Abstract

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in the present day in which its incidence and severity are increasing. It is highly prevalent global disease; affecting approximately 300 million individuals worldwide. Different medicinal plants have been discovered and used in traditional medicine practices for the treatment of asthma in different part of the world since prehistoric times. The aim of this review article is to explore and compile the ethno medicinal uses, phytochemistry and method of preparation of commonly used medicinal plants for the management of asthma in Ethiopia. A comprehensive and systematic web-based search of full length experimental, ethno-botanical and ethno medicinal survey articles from scientific database like Pub Med, Science Direct, Web of Science and Google Scholar, were undertaken using key words: asthma, medicinal plants, ethno-botanical, herbal, phytochemistry so as to document this review article. About 23 medicinal plants like Papilionaceae, Caricaceae, Moringaceae, Liliaceae, Asteraceae etc. were found among the most common used medicinal plants in the society for the treatment of asthma. A good number of contemporary medicines have evolved from traditional medicines thus in the present circumstances, our traditional system must be given an objective and critical examination. Further research must be carried out to determine the fraction(s)/compounds that are mostly responsible for the observed anti-asthmatic activity as this will lead to drug development. As well, the potency of plants used in combination as beside being used individually should be further researched. It is recommended that further research is needed to anti-asthmatic plants and standardization of herbal formulations/preparations and to determine their side effect, efficacy, safety etc

Keywords

asthma, ethno-botanical, herbal, medicinal plants, phytochemistry