  

Acknowledgements 

The authors fully acknowledge the National 
Herbarium of Biology Department in Addis 
Ababa University for their willingness to 
identify the collected plant samples. We also 
extend our deepest gratitude for the local guides, 
interpreters, informants (traditional healers and 
knowledgeable elders) for their valuable time 
and shared information. 

References 
Abebe D. and Ayehu A. 1993. Medicinal plants and 

enigmatic health practices of Northern Ethiopia. 
B.S.P.E. Addis Ababa. 

Abera Y. and Mulate B. 2019. Ethno-veterinary 
medicine: A potential alternative to animal 
health delivery in Wolmera district, Oromia 
Region, Ethiopia. Ethiop. Vet. J. 23 (1): 111-
130. 

Acharya D. and  Anshu S. 2008. Indigenous herbal 
medicines: Tribal formulations and traditional 
herbal practices. Avishkar Publishers 
Distributor, Jaipur, India. ISBN 978–81–7910–
252–7, 2008, p. 440. 

Adedeji O. S.,Ogunsina T.K.,Akinwuni A.O., 
Ameen S.A., Obebiyi O.O., Akinlade. J. A. 
2013. Ethnoveterinary medicine in Africa 
Organic Poultry Production. Int. Food Res. J., 
20 (2): 527–532. 

Awas T. 2007. Plant diversity in Western Ethiopia: 
Ecology, ethnobotany and conservation. PhD 
Dissertation, Faculty of Mathematics and 
Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway. 

Balemie K, Kelbessa E, Asfaw Z (2004). Indigenous 
medicinal plant utilization, management and 
threats in Fentalle area, Eastern Shewa, 
Ethiopia. Ethiop. J. Bio. Sci. 3:37-58.  

Beebe J. 1995. Basic concepts and techniques of 
rapid appraisal. Human Organization, 54: 42–
51. 

Cotton C. M. 1996. Ethnobotany: Principles and 
Applications. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 
England, p. 347.  

Demissie A. 2001. Biodiversity conservation of 
medicinal plants: problems and prospects. In: 
conservation and sustainable use of medicinal 
plants in Ethiopia, 2001, p. 56 –64, (Medhin 
Zewdu and Abebe Demissie eds.). Proceeding 
of the National Workshop on Biodiversity 
Conservation and Sustainable use of medicinal 
plants in Ethiopia, 28 April-01 May 1998, 
IBCR, Addis Ababa.  

Edwards S., Mesfin Tadesse, Sebsebe Demissew, 
Hedberg, I. 2000. Magnoliaceae to 
flacourtiaceae. In: Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 
vol. 2 (1), 2000. The National Herbarium Addis 
Ababa, Ethiopia and Uppsala, Sweden. 

Elujoba A.A., Odeleye O.M., Ogunyemi C.M. 2005. 
Traditional medicine for medical and dental 
primary healthcare delivery systems in Africa. 
Afri. J. Trade.. 2: 46 – 61. 

Fish L. 1999. Preparing herbarium specimens. 
Pretoria: National Botanical institute. 

Gakuubi Wanzala. 2012. A survey of plants and 
plant products traditionally used in livestock 
health management in Buuri district, Mery 
Country, Kenya. J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomedic.. 8: 
39. 

Gebremedhin E.Z., Agonafir A., Tessema T.S., 
Tilahun G., Medhin G., Vitale M., Di Marco 
V., Cox E., Vercruysse J. and Dorny P. 2013. 
Seroepidemiological study of ovine 
toxoplasmosis in East and West Shewa Zones 
of Oromia Regional State, Central Ethiopia. 
BMC Vet Res. 9:117 (2013). 
https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-6148-9-117 

Giday M. 2003. An ethnobotanical survey on plants 
of veterinary importance in two woredasof 
Southern Tigray. Northern Ethiopia. SINET: 
Ethiop. J. Sci.. 26:. 123–136.  

Giday M., Zemede A., Thomas E. and Zerihun W. 
2003. An ethnobotanical study of medicinal 
plants used by the Zay people in Ethiopia. J. 
Ethnopharmacology. 85: 43—52. 

Hedberg I., Ensermu K., Edwards S., Sebsebe 
Demissew and Persson E. 2006. Gentianaceae 
to cyclocheiaceae. In: Flora of Ethiopia and 
Eritrea, Vol.5. .The National Herbarium Addis 
Ababa, Ethiopia and Uppsala, Sweden. 

Kadir M.F., Bin Sayeed M.S., Shams T., Mia M.M. 
2012. Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal 
plants used by Bangladeshi traditional health 
practitioners in the management of diabetes 
mellitus. J. Ethnopharmacol. 144(3): 605-11.  

60

https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-6148-9-117#auth-Getachew-Tilahun
https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-6148-9-117#auth-Girmay-Medhin
https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-6148-9-117#auth-Maria-Vitale
https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-6148-9-117#auth-Vincenzo_Di-Marco
https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-6148-9-117#auth-Eric-Cox
https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-6148-9-117#auth-Jozef-Vercruysse
https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-6148-9-117#auth-Pierre-Dorny
https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-6148-9-117


East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

Kong J.M., Goh N.K., Chia L.S., Chia T.F. 2003. 
Recent advances in traditional plant drugs and 
orchids. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 24(1):7-21.   

Luseba D. and Van der Merwe D. 2006. 
Ethnoveterinary medicine practices among 
Tsonga  speaking people of South Africa’. 
Onderstepoort J. Vet. Res.73(2): 115–122. 

Matekaire T. and Bwakura T.M. 2004. 
Ethnoveterinary medicine: A potential 
alternative to orthodox animal health delivery 
in Zimbabwe. Int. J. Appl. Res. Vet. Med., 2 (4): 
269–273. 

Mesfin F. 2007. An Ethnobotanical study of 
medicinal plants in Wonago Woreda, SNNPR, 
Ethiopia. M.Sc. Thesis. Addis Ababa 
University. Addis Ababa. 

Nyahangare E. T., Mvumi B. M. and Mutibvu T. 
2015. Ethnoveterinary plants and practices used 
for ecto-parasite control in semi-arid 
smallholder farming areas of Zimbabwe. J. 
Ethnobiol. Ethnomed. 11(1): 30. http://dx.doi. 
org/10.1186/s13002-015-0006-6. 
PMid:25925402. 

Phondani P.C., Mhakuri R.K. and Kale C.P. 2010. 
Ethnoveterinary uses of medicinal plants among 
traditional herbal healers in Alaknanda 
Catchment of Utarakh and, India. Afr J Tradit 
Complement Altern Med ..7: 195–206. 

Sajal K., Kulkarni D.K., Deo A.D., Pande A.B. and 
Bhagat R.L. 2014. Use of Ethno-Veterinary 
medicines (EVM) from Vidarbha Region (MS) 
India. Biosci. Disc. 5(2):180-186. 

Tamene B. 2000. A floristic analysis and 
ethnobotanical study of the semi- wetland of 
Cheffa area, South Wolo, Ethiopia. M.Sc. 
Thesis. Addis Ababa. 

Teklehaymanot T. and Giday M. 2007. 
Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used 
by people in Zegie Peninsula, Northwestern 
Ethiopia. J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed. 3:12. doi: 

10.1186/1746-4269-3-12. PMID: 17355645; 
PMCID: PMC1852296.  

Terrel S.L. 2015. Ethnoveterinary medicine in the 
Blue–Ridge Community based Animal health 
care in South Appalchia. MA thesis Appalachia 
State University. USA. pp 10–17. 

Teshale S., Merga B., Girma A. and Ensermu K. 
2004. Medicinal plants in the ethno veterinary 
practice of Borena Pastoralists, Southern 
Ethiopia. Int J Appl Res Vet Med. 2(3):220–
225. 

Tiwari P. 2010. An ethnobotanical survey of 
medicinal plants used in Terai forest of western 
Nepal. J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed. 8: 19. 

Singh A.G., Kumar A. and Tewari D.D. 2012. An 
ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used 
in Terai forest of western Nepal. J. Ethnobiol. 
Ethnomed. 8: 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-
4269-8-19  

Vivero J.L., Ensermu K. and Sebsebe D. 2006. 
Progression the Red List of Plants of Ethiopia 
and Eritrea.Conservation and bio-geography of 
endemic flowering taxa. In: Ghazanfar S.A. and 
Beentje H.J. (eds.) Taxonomy and ecology of 
African plants, their conservation and 
sustainable use. Proceedings of the 17th 
AETFAT congress. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp 
761–778,. Royal Publishing, Kew.  

World Health Organization (WHO) 1998. 
Regulatory situation of herbal medicines: A 
World wide review,Geneva, pp 1—9. 

Yigezu Y., Haile D.B. and Ayen W.Y. 2014. 
Ethnoveterinary medicines in four districts of 
Jimma zone, Ethiopia: cross sectional survey 
for plant species and mode of use. BMC 
Veterinary Research 10:76. 
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1746-
6148/10/76 

  

61

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1746-6148/10/76
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1746-6148/10/76


East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

    

    

    

    

Annex 1: Different medicinal plants commonly used by traditional healers in Adaa’Liben District 
(A) Euphorbia ampliphyllapex L; (B) Dracaena steudneri L; (C)Coffe arabica L; (D)Celtisa africana L; 
(E) Achayrentes bidentata L; (F) Ocinum lamifolium L; (G) Phragmanthera macrosolen L; (H) Justicia 
schimperina L; (I) Vernoni amygdalina L; (J) Rhammus pirnoides L; (K) Vernoni amygdalina L; (L) 
Brassica carinata L; (M) Carrisas pinarum L; (N) Aloe vera L; (O) Solanium incanum (L); 
(P)Azadiracta indica 

 

A B 

E F 

I J 

M N O P 

K L 

G H 

C D 

62



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci., Vol. 2, Issue 1 
 

 
 

    

    

    

   

 

Annex 2: Different medicinal plants commonly used by traditional healers in Adaa’Liben District 

 (Q)Zingibera officinale L; (R) Citrus aurantifolia L; (S)Ocimum lamifolium L; (T) Achyranthes bidentata L; (U) 
Croton macrostachyus L; (V) Clausena anisata L; (W) Withania somnitera L; (X) Sorghum bicolor L; (Y) 
Carica papaya L; (Z) Ricinus communis L; (A1) Allium sativum L; (A2) Cypresnivies L; (A3) Nicotiana 
tabacumL; (A4) Cordia africanaL; (A5)Calpurnia aurea L. 

 
 

Q R 

U V 

X Z 

A3 A4 A5
 

A1 A2 

Y W 

S T 

63


	Cover V2.pdf (p.1)
	Cover.pdf (p.1-2)
	Slide Number 1


	blank page.pdf (p.2)
	Table of contents Vo 2.pdf (p.3-5)
	all articles vol 2.pdf (p.6-81)
	Volume 2 Issue 1_ 6 articles_4_3.pdf (p.6-91)
	4_Captive fish_Anna
	RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
	References

	3_Reproductive Disorder
	6_Diet bredth_Prof. Nat
	8_Ground water_Jeeva
	Base boundary map was prepared using Survey of India topo-sheets of the study area, and data such as rainfall, geomorphology, geology and land use were collected from central and state government agencies. During field study, groundwater samples were ...

	10_Ethnoveterinary Following comments
	Dagne et al_ Challenging students’ performance through Practical Skills Assessment.pdf (p.73-82)


	Guideline to Authors_ EAJBCs.pdf (p.82-90)
	Back cover.pdf (p.91)
	INTRODUCTION
	EXTENSION OF THE MODIFIED MODEL INTO AN OPTIMAL CONTROL
	Optimal protection and hospitalization using modified model
	Existence of an optimal control
	The Hamiltonian and optimality system

	Numerical simulations of optimal control problem
	Optimal control comparisons and strategies

	CONCLUSION
	INTRODUCTION
	INTRODUCTION

