How to make use of those herbs in your backyard

NATURE  WILDLIFE

Nature is a pharmacy waiting for patients to take their pick from an array of medicines in its midst.

Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) horticulturalist Richard Othieno says if only citizens knew the variety of herbs in their back yards, millions of money, would be saved.

Catharanthus rufus aka Madagascar periwinkle, known as Sakajja in Central Uganda is said to help with diabetes and kidney ailments (Photo by Titus Kakembo)

"These are the medicines our ancestors, in their wisdom, used to brave the health challenges of their times," said Othieno. "There is Catharanthus rufus aka Madagascar periwinkle, known as Sakajja in Central Uganda.

It is believed to do wonders. It clears the body of ailments that have cost many a fortune. It works wonders with kidney ailments, diabetes, complications in the gut and leukaemia."

The UWEC publicist Scovia Musimenta, says the volume of visitors from abroad interested in herbs is growing by the day as they fast become treatments of final resort.

"The onus is upon our practitioners to dose, sweeten and improvise longer shelf life for their medicine," said Musiimenta.

"Remember even quinine owes its roots to herbs."The UWEC garden is challenged to conserve these herbs that are destroyed by forest encroachment; swamp reclamation and clearing of forests to plant palm trees as it were in Kalangala.

Omutuba (Ficus Natalensis) is used for making back cloth in Buganda. But it treats blood vessel related ailments and running stomachs. (Photo by Titus Kakembo)

"Lucky enough Catharanthus rufus  is used widely as ornamental in the compound. People do not know they lose a lot in terms of indigenous plants with medicinal qualities." Musiimenta argues that, "It beats my thinking when the  Indigenous populations go for Indian and Chinese herbs while abandoning their heritage right in the back yard."

A walk through the garden was a revelation of several herbs with the ability to cure a variety of other diseases. There the Stinging Nettle known for boosting libidos and treating impotent men.

In rapid succession was Ficus Natalensis also known as Mutuba. It makes bark cloth but doubles as a medicine for bed wetting, tonsils and loose stool. 

Take heed, patients are advised to opt for these herbs after or prior to getting medication from western medicines.