A Qualitative Understanding of Local Traditional Knowledge and Medicinal Plant Use

Fassil, Hareya

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: AGE DIFFERENCES;    AGED;    ATTENTION;    CIRCUMCISION;    DISEASES;   

RP-ID  :  25269

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

In Ethiopia, traditional herbal medicineis dominated by plant-focused work, which has been largelydriven by an overriding interest in the specific therapeuticproperties of individual plants. In search of information onthe properties of various Ethiopian medicinal plants,researchers have generally focused their attention on twomain sources: (i) the professional traditional healthpractitioners, and (ii) Ethiopia's ancientmedico-religious manuscripts - herbal letters containingelaborate recipes of plant-derived treatments for a widerange of health conditions. Traditional knowledge aboutmedicinal plants and its application are very much taken forgranted by both men and women in the communities. Suchtraditional knowledge and practices constitute routineaspects of daily life and are deeply engrained in thesocio-cultural and economic fabric of these rural societies.It is evident that research and development efforts must aimto identify and address the challenges and threats faced bytraditional health knowledge systems. The ultimate goal isto strengthen and improve this vast knowledge base for thebenefit of the great majority of the developing world whohave survived on it for centuries and will continue to do sointo the foreseeable future.