Antimalarial Medicinal Plants Used by Gumuz People of Mandura Woreda, Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia
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Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 15(4), October 2016, pp. 546-552 Antimalarial medicinal plants used by Gumuz people of Mandura Woreda, Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia Solomon Asnake1, Tilahun Teklehaymanot2*, Ariaya Hymete3, Berhanu Erko2 & Mirutse Giday2 1Medicine and Health Science Collage, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia; 2*Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 3School of Pharmacy, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia *E-mail: [email protected] Received 31 December 2015, revised 27 January 2016 The traditional knowledge of antimalarial medicinal plants has been the basis for drugs that are currently in use to treat malaria. Thus, the objective of this study was to document Gumuz people’s traditional knowledge of antimalarial medicinal plants and related diseases. A cross-sectional study was conducted in six Kebeles of Mandura Woreda between March and August 2013 and 184 informants were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire, guided field walks, and market surveys. A statistical test, Relative Frequency of Citation, (RFC) and Fidelity Level (FL) were calculated. In this study, 38 species belonging to 33 genera and 28 families were documented. The traditional knowledge among informants varies with age (p < 0.05). The majority of plants were from family Fabaceae. Root (46.3%), decoction (57.6%) and oral (97.8%) was the main plant part, method of preparation and administration route, respectively. Pappea capensis Eckl. & Zeyh. (0.73) had the highest RFC. Pappea capensis and Momordica foetida Schumach. had the highest fidelity levels. A few numbers (12%) of antimalarial medicinal plants were sold on local markets. This study generated a baseline data for antimalarial plants, from an area with stable and year-round malaria transmission, for further pharmacological analysis. Keywords: Malaria, Medicinal plants, Ethnobotany, Gumuz people, Ethiopia IPC Int. Cl.8: A01D 20/46, A61K 36/00 Malaria is a life-threatening acute febrile illness with the improvement of health facilities in the transmitted by the bite of a female infective mosquito; rural areas although the frequent appearance of symptoms usually appear within 10 - 15 days. In drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium to existing Ethiopia, malaria is the leading cause of morbidity antimalarial drugs makes it complex2. and mortality; accounting for 17% of outpatient visits, In Ethiopia, the people living in areas with a heavy 15% of health facility admissions and 29% of in- burden of malaria and with the low level of patient deaths. About 75% of the land below 2000 m development have a comprehensive knowledge about above sea level is malarious. Most of the malaria the antimalarial medicinal plants but the transference transmission occurs between September and of traditional knowledge from generation to December after the main rainy season; some also generation is verbal, and as a result, there is a danger occur after the minor rainy season from April to May of losing it. Despite this, little documentation has in some lowland areas of the country. The intensity of been made3-5. Thus, the objective of this study is to transmission varies due to differences in altitude, document the antimalarial medicinal plants used by rainfall and population movement; however, it is the Gumuz people in Mandura Woreda (District), stable and year-round in the western lowlands and Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. river basin areas of Gambella and Benishangul- Gumuz Regional States. Plasmodium falciparum Methodology accounts for 65-75% of infections while P. vivax Study area accounts for 25-35%. P. ovale and P. malariae are Mandura is one of the 20 Woredas of Benishangul- rare1. The control of malaria in Ethiopia has increased Gumuz Regional State in North West Ethiopia. —————— Gilgel-Beles is a capital of Mandura Woreda. It is 0 *Corresponding author about 550 km from Addis Ababa: 11 19'59.47'' ASNAKE et al.: ANTIMALARIAL MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY GUMUZ PEOPLE OF MANDURA WOREDA, ETHIOPIA 547 N latitude and 36025'00.66'' E longitude. It is one of the Mandura Woreda local administrators and the malarious Woredas. The Gumuz language, a community leaders. Prior to the interview, informed family of Nilo-Saharan languages, is commonly used consent was obtained from the study participants. in the Woreda6. In Mandura Woreda, there is one non-governmental clinic and 21 health posts. Malaria Results and discussion is the first among the 10 top diseases in the Woreda Traditional knowledge of the Gumuz people in Mandura followed by upper respiratory tract infection, Woreda pneumonia, typhoid fever, diarrhea, and parasitic, A total of 184 informants participated in this study: urinary tract, skin, ear and eye infections7. 81 were females, and 103 were males. The mean number of plants reported by female (5.28±0.27) was Ethnobotanical data collection greater than males (4.54±0.32) though the difference An ethnobotanical cross-sectional study was was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). This shows conducted between March and August 2013 in that females, in developing areas, are providers of 6 malarious Kebeles of Mandura Woreda that were sustenance and healthcare for their families as women selected using purposive sampling: Photo-Manjare, in the study area are more responsible for the Dwanze-Baguna, Aesetsa, Gubash, Mandura and well-being of their children than males9. The mean Aededa. Prior to administration of the questionnaire, number of antimalarial medicinal plants reported by an informed consent of the respondents was obtained the older (> 40 yrs) informants (6.12±0.21) was after enlightening them about the importance of the greater than that was reported by the younger study. Ethnobotanical data were collected using (3.03±0.39) ones, and the difference was statistically semi-structured questionnaire as well as through significant (P < 0.05). This could be because of 8 observation and guided field walks . The interview neglect to traditional knowledge by the young was conducted in Gumuz language with the help of a generation due to the influence of modernization. This native translator. Open local markets in the 6 Kebeles is a threat to the transference of knowledge of were surveyed, and data on the marketability of traditional medicine in the study area, and similar antimalarial plants were collected. results are documented by studies conducted in Ethiopia10,11 and Africa12,13. Moreover, the mean Voucher specimen collection and identification Voucher specimens of the reported antimalarial number of medicinal plants reported by the illiterate medicinal plants were collected and identified with (5.00±0.23) was greater than reported by the literate taxonomic keys and by comparing, those with (4.38±0.52) though the difference was not statistically already identified herbarium specimens, and voucher significant (P > 0.05). This was related to the level of specimens were deposited at National Herbarium of education of informants and the inclination not to use Addis Ababa University. traditional medicinal plants as remedies in the treatment of malaria and related illness by the literate Data analysis indicating that the knowledge passed throughout The collected data were organized, and frequencies generations is at risk of being lost14,15. were summarized in tables and percentages were calculated using Microsoft Office Excel 2007. Antimalarial medicinal plants used by Gumuz people in ANOVA (α = 0.05) was used to compare the level of Mandura Woreda indigenous knowledge by sex, age and education The informants reported 38 antimalarial medicinal level. Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC = Fc/N), plant species belonging to 33 genera and 28 families. Fidelity level (FL (%) = (Ip/Iu) × 100) and Preference Among the reported medicinal plants, Family Ranking was calculated. Fabaceae was represented by five species and Combretaceae by three species. The informants Ethical consideration and informed consent reported that the antimalarial medicinal plants were The Institutional Review Board of Aklilu Lemma also used to treat sickness such as fever, vomiting, Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University common cold, liver disease, tiredness, cough, reviewed and approved the study. The purpose of the headache and loss of appetite (Table 1). Antimalarial study was explained thoroughly to Mandura Woreda medicinal plants commonly used by Gumuz people local administrators and community leaders. were comparable with those in other parts of Ethiopia Permission to conduct the study was obtained from and Africa. Berta people in Benishangul-Gumuz 548 INDIAN J TRADIT KNOWLE, VOL 15, NO. 4, OCTOBER 2016 Table 1—Antimalarial medicinal plants of Gumuz people in Mandura Woreda, Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia, 2013 Scientific name; Local name; Habit Method of preparation Route Parts used Main ailments RFC Voucher Family treated number Acanthus polystachyus Delile; shrub homogenization oral root malaria, 0.02 MAN 33 Jawkala; Acanthaceae leaf vomiting Albizia malacophylla (A. Rich.) tree decoction oral leaf malaria, 0.54 MAN 07 Walp. ; Ansusa; Fabaceae bark Allium sativum L.; Sika; herb chewing oral root malaria, loose of 0.10 MAN 38 Alliaceae leaf appetite, headache Carica papaya L.; Papayo; tree homogenization oral root, seed, malaria, liver 0.06 MAN 31 Caricaceae leaf disease Carissa spinarum L.; Etula; shrub chewing oral root malaria, 0.05 MAN 03 Apocynaceae