Distribution, local use, and bio-prospecting opportunity of Ocimum americanum L around North Western part of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract Ocimum americanum encompasses various uses. In Ethiopia, the plant is claimed as a food additive for its aromatic effect on different foods and folk medicine for various complaints. However, the plant genetic resource use category, distribution and their associated community knowledge have not been properly and systematically documented and utilized. Consequently, this survey was performed to explore the bio-prospecting opportunity of Ocimum americanum, and its associated community knowledge to provide baseline data for bio-digging companies. Purposive and proportional samplings were jointly used to select districts, villages, users, and growers who participated in the study. Dembiya, Gonder Zuria, Takusa, Alefa, Bahir Dar city, and Bahir Dar Zuria districts were selected based on growing potential and user’s availability. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, group discussions, and field observation. The community used Ocimum americanum for various purposes; for ailment treatment (31.67%), food flavor (26.6%), food preservative (7.7%), and to give aroma to different foods (8.33%). 31.67% of the respondents replied as they are a user group of the plant for its ethno-medicinal purpose whereas the remaining 68.34% of them claimed as they are not used for medical purposes. They used to treat depression (10.83%), tuberculosis (1.67%), cancer (0.83%), swelling (4.17%), stomach ache (2.5%), diabetes (0.83%), intestinal worm (1.67%), stomach ulcer (1.67%) and evil spirit (6.67%). Concoction (21.05%), cutting and inserting whole plant (15.79%), grinding (15.79%), melting (5.26%), Fumigation (10.53%) and smelling (31.58%) were used as methods of preparation and administration. Medicinal dosage is not quantized and varied up to users based on the intensity and the severity of the disease. A total of nine typical basil spiced traditional foods were listed. The highest fidelity level [a particular use category] of basil was food flavor (18.33%) followed by similar result [18.33%] for Food flavor/preservative. The output of the direct matrix analysis was showed Chilli pepper spice was the preferred local foods sweetened by basil for its various purposes by the local people followed by hot-spiced pepper. Therefore, the present survey, inferred the community traditionally use basil for its aromatic, preservative, flavor, and ailment treatment role. The plant is ‘neglected’ while, as an effective traditional medicinal plant against intestinal, dermal, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. Hence, novel genetic resources should be further researched and promoted for their versatile use. It gives a clue for bio-prospecting companies working on food and pharmacological industries to access the associated local knowledge and practices documented as well as the plant genetic resource to search for new biochemical compounds responsible for medicinal, preservative, and the aromatic effect.