Ethnobotanical study on medicinal plant knowledge among three ethnic groups in peri- urban areas of south-central Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract Background Documenting traditional knowledge and plant use culture among ethnic groups has enabled researchers to get a better understanding of how indigenous flora is seen and used in daily life. Their therapeutic applications will encourage future conservation and phytochemical research, potentially leading to the development of novel drugs. However, as to the knowledge of this study, the ethnobotanical studies conducted in Ethiopia are mainly focused on rural areas and were limited to identifying and documenting the local ethnobotanical knowledge at the rural-urban interface. Therefore, this study was conducted to document and evaluate the application of traditional ethnobotanical knowledge among three selected ethnic groups in peri-urban areas of south-central Ethiopia. Besides, we have attempted to investigate the range of cultural similarity and disparity between the studied ethnic groups in relation to traditional medicinal plants and diseases treated. Methods Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews with 189 key informants, floristic species inventories, and field observations. Several cultural importance indices and Rahman’s similarity indexes were applied to analyze the relevance of medicinal plants and cultural similarity among the ethnic groups. Results A total of 331 therapeutic plants were identified and documented. Of which, the Sidama, Gedeo, and Oromo ethnic groups reported 28, 34, and 38%, respectively. Most medicinal plants are herbs (36%), followed by shrubs (31%), for preparing traditional medicine. Rahman's similarity index (RSI) revealed considerable ethnobotanical knowledge variation among ethnic groups, with Oromo and Sidama showing the highest disparity at 64%, followed by Gedeo and Oromo at 63%. Croton macrostachyus Hochst. ex Delile scored 1.27 and 0.76 cultural significance values in the Gedeo and Oromo ethnic groups, respectively, followed by Zingiber officinale Roscoe (0.73) in the Sidama ethnic group as a curative plant against various ailments. Conclusion This study reveals the presence of cultural similarity and differences in medicinal plant knowledge application among ethnic groups in rural-urban interface areas of south-central Ethiopia. The diverse healing potential of plants will support future pharmacological investigations, emphasizing the need for adequate documentation of indigenous knowledge and versatile flora to prevent their loss.