Assessment of Traditional Knowledge Associated with Medicinal Plants in North Achfer District, Amhara Region, North Ethiopia

The objective of the study was to document traditional knowledge on medicinal plants in north Achefer district. This study was conducted using semi-structured interviews using purposeful and random sampling methods. The collected data was analyzed using IBM SPSS statics 21software. A total of 65 informants 59 male and 6 female were interviewed from 5 kebele of north Achefer district. Among 65 informants only 12 (18.5%) individuals are traditional healers and the rest 53 (81.5%) persons were not traditional healers. A total of 74 medicinal plants were recorded for treating human and animal ailments through oral, dermal and nasal routs. From the collected medicinal plant species, 98% / of them were identified and the rest 2% / medicinal plant species were listed by their local name. Among 39 plant families the most frequently used plant species reported were Solanaceae 5 (7.4%) and Euphorbiaceae 5 (7.4%), Fabaceae 4 (5.9%) and the least Lamiaceae 3 (4.4%). In the study area medicinal plants affect by different factors, the main factors were human activity (69.2%) by cutting; agricultural explanation, cultivating introduced species and natural factors (20%) drought, erosion, hail and the rest (10.8%) of respondents were reported that factors affected medicinal plants in the area. North Achefer woreda is rich in indigenous knowledge associated with medicinal plant but the distribution and diversity of medicinal plants have been declined at alarming rate. So attention should given and use best conservation methods to protect species from loss.