Aspilia Africana is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family. Aspilia Africana is native to the Africa, Madagascar, and Latin America. It is a common African weed found in fallow land, especially in the forest zone.
The flowers of the Aspilia africana have showy yellow florets and the fruits are bristly and hairy. There are several uses of the leaves and flowers of this plant, the most notable being its use in stopping bleeding and fast healing of wounds and for which it is commonly known as haemorrhage plant.
Consider additional facts about this packed and all-important plant:
1. In Nigeria, the plant is known in known as yunyun in Yoruba, orangila in Igbo, tozalin in Hausa and edemedong in Efik. Also, in Mbaise part of Imo state and most other Igbo speaking parts of Nigeria, it is used to prevent conception.
2. In Kenya, it is used to kill intestinal worms; while in Uganda, it is used to treat gonorrhea. In Liberia, the plant is credited with the capacity to arrest the bleeding of a severed artery; and in In Tanganyika (a region in Tanzania), it is taken for tuberculosis.
3. The methanol extract of the leaves are reported to cure malaria and respiratory problems. They can also be made into a cough-medicine for children; while the juice extracted from the leaves, when combined with little salt and lime juice can be reportedly used as an eye medicine to remove corneal opacities. Also, the juice with only salt added can be used as an eye-lotion for sun-blindness, used to wash the face to relieve feverish headache, and also taken to assist in childbirth and increase milk flow.
4. Leaf extract and fractions of Aspilia africana is used to arrest bleeding from fresh wounds, prevent microbial growth on wounds, and accelerate wound healing process. Aspilia is said to be used to cure ringworm and dysentery, treat bee and scorpion stings, remove foreign bodies from the eyes. and also thought to be used as herbal medicine by some chimpanzees.
5. The potential of Aspilia africana to stop bleeding and heal wounds fast could be a result of its high calcium and zinc contents. It contains selenium, which is useful as an antioxidant that stimulates the immune system and contributes to the formation of antibodies against infectious agents; while copper has an ability to kill a variety of potentially harmful pathogens. And because Aspilia africana contains these elements, they contribute to its wound healing qualities.
