Abeba Haile

Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) is an omnipresent, multipurpose plant and regarded as holy plant in Hindu religion finds place in front of every Hindu household. This herb is a member of Lamiaceae family, well known for its spiritual, religious and medicinal importance in India. Scientific investigations of traditional belief of medicinal properties of Tulsi have got impetus mostly in the later part of the 20th century. Characteristically, the plant imparts a pungent, bitter, hot, light and dry effect indicating the presence of curative value. It is extensively famous and has been used since centuries in Ayurvedic and Greek medicines owing to its beneficially diverse properties. The scientific fact behind these benefits owe to the presence of phytochemicals in leaves like flavonoids, phenol, terpenoids, alkaloids, eugenol and others which impart ability to overcome the infection by the target cells. The ability can be antimicrobial, pharmacological, any therapeutic, nutritional value or even...

Background: Plants have a long history of being used for medicinal purposes, and a large proportion of people in the developing world still rely on traditional medicines to meet their primary health care requirements. Medicinal plants are the major components of the traditional health care system. The objective of this study was to record and document the medicinal plants and associated indigenous plant use knowledge of the local people in Kelala District of Amhara Region, Ethiopia.Methods: Ethnobotanical data were collected by conducting pre-prepared semi-structured interview items with 60 informants. Focus group discussion and guided field walk were also used. Data were analyzed using basic analytical tools and descriptive statistics. Determination of Informant Consensus Factor, Fidelity level, and ranking was performed. Results: A total of 82 medicinal plants distributed in 79 genera and 45 families were collected. Of these plants, 43 species were used to treat human ailments, an...