Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Human and Livestock Ailments in Yeki District and Its Environs, Southwestern Ethiopia 

Abstract Background Yeki District and its environs have long been inhabited by people who have a long tradition of using medicinal plants to treat human and livestock ailments. Overexploitation of medicinal plants coupled with ever-increasing population growth, deforestation and agricultural land expansion threatens plants in the area. Hence, the study aims to documents indigenous medicinal plant utilization, management and the threats affecting them. Methodology Both systematic random and purposive sampling were used to select general respondents (130) and key informants (30) respectively. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion, guided field walk, preference ranking and paired comparison. Standard ethnobotanical tools, including preference ranking, pair-wise comparison, ICF, FL, direct matrix ranking, and the Chi-square test using R software, were applied for analysis. Result A total of 102 medicinal plants, belonging to 57 families were identified. Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Lamiaceaerepresented by eleven and five species each were identified as the leading families. Herbs contributed the most (45.1%) to the growth forms followed by shrubs (21.57%). Out of the total medicinal plants, 58 species (56.86%) were collected from the wild, 24 were obtained from home garden, and 20 species were from both home garden and wild habitats. Fresh leaves of the plants were parts that are used most frequently in the area. The highest ICF value (0.91) was recorded for dermal problem categories. The majority of medicinal plants (65.69%) were used to treat human ailments, whereas 10.78% were used to treat livestock ailments, and 23.53% were used to treat both human and livestock ailments. Agricultural expansion was the major threat to medicinal plants, followed by grazing. ConclusionThe current study underscores the intricate relationship between the local community and medicinal plants, emphasizing the critical role of biodiversity conservation in sustaining healthcare practices and ecosystem health. The findings contribute to the development of sustainable conservation strategies, the preservation of traditional knowledge, and emphasize the interdependence between human societies and their natural environments. Community-based conservation efforts, involving active participation from local populations and relevant institutions, are vital for the sustainable use and preservation of medicinal plant species and their habitats. Raising public awareness about the sustainable harvesting of exploited medicinal plants and establishing botanical gardens will safeguard these resources, contributing to both environmental protection and socioeconomic development.