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Description: A. afra is an aromatic perennial shrub that can grow to about 2 m in height. It has soft textured leaves, yellow flowers, and three-angled and curved fruits covered with a silvery-white coating. The shrub is widely distributed in South Africa growing along the stream sides and forest margins        

Uses:

• The leaves and twigs are used as a culinary herb and spice, for adding aroma and flavour to food. 
• The leaves are used to make an infusion that is taken as tea.
• The leaf infusion is taken to treat colds and flu.
• The leaves and twigs are administered as steam to treat colds, fever, flu, and headache.
  • The leaves are mixed with Lippia javanica (umsuzwane) to treat cough, fever, and flu. 
  • The leaves are mixed with Tetradenia riparia (iboza) to treat respiratory ailments.      

• The leaves are used to treat constipation.
• The leaves are used to get rid intestinal worms in children.
• The leaves are used to make a decoction that is taken as a blood purifier.    
• The leaves are used to treat measles.
• The roots are used to treat pneumonia.
• The plant is used to treat boils, pimples, and mumps.
• The plant is used to make body lotion.   
• The plant is used to treat aching teeth. 
• The plant is used to treat colic in infants. 
• The plant is used to treat a loss of appetite.
• The plant is used to manage diabetes and malaria.

Umhlonyane is often prepared in combination with alcohol, ginger, chamomile, thyme, rosemary, mint, Osmitopsis asteriscoides or Eucalyptus globulus.    

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You can buy umhlonyane on the IMTHI YESINTU SHOP:

Umhlonyane 100g Spice, Umhlonyane 70g Spice, Umhlonyane Refills, Umhlonyane 50g medicine powder, Umhlonyane 50g coarse fragments

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Safety precaution

The use of traditional medicine in prescribed dosages will yield good results. Misuse and abuse may lead to complications. Speak to your doctor or a herbalist for the best outcomes. You can also visit the imithiyesintu website and social media or email: info@imithiyesintu.co.za to learn more about traditional medicine.

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Reference and further reading:

• Bryant, A.T., 1966. Zulu medicine and medicine men. C. Struik, Cape Town (originally published in 1909 in the Annals of Natal Museum).
• Gelfand, M., Mavi, S., Drummond, R.B., Ndemera, B., 1985. The traditional medicinal practitioner in Zimbabwe. Mambo Press, Gweru, Zimbabwe. 
• Gerstner, J., 1939. A preliminary checklist Zulu names of plants with short notes. Bantu Studies.
• Hilliard, O.M., 1977. Compositae in Natal. University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg, pp. 360–361.
• Hutchings, A. and Johnson, C.T., 1986. Glimpses of a Xhosa herbal. Veld & Flora 72, pp.59–62.
• Hutchings, A., Scott, A.H., Lewis, G. and Cunningham, A., 1996. Zulu medicinal plants. Natal University Press, Pietermaritzburg. 
• Kokwaro, J.O., 1976. Medicinal plants of east Africa. East African Literature Bureau, Nairobi. 
• Liu, N.Q., Van der Kooy, F. and Verpoorte, R., 2009. Artemisia afra: a potential flagship for African medicinal plants?. South African Journal of Botany, 75(2), pp.185-195.
• Roberts, M., 1990. Indigenous healing plants. Southern Book Publishers, Halfway House. Rood, B., 2008. Uit die veldapteek. Pretoria Boekhuis, Pretoria.
• Sotenjwa, Z., Viljoen, A., Combrinck, S. and Kamatou, G., 2023. Artemisia afra. In The South African Herbal Pharmacopoeia (pp. 83-105). Academic Press.
• Van Wyk, B.E. 2008. A review of Khoi-San and Dutch medical ethnobotany. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 119, pp. 331–341.
• Van Wyk, B.E., Van Oudtshoorn, B. and Gerike, N., 1997. Medicinal Plants of South Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria. pp. 142.
• Watt, J.M. and Breyer-Brandwijk, M.G. 1962. Medicinal and poisonous plants of southern and eastern Africa, second edition. Livingstone, London. 
• York, T., de Wet, H., and van Vuuren, S.F. 2011. Plants used for treating respiratory infections in rural Maputaland, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 135, pp.696–710