Intl. J. of Mol. Evol. and Biodivers. 2014, Vol. 4, No. 2, 1-8
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Routes of administration
The study has revealed four major methods (routes) of
traditional medicine administration practiced by the
traditional healers in Kore people (Figure 3). The large
proportions of the drug (69.8%) are administered
orally, 21.6% dermal, nasal (7.2%) and ear canal
(1.4%). The highest frequency of oral administration
has also been reported by Yirga et al. (2011). The
highest proportion of oral administration is attributed
to the highest frequency of stomach and intestinal
diseases. Such diseases are characteristics of rural
communities in developing countries (Dhawan and
Desai, 1996). Attempts have been made to collect data
on the presence and absence of standard dosage during
administration. Almost all practitioners have no
experience and skill to use standard dosage. However,
they use non standard dosage between adult and
children during administration.
Figure 3 Routes of administration
2.3 Knowledge of informants
The study revealed that there is significant variation in
the mean number of species used by male and female
informant (P<0.05). The mean number of species used
by male informants was 5.6 + 1.15 and by female
informants was 2.6 + 0.73. The male informants have
more knowledge about the medicinal animal species
in the area. This might attributed to the hunting
practices and high mobility of male informants.
Besides, the traditional knowledge in the family or
community is passed from male parent to his
first-born son (Tilahun and Miruts, 2007).
2.4 Relative Importance of Specie (RI) and Fidelity
Level (FL)
Relative importance of species refers to the relative
use of species in the preparation of remedies.
African rock python used to prepare remedies for
nineteen ailments (the most versatile species) and
used to compute the relative importance index. Next
to python, warthog has the highest RI index (0.8942)
followed by crested porcupine (0.789) and bushpig
(0.6838) (Table 2).
Table 2 Relative Importance (RI) of Species
Common name
Scientific name
RI
Vesper bats
Vespertilionidae (family)
0.2104
Common duicker
Sylvicapra grimmia
0.526
Aardvark
Orycteropus afer
0.6312
Bushpig
Potamochoerus larvatus
0.6838
Crested porcupine
Hystrix cristata
0.789
Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
0.8942
Alves et al.
(2009) has revealed that different parts of
a single species provided the raw material to prepare
different remedies, which were prescribed to treat
various diseases. Fidelity level is calculated for the
most frequently reported diseases or ailments by the
informants (Figure 4). The most frequently reported
ailments are stomach pain (gastro-intestinal ailments),
wound, rheumatism and headache. Fidelity Level (FL)
ranges from 6.7 (porcupine for wound and headache
ailments) up to 100 (those species that used to prepare
remedy for specific type of disease). Species which
have a FL of 100 for the most frequently reported
ailments are crested porcupine, Hare, Klipspringer,
Leopard tortoise, Mourning dove and Rabbit.
Figure 4 Fidelity levels of species for the most frequently
reported ailments
The possibility of using various remedies for the same
ailment is popularly valued (Ngokwey, 1995), due to
the
increased options for treatment that it affords,
