Assessment of traditional medicinal plants in Endrta District, South-eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Ethnobotanical data were collected between September and December, 2009 on six field trips to investigate medicinal knowledge and application of medicinal plants in Endrta Wereda (the lowest administrative unit in Ethiopia), South-eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Semi-structured interviews, observation and guided field walks with informants were employed to obtain ethnobotanical data. A total of 35 informants (24 males and 11 females) were selected purposefully with the help of local administrators and elderly people. A total of 27 species of medicinal plants were collected and identified for treating 24 human ailments. Most (62.96%) of the traditional medicinal plants were wild and were mostly harvested for their leaves. Oral application was the highest and most commonly used route of application followed by dermal. Awareness creation among the traditional healers and community at large is important in order to preserve the indigenous medicinal plant species and for conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants in the area.   Key words: Documentation, ethnobotany, traditional medicinal plants, Tigray.