Common Herbs and their Medicinal Uses
Introduction
Plants continue to be a major source of medicines, as they have been throughout human history. The populations of developing countries worldwide continue to rely heavily on the use of traditional medicines as their primary source of healthcare, and medicinal plants are now being given serious attention by mainstream medical science. The pages that follow detail some commonly used medicinal plants (herbs) that can easily be planted in any home garden.
CAUTION: Always seek advice from a medical professional before using a plant medicinally.
Name
Common name
Picture
Uses
Parts used
Propagation methods
Rosmarinus
Rosemary
officinalis
Rosemary is taken internally Leaves
Rosemary is easiest
as
colds,
to grow from a cutting,
and
rather than planting
an
infusion
influenza,
for
fatigue
headache. It is also used for treatment
of
seeds.
digestion
problems, including heartburn, intestinal gas (flatulence), liver and
gallbladder
complaints,
and loss of appetite. It is also used
for
headache,
gout,
cough,
high
blood
pressure, and reducing agerelated memory loss. Artemisia afra
African wormwood,
The uses of African wormwood Leaves,
New plants can be
wild
covers
propagated
wormwood;
a
wide
range
of stem
by
wilde-als;
ailments from coughs, colds,
division
or
from
umhlonyane;
fever, loss of appetite, colic,
cuttings
that
root
mhlonyane;
headache, earache, intestinal
easily in spring and
lengana; zengana
worms to malaria.
summer. Seed can be sown
in
summer.
spring
or
Foeniculum
Fennel
valgare
An
infusion
of
the
seeds Leaves,
soothes the digestive system root, and
is
said
to
Propagate by seeds
stem
increase and seeds
production of milk in nursing mothers.
Asparagus
Sprenger's
Asparagus species leaves are Leaves
Propagate by seeds
densiflora
Asparagus
used as vegetables or for
or division.
medicinal purposes. Crushed berries are used to treat skin irritation Note: The berries cause only low toxicity if eaten.
Allium tuberosum
Garlic chives
Help to lower blood pressure Leaves
Propagate by seed or
and blood cholesterol. It also
by dividing the
helps to prevent blood clotting.
clumps.
Garlic chives have been used to
treat
fatigue,
control
excessive bleeding, and as an antidote for ingested poisons. The leaves and bulbs are applied to insect bites, cuts, and wounds, while the seeds are used to treat kidney, liver, and
digestive
problems.
system
Leonotis
Wild
leonurus
Umunyane;
treat
Lebake;
poisonous snake bites and
Umfincafincane;
other type of bites (scorpion
Umhlahlampetu
and spider bites) and stings.
Dagga,
Wild dagga has been used to leaves and Propagate from seed, concerns
including stem
cuttings or by dividing large clumps.
Infusions of leaves and roots are
used
to
conditions, itchiness,
skin
boils,
eczema,
muscle
cramps,
influenza, cough.
treat
bronchitis It
Pressure
and
lowers
Blood
and
eases
headaches. Eucomis autumnalis
Pineapple lily
Pineapple lily is used to treat Bulb
Propagation
urinary
pulmonary
offsets,
seed,
ailments, fever and disease of
cuttings
and
stock. Tswana and Sotho use
culture
and
decoctions of the bulb to treat hangovers. Bulbs are used in decoctions
which
administered
as
are enemas.
These are used to treat lower backache, urinary diseases, as well as assisting in the healing of fractures.
is
by leaf
tissue
Borago
Borage
officinalis
It is used to treat oily skin,
Leaves and Propagate by seeds
coughing, reliving eczema,
seeds
assisting to fight rheumatism, regulating menstruation and assisting with soothing irritable bowel syndrome Amoracia
Horseradish
rusticana
Horseradish is used to treat
Roots
and Propagate by seed or
back pain and menstrual
leaves.
by division in winter
Leaves
Propagation is from
cramps.
Bulbine
snake flower, cat's
The fresh leaf produces a jelly-
frutescens
tail, burn jelly plant;
like juice that is wonderful for
seed,
cuttings
or
balsem
burns, rashes, blisters, insect
either
division
of
bites, cracked lips, acne, cold
clumps, and should
sores, mouth ulcers and areas
be done in spring
kopieva,
geelkatstert
of cracked skin. an infusion of a few fresh leaves in a cup of boiling water. The strained drink is taken for coughs, colds and arthritis
Gnidia
Yellow
heads;
kaussiana
harige
gifbossie;
plant is known in Xhosa) is
isidikili,
imfuzane,
also very effective for the
Salvia officinalis
The root of umarhedeni (as the
Roots
umsilawengwe;
treatment of sexually
umarhedeni
transmitted infections.
Sage
The infusions of leaves are Leaves
Propagation is from
used as a mouthwash for sore
seeds and cuttings
throats, mouth ulcers, gum diseases, laryngitis and tonsils. Infusions are taken internally as tonics, to aid indigestion and for menopausal problems. And
applied
compresses
externally to
help
as heal
wounds Crocosmia
Aunt
paniculata
Undwendweni
Eliza,
The corms are also used in Corms
Propagate by dividing
traditional medicine to treat
rhizomes,
dysentery and infertility
corms or bulbs
tubers,
Melissa
Lemon balm
officinalis
Infusions are taken internally Leaves
Propagate by seed or
for
anxiety,
by division in spring or
tension
autumn
nervous
depression,
headaches and indigestion. It is also applied externally for as poultice or ointment for sores, skin irritations, insect bites and stings. Lavendula
Lavender
officinalis
Lavender is used alone or in Leaves and Propagate by seed, combination with other herbs stem
cuttings,
to
division or separation
treat
states,
insomnia,
migraine
anxiety
layering,
headaches
and depression.
Zingiber officinale
Ginger
A
tea
nausea.
is
used
to
relieve Rhizome
Propagate by dividing rhizome.
Achillea
Yarrow
millefolium
A tea is taken for colds and Leaves
Yarrow
propagates
fever. It is also thought to
easily and in many
lower blood pressure and to
ways,
relieve indigestion.
division, stem cuttings
including
via
and seeds
Petroselinum crispum
Parsley
It
is
used
problems,
for
menstrual Leaves
kidney
stones, stem
urinary infections, and arthritis. Tea is made from leaves to treat jaundice and coughs.
, Propagated seeds.
from
