title: Ethnoveterinary medicinal plants used by the Maale and Ari ethnic communities in southern Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Livestock production is an integral part of the agricultural system in Ethiopia. Medicinal plants are used and are important for rural communities for the treatment of livestock diseases. We studied and analysed the traditional medicinal plants used for the treatment of livestock diseases by the Maale and Ari ethnic communities in southern Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used quantitative and qualitative ethobotanical methods, including individual and focus group discussions (n=18), field observations, and individual interviews (n=74) at three study sites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 46 plant species (28 families) were used for the treatment of livestock diseases. Leaves with succulent stems were the most used part of the plant. The most frequently cited cattle disease was blackleg, for which 21 plant species were used. Our study showed variation in ethnoveterinary plant species used among sites (Jaccard's similarity indices <0.25). The number of medicinal plant species used was significantly influenced by gender and site. Knowledge on ethnoveterinary plants was predominantly held by males, who cited more plant uses than females. The most widely used species were Lepidium sativum, Allium sativum, Clausena anisata, Croton macrostachyus, Ozoroa insignis, Sida rhombifolia, Centella asiatica, Cissampelos mucronata, Vernonia theophrastifolia and Vernonia amygdalina.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study indicated that ethnoveterinary medicinal plants are important for the Maale and Ari ethnic communities. Phytochemical and pharmacological studies should focus on widely used and multi-use species.
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Forestry Research Center, P.O. Box 58532, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Naturalis Biodiversity Center (sect. NHN), Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, Gen. Foulkesweg 37, 6703 BL Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: Berhanekid19@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Berhane
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kidane
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center (sect. NHN), Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, Gen. Foulkesweg 37, 6703 BL Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L J G
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: van der Maesen
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tinde
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: van Andel
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 3434, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Zemede
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Asfaw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000818:Animals; D003625:Data Collection; D005002:Ethiopia; D019448:Ethnobotany; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Blackleg; Ethiopia; Ethnobotany; Livestock disease; Plant resources; Traditional knowledge