ASSESSMENT OF ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS AND ASSOCIATED INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IN ODA-BULTUM DISTRICT,WEST HARARGHE ZONE OF OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Ethnomedicinal researches play important role for conservation and sustainable utilization of medicinal plants and associated knowledge. The objective of this study was to document medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge in Oda-bultum district. Ethnobotanical data was collected from April 2016 to July 2016 using semi-structured interview, focus group discussion and direct field observation with 90 randomly selected non key informants and 47 key informants. To analyze data, descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequencies were employed. Moreover, informant consensus factor, fidelity level and preference ranking were computed. A total of 185 medicinal plant species distributed among 148 genera and 72 families were collected and documented from the study area as traditional medicine for the treatment of 89 diseases of humans and live-stock. Of these, 96 plant species (51.9%) were reported as remedies for human, 8 plant species (4.32%) as live-stock medicine, and 81 plant species (43.78%) for both human and live- stock remedies. Family Asteraceae and Lamiaceae each contributed the largest number of species (15); followed by Fabaceae with 14 species. Leaves were the most used plant part followed by root and seed. The three most methods of preparation of remedies were crushing (39.7%), pounding (22.1%), crushing and boiling (7.81%). Oral application was the most commonly (63.66%) used route of application followed by dermal (25.73%). The highest informant consensus factor value was observed for Skin and subcutaneous tissue related diseases, and Circulatory system related diseases (ICF > 0.80). The highest fidelity level index (100%) was for two species; Phytolacca dodecandra and Alysicarpus rugosus for the treatment of gonorrhea and cough, respectively. In preference ranking Carica papaya and Ocimum basilicum were ranked first and second, to treat typhoid. The major factors threatening medicinal plants were agricultural expansion, expansion of invasive species and drought. Indigenous knowledge transfer found to suffer from secrecy, and lack of written documents. Therefore, awareness of the local people should be raised to conserve medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge.