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Medicinal uses
This plant is well known medicinally to many African tribes, avid herbalists and herb
gardeners. The leaves, twigs and occasionally the roots of the plant are used for
different reasons. In general, the Xhosa people are known to drink its weaker
infusion as a tea substitute and its stronger infusion for the treatment of coughs,
colds and bronchial problems. They drink the leaves and stem with milk or water. In
addition, the Xhosa people also use Lippia javanica to disinfect meat which has been
infected with anthrax (Van Wyk & Gericke, 2000; Van Wyk et al., 1997; Hutchings et
al., 1996).
This herb is also said to be effective against fever, especially in cases of malaria,
influenza, measles and as a prophylactic against lung infections. In these cases,
Lippia javanica is often mixed with another herb, Artemisia afra (Roberts, 1990). If
inhaled, the smoke from Lippia javanica has proven to be effective against asthma,
chronic coughs and pleurisy. Its leaves and stems can be burned to treat skin
disorders such as heat rash, scratches, stings and bites. Here the tea is usually
cooled and then applied like a lotion. Even lice and scabies can be treated with it in
this manner (Van Wyk et al., 1997).
Data from ethnobotanical survey
The leaves are ground and mixed with cold water. One cup of the mixture is then
used as an enema once a day for sores (Mhlongo 2007, pers. comm.).
Chemical content
The icterogenic principles, pentacyclic triterpenoids, also known as lantadene A and
lantadene B, have been isolated. Stearic, palmitic, myristic, oleic, arachidic, behenic
and lignoceric acids, and tiacontane alkanes are yielded by the plant’s leaves. The
main amino acid components are alanine, asparagine, arginine and proline; while the
main essential oil components are caryophyllene, linalool and p-cymene. Glucose is
the only sugar component. Choline is also present (Hutchings et al., 1996).
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