Table 3.
Pregnancy disorders treated with medicinal plants at JUMC, Ethiopia, n=319
| Variables | No (%)* | Most common medicinal plants (no of users) |
| Induction and ‘reduction’ of labour† | 192 (60.2) |
Linum usitatissimum (Flaxseed) (179) Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek) (6) Carica papaya (Papaya) (4) |
| Common cold/influenza | 65 (20.4) |
Zingiber officinale (Ginger) (23) Allium sativum (Garlic) (13) Eucalyptus globulus (Nech-bahir zaf) (12) |
| Preparation for labour | 50 (15.7) |
Linum usitatissimum (Flaxseed) (22) Carica papaya (Papaya) (17) Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek) (11) |
| Abdominal cramps/ache | 30 (9.4) |
Nigella sativa (Black seed) (7) Allium sativum (Garlic) (5) Carica papaya (Papaya) (4) |
| Headache/migraine | 27 (8.5) |
Nigella sativa (Black seed) (10) Ocimum lamiifolium (Damakessie) (8) Allium sativum (Garlic) (3) |
| Heartburn/reflux problems | 27 (8.5) |
Linum usitatissimum (Flaxseed) (19) Carica papaya (Papaya) (5) |
| Mitch‡ | 24 (7.5) | Ocimum lamiifolium (Damakessie) (19) |
| Gastritis/burning sensation | 22 (6.9) | Linum usitatissimum (Flaxseed) (14) |
| Constipation/obstipation | 17 (5.3) | Linum usitatissimum (Flaxseed) (16) |
| General well-being | 15 (4.7) |
Allium sativum (Garlic) (5) Ruta chalepensis (Fringed rue) (3) |
| Nausea | 11 (3.4) |
Zingiber officinale (Ginger) (4) Ruta chalepensis (Fringed rue) (4) |
| Helminths | 6 (1.9) |
Carica papaya (Papaya) (2) Hagenia abyssinica (Kosso) (2) |
| Leg/foot swelling | 5 (1.6) |
Linum usitatissimum (Flaxseed) (1) Cinnamomum verum (Cinnamon) (1) Croton macrostachyus (Bisena) (1) Veronia amygdalina (Grawa) (1) B'auu (1) |
| Prevent bad smell | 5 (1.6) | Ocimum lamiifolium (Damakessie) (5) |
| Strong craving | 5 (1.6) |
Linum usitatissimum (Flaxseed) (1) Carica papaya (Papaya) (1) Nigella sativa (Black seed) (1) Ruta chalepensis (Fringed rue) (1) Zingiber officinale (Ginger) (1) |
| Emergency illnesses | 4 (1.3) | Ocimum lamiifolium (Damakessie) (3) |
| Postpartum bathing | 4 (1.3) | Eucalyptus globulus (Nech-bahir zaf) (3) |
| Vomiting | 3 (0.9) | Zingiber officinale (Ginger) (2) |
| Yemahitsen mitch‡ ('gynaecologic mitch') |
3 (0.9) |
Croton macrostachyus (Bisena) (1) Ocimum lamiifolium (Damakessie) (1) Pycnostachys abyssinica (Yeroo) (1) |
| Depression | 3 (0.9) |
Echinops kebericho (Kebericho) (1) Ruta chalepensis (Fringed rue) (1) Cinnamomum verum (Cinnamon) (1) |
| Well-being and nourishing the fetus | 3 (0.9) |
Linum usitatissimum (Flaxseed) (2) Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek) (1) |
| Cough | 2 (0.6) |
Nigella sativa (Black seed) (1) Saccharum officinarum (Sugar crystals) (1) |
| Birdd§ | 2 (0.6) |
Allium sativum (Garlic) (1) Nigella sativa (Black seed) (1) |
| Diarrhoea | 2 (0.6) |
Ocimum lamiifolium (Damakessie) (1) Taverniera abyssinica (Dingetegn) (1) |
| Joint pain (kurtimatt) | 2 (0.6) |
Allium sativum (Garlic) (1) Nigella sativa (Black seed) (1) |
| Sleeping problems | 2 (0.6) | Artemisia abyssinica (Chikugn) (2) |
| Mental well-being | 2 (0.6) | Ruta chalepensis (Fringed rue) (2) |
| Evil eye | 2 (0.6) |
Artemisia afra (Ariti) (1) Veronia amygdalina (Grawa) (1) |
| Others¶ | 15 (4.7) |
Linum usitatissimum (Flaxseed) (3) Allium sativum (Garlic) (3) Ocimum lamiifolium (Damakessie) (3) |
*Total percentage may exceed 100% due to multiple responses.
†Reduction of labour: includes reduced intensity and shortened duration of labour.
‡‘Mitch’: A febrile illness believed to develop when strong sunlight strikes a part of the body that is sweating or unclean.
§Birdd’: an illness typified by a feeling of chills, arthralgia, myalgia, generalised body weakness, pain (particularly chest pain) and coughing. In general, it is characterised by pneumonia/influenza-like symptoms.
¶Others includes make labour simple, stomach rambling, quicken labour, prevent ‘megagna’, fever, facilitation of digestion, tonsillitis, pregnancy associated body/physical illnesses, skin rashes (‘Shifta’), abdominal distension/bloating, throat congestion (‘Guroroyen siyafinegn’), malaria, appetiser, upper extremity fatigability, for any illness, each with a frequency of one.
JUMC, Jimma University Medical Centre.