Description

This item is from "Some Common Medicinal And Poisonous Plants Used In Ethiopian Folk Medicine" work, by Amare Getahun.

Cruciferae

Lepidium sativum L.

fetto (A)

shimfi (G)

kotto, shimfa (T)

shimp (K)

shufu (GH, Aderic)

Fetto is commonly grown in Ethiopia as a garden plant or as a cultivated crop in tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc) (Trotter) fields. It is generally found on any market, though usually in small quantities. Siegenthaler (1960) reports the following uses for fetto:

a) The ripe, dried seeds are ground into a fine flour and mixed with water to use as a drench for stomach disorders of livestock.

b) A paste is made of the seed-flour and water and used on chapped lips, sunburn, and other skin disorders.

c) The flour is mixed with honey and taken as a treatment for amoeba.

d) The paste is rubbed onto the skin to repel mosquitoes and other insects.

e) In times past, the paste was rubbed onto the skin by warriors for warmth during cold nights.

f) For stomach cramps, fetto, tukur-asmu (Nigella sativa L. Ranunculaceae) and salt are ground together to make a thick dough and allowed to ferment for seven days. One teaspoon of this is taken once a day for stomach cramps.

g) The ground flour of the seed is mixed with chopped injera and water to make a dish known as fetto fitfit. This is eaten early in the morning to help increase the appetite. In Begemder province it is customary to eat fetto on New Year's Eve preceding the big feast that is traditionally held on the next morning.

In Harar, fetto is reported to be used in the treatment of a disease of cows' udder called "gigo" (Kotu Galla). The solution is massaged onto the surface.

In humans, it is used in the treatment of acute side pains which often result from overeating.

 

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herbs, medical, medicinal, poisonous, plant, folk medicine, ethiopia