Five Powerful African Herbs And Their Healing

Properties….
ibiene.com/culture/five-powerful-african-herbs-and-their-healing-properties/

By Ibiene

Hundreds of years ago, long before the entrance of Europeans into the African continent,
the people of Africa had been making use of nature -leaves and roots to rid themselves of
ailments of all sorts.

In fact, traditional healers were the first port of call for the vast majority of the people.
Although till today, a few still visits herbal centers for healing.

Just like a cycle, many who have initially embraced sophisticated medication are turning
back to their roots – home grown herbs – to handle all sorts of ailments.

Although not all plants pack a punch, the indigenous people have been tapping into the
natural healing qualities of African medicinal herbs for thousands of years.

Here are five African herbs and their powerful healing properties.

Basil leaves:

Locally known as scent leaf, (efirin in

Yoruba, nchanwu in Igbo and daidoya in
hausa), the basil leave is a tropical plant
species that belongs to the family of
Labiatae. It is usually a homegrown
Nigerian shrub used mainly as spices for
cooking delicacies due to its unique
aromatic taste.

Scent leaves are high in

calcium,phophurus, iron, potassium,
carbon and vitamin A, the elements and
oils from the leaves has been shown to
posses antiseptic, antibacterial, and
antifungal activities.

Scent leave aids digestion, can be used Courtesy: Google

to treat stomach disorders. The aqueos
extracts of the scented leaf can be taken to relief ear ache and colon pains, oral infections
and fungal infections. fever, cold and catarrh.

Nchanwu oil which is produced from squeezed nchanwu leaves can be used as food
preservative due to its anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties.

When left to dry and burnt, this leaves could serve as a mosquito repellent.

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Buchu:

The buchu herb (Agathosma Betulina) is cultivated

in the Western Cape for its essential oils. It is a
renowned natural anti-inflammatory and antiseptic
used to treat high blood pressure, UTI infections,
arthritis, gout and countless other ailments.

Devil’s claw:

Scientifically called Harpagophytum, the Devil’s

claw is endemic to the dry areas of South Africa,
Botswana and Namibia. Its medicinal properties Courtesy: Google
which are mostly stored and cultivated
from the large tuberous roots are
harvested and dried to form powders,
mixtures and extracts. It is commonly
used to treat pain, enhance mobility
and provide relief from a wide range of
musculoskeletal conditions, diabetes,
neuralgia, headaches and menstrual
problems.

Bitter Leaf (Vernonia Amygdalina):

Known as Ewuro in Yoruba, Onugbu in

Igbo, and Shiwaka in Hausa, as the
name implies, the leaves of this plant
Courtesy: Google
are bitter, and that is why a lot of
people can’t withstand it. Bitter leaf
has a lot of detoxification properties
that make it a powerful essential in
helping the body fight against many
diseases and infections. It also has
antipyretic properties. If taken fresh,
the benefits include remedy for
stomach ache, treatment of malaria,
typhoid fever, and also diarrhea as well
as normalizing blood disorders. The
leaves are usually squeezed and the
juice extracted and consumed or the
stems chewed.

Moringa plant (Moringa Oleifera):

Courtesy: Google

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Popularly referred to as the miracle
tree. Moringa is a popular flowering
tree with culinary, cosmetic, and
medicinal uses.

Moringa plant is rich in amino acids,

minerals and vitamins especially
vitamin A, C, and E. Its antioxidants
properties help to fight free radicals
and molecules that cause cell damage,
inflammation, and oxidative stress. It is
used to fight inflammation because it
has properties which suppress
inflammatory enzymes and proteins in
the body.

It is also effective in reducing glucose

and lipid levels in the blood which is Courtesy: Google
beneficial to the cardiovascular
system.

Moringa leaves and flowers are rich in polyphenols which helps to protect the liver against
oxidation, damage, and toxicity.

These are some powerful herbs for everyday and you’re advised to use in moderation
because of their strengths. If you have medical conditions, consult your doctor before
consuming any of these herbs.

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