Ethnobotanical use and diversity of Medicinal plants in Zana and Laelay Koraro woredas, Ethiopia

Abstract Between December 2023 and June 2024, ethnobotanical use and the diversity of medicinal plants were studied in Zana and Laelay Koraro Woredas, Northwestern Tigray, Ethiopia. Semi-structured interviews, field observations, ranking methods, and informant consensus were among the ethnobotanical techniques used in the study. 117 medicinal plants in both woredas were gathered and identified that represent 53 families and 93 genera. The most commonly utilized medicinal plants were those belonging to the Fabaceae family (11.11%), Solanaceae family (6.8%), and Euphorbiaceae family (4.3%). The most common plant growth forms were trees (33.33%), shrubs (35%), and herbs (25.6%). The most often used plant parts were the leaves, which included 56 species (37.6%), roots (22.8%), and seeds (8.7%). The majority of herbal preparations are applied internally and externally, accounting for 61% and 39%, respectively. Agricultural expansion is the main threat factor for medicinal plants. There was a significant, strong positive correlation (p<0.01, r = 0.7) between the age of healers and their medicinal plant knowledge. However, a negatively weak correlation result was observed between educational level and the knowledge of medicinal plants. The study's findings showed that the availability of plant-based medicines and their correlation with healing knowledge have preserved a variety of species of medicinal plants. The patchy forests are a hotspot area for medicinal plants, which serves valuable resources for healers and provides essential information for phytochemical and pharmacological research. If the younger generation is to respect and use traditional medicine for conservation and sustainable forest use, it is also crucial that they learn about the use of medicinal plants and how elders used them to treat their own and their livestock's illnesses in the absence of modern medications.