An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by local people in the lowlands of Konta Special Woreda, southern nations, nationalities and peoples regional state, Ethiopia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Research was carried out in Konta Special Woreda (District); it is a remote area with lack of infrastructure like road to make any research activities in the area. Therefore, this research was conducted to investigate medicinal plants of the Konta people and to document the local knowledge before environmental and cultural changes deplete the resources.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The information was collected between October 2006 and February 2007. Interview-based field study constituted the main data collection method in which the gathering, preparation, use, previous and current status and cultivation practices were systematically investigated. The abundance, taxonomic diversity and distribution of medicinal plants were studied using ecological approach.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 120 species, grouped within 100 genera and 47 families that are used in traditional medical practices were identified and studied. The Fabaceae and Lamiaceae were the most commonly reported medicinal plants with 16 (13.3%) and 14 (12%) species, respectively. 25.4% of the total medicinal plants are collected from homegardens and the rest (74.6%) are collected from wild habitats. Of the total number of medicinal plants, 108 species (90%) were used to treat human ailments, 6 (5%) for livestock diseases and the remaining 6 (5%) were used to treat both human and livestock health problems. The major threats to medicinal plants reported include harvesting medicinal plants for firewood (24.8%) followed by fire (22.3%) and construction (19%). Of the four plant communities identified in the wild, more medicinal plant species (34) were found in community type-4 (<it>Hyparrhenia cymbaria</it>-<it>Erythrina abyssinica </it>community), which accounted for 61.8%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Konta Special Woreda is an important area for medicinal plants and associated local knowledge; the natural vegetation being the most important reservoir for the majority of the medicinal plants. Environmental and cultural changes are in the process of threatening the resources and this signals the need for serious efforts to create public awareness so that measures are taken to conserve the medicinal plants in the natural ecosystems and other suitable environments.</p

Centre for Anthropological Studies

THE PURPOSES AND TEACHING OF APPLIED ETHNOBOTANY The aim of this paper is to provide recommendations for the teaching of Applied Ethnobotany - which is Ethnobotany applied to conservation and sustainable development. There are several fundamental reasons for applying the approaches and methods of Applied Ethnobotany for these purposes. First, they allow the knowledge, wisdom and practices of local people to play fuller roles in identifying and finding solutions to problems of conservation and sustainable development. Second, local people are fully involved in investigations, so that there is a better chance of `buy in&apos;. Third, realistic case-studies of ways of balancing conservation with use become available, which is valuable for informing the development of realistic national policies. Over 100 people - many practising ethnobotanists or educators - have been consulted, partly through special workshops or studies undertaken for this purpose. They have been in China, the Dominican Republic (covering eight Latin American countries), Ethiopia, Kenya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Tanzania and Uganda

Amebicidal effects of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) against Acanthamoeba cysts

Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (TF) is known to the public as a chest emollient, mucous expectorant, laxative and is used to prevent maturation of boils and diabetes since ancient times. In this study, we aimed to determine the amebicidal effects against Acanthamoeba cysts. Plant extracts were prepared at concentrations of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 mg/ml and were placed in a hemocytometer with cell counts 22 x 10(6) cell/ml. The fatty acid profiles of TF seeds were determined. Standard Acanthamoeba cysts were added and incubated at 25 degrees C. The viability of the parasite was checked and recorded at hours 3, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 102. The values of lethal concentration doses (LD50 and LD90) were calculated using probit analysis. This study revealed that T. foenum-graecum prevented proliferation of the parasite at certain times. However, further for in vivo and controlled experimental studies are needed in order to find out how to use this plant as medication

Using multiple microscopic techniques for the comparative systematic of Spergula fallax and Spergula arvensis (Caryophyllaceae)

In this study, comparative morphology, foliar anatomy and palynology of Spergula fallax and Spergula arvensis (Caryophyllaceae) were studied using multiple microscopic techniques. Genus Spergula includes worldwide five species, while in Flora of Pakistan the genus has two species. In this research, the comparative morphological, anatomical, and palynological characters of the two Pakistani Spergula species were studied. We examined some distinguishing morphological features, in both species, such as plant size, habitat, leaf morphological characters, inflorescences, flowers outer whorls, sepals and petals, and flowers number. These characters species were studied analyzing their comparative systematic significant. The foliar anatomical features also provided distinctive characters as the epidermal cell shape, the wall of the epidermal cell, lobes per cell. The differences in quantitative characters were also examined. The palynological characters showed difference in echini arrangement, echini density, and numbers of pore. Quantitative characters were variations in size of polar, equatorial, exine thickness, pore length, and width and P/E ratio. The multiple microscopic techniques provided sufficient evidence about the systematics of the genus Spergula. Based on morphological, anatomical, and palynological characters, analytical keys were developed for the identification and distinction of the species S. fallax and S. arvensis