A review on the ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used for the treatment of gonorrhea disease in Ethiopia

This review literature aimed to compile and document the ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants used for the treatment of gonorrhea problem in Ethiopia. A total of 48 published and unpublished ethnobotanical studies meeting specific inclusion criteria were used to assess the ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used for the treatment of gonorrhea in Ethiopia. Ethnobotanical literature data was entered in an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using SPSS statistical software used to summarize relevant ethnobotanical information using descriptive statistics, frequency, percentage, tables, bar graphs and pie charts. A total of 100 anti-gonorrhea plants belonged to 80 genera and 46 families was compiled in this review. Families Euphorbiaceae (13 species), Cucurbitaceae (9 species) and Solanaceae (8 species) were found to be represented by the highest number of anti-gonorrhea medicinal plant species. A higher diversity of anti-gonorrhea plants was reported from south and southwestern parts Ethiopia. Herbs represented 48 % of species followed by shrubs (26 %), trees (17 %) and climbers (9 %). Root were the most commonly used medicinal plant parts, it accounts 42 % followed by leaves (9 %), Latex (5 %) and stem (3 %). 39 % of the plant medicines were prepared from fresh plant parts, followed by dried (9 %) and the remaining 26 % from both fresh and dried parts. The majority of anti-gonorrhea plants were collected from wild habitat (63 %), followed by homegarden (16 %) and the remaining 21 % were collected from both homegarden and wild. Advanced phytochemical analysis is required to validate the therapeutic potential of anti-gonorrhea compounds from promising plant species.