Bitter leaf is an herb that is known due to the fact that it is a homely plant found almost everywhere. An indigenous African species, it grows in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa. The East African country of Tanzania is traditionally linked to this plant.
The herb is found growing wild along the edges of agricultural fields.
Though familiar to most people, they are not aware of the many health benefits associated with it. The true fact about bitter leaf is that it is bitter, which is the most distinctive characteristic of this wonder plant. Every part of this plant, from the root to the leaves, is bitter, but this is what actually makes it good for the body. The plant reminds us that life is not always meant to be sweet – it takes a taste of bitterness to achieve sweetness, just like the case of bitter leaf.
In Nigeria, this plant is eaten by a lot of people, but the mistake they make is that they often squeeze out the bitterness, leaving the chaff which has little or no medicinal value. In many parts of East Africa, bitter leaf is eaten as vegetables. Soups and stews are made from the leafy greens of this plant, while the herb is prepared the same way the spinach is used in the West.
Traditionally, native healers may have come to realise the beneficial properties of this plant by studying the behaviours of sick animals in the wild. According to research, many animals eat this plant when they are sick. It was also discovered by zoologists that animals use the plant to cure themselves. They also revealed that chimpanzees, inhabiting the Mahale Mountains of Tanzania, have been observed chewing the pith of the bitter leaf possibly due to its ability to ward off parasites and to get at other medicinal properties in the plant.
Some of the chemical properties found in bitter leaf are a class of compounds called Steroid glycosides. These chemical substances possess a potent anti-parasitic, anti-tumour, and bactericidal effects. The bitter leaf is mainly employed as an agent in treating Schistosomiasis, a disease caused by parasitic worms.
The bitter leaf also helps bring relief from related problems in the body, such as diarrhea and general physical malaise. Remedies made from bitter leaf are used in treating 25 common ailments in sub-Saharan Africa. These include common problems such as fever and different kinds of intestinal complaints, as well as parasite-induced diseases like malaria and other vector borne diseases.
This plant is very useful in toning the vital organs of the body, especially the liver and the kidney. As we all know, the liver is one of the most important organs of the body, because it has a lot of vital functions that is needed for normal functioning of the whole system of the body. Diabetic patients can also use bitter leaf as one of their medications to prevent high sugar level in the blood. Bitter leaf will not only lower the sugar level in the blood, but also repair impaired pancreas.
Other medicinal uses of bitter leaf are listed below:
Stomach Ache
Chewing the tender stem of the plant like chewing stick and swallowing the bitterness is a well known remedy for stomach aches. An alternative is to pound the fresh leaves in a mortar and squeeze out the juice, add a pinch of salt to three tablespoons of the undiluted juice and drink. This brings immediate relief.
Skin Infection
For skin infections, such as ringworm, itching, rashes and eczema, the pure, undiluted extract of bitter leaf is excellent. Simply apply it to the affected part daily.
Prostate Cancer
Bitter leaf works wonders for prostate enlargement, and some say it heals prostate cancer.