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Lesson 9: Medicinal plants
Lesson 9 Medicinal plants
Define
Medicinal plants: plants used as medicine to treat and heal ailments or diseases
Core content
The San had a thorough knowledge of their environment. They knew all the plants; not necessarily the names but what they could be used for. They used several plants to treat wounds and to heal the sick.
Some examples of medicinal plants:
Image 2.7.1: Hoodia
Image 2.7.2: African Wormwood Hoodia gordonii San hunters chewed this plant when they went hunting to relieve their hunger and thirst.
Artemisia afra The San boiled this plant and drank the extract to prevent diseases such as colds and flu.
Image 2.7.3: Buchu
Image 2.7.4: Sicklebush
Image 2.7.5: Bitter aloe
Image 2.7.6: Liquorice plant (Bedding plant) Agathosma betulina The San used the buchu plant to relieve stomach aches and bladder problems, and rubbed it on wounds. The Dutch came to know of the buchu plant from the San and made tea from it, also mixing it with vinegar or brandy.
Dichrostachys cinerea The sicklebush was used for various ailments. The roots were chewed and rubbed on snake bites. The bark of the wood was used for toothache and headaches. The sicklebush is also known as the ‘Kalahari Christmas tree’.
Aloe ferox The aloe plant was used to sooth a sore throat. We still use this miracle plant today for various ailments and it is also an ingredient in many beauty products.
Helichrysum petiolare The San wrapped themselves in this plant when they went to sleep to keep them warm. It also has medicinal value; the twigs and leaves were burned and the fumes were inhaled.
