Herbal remedies are made from plants that have medicinal properties. These plants have been used to treat different diseases since prehistoric times. Whilst some plants can help you treat diseases completely, others help you recover, boost your energy or manage disease. There are many traditional herbs in Zimbabwe. And many people still use these traditional herbs to treat different diseases. Recently many people have started to actively search for traditional herbs in Zimbabwe. This is due to the belief that they are more effective in treating chronic diseases. In this article, I will make a list of traditional herbs in Zimbabwe.
List of traditional herbs in Zimbabwe
For more information on traditional herbs in Zimbabwe you may read the following link texts.
You can search for Zimbabwe herbal plants on the Zimbabwe Flora Website.
Traditional use of medicinal plants
Role of indigenous medicinal plants
Traditional herbs from Buhera South in Zimbabwe
List of traditional herbs in Zimbabwe for females
- Mupfura: barks and roots used to safeguard infants against yellow fever.
- Ruzangaruvire: roots used to treat stomach aches.
- Rupupu: leaves used to treat whooping cough (chipanda and chipembwe)
- Chinharara: the roots and leaves help in treating polio, measles and diarrhoea.
- Chibhamubhamu: roots can treat measles and whooping cough.
Zimbabwean traditional herbs used by males
- Muzeze: used to treat toothache.
- Murumanyama: the barks and roots of the tree can several sexually transmitted diseases.
- Mutovamhuru: Leaves can treat backache problems.
- Mutovan’ombe: leaves and roots of mutovan’ombe can treat whooping cough, measles and diphtheria.
- Guniti: Barks can help in the treatment of mental illnesses.
- Mashanguri: roots can help treat snake bites
List of traditional herbs for treating stomach problems in Zimbabwe
- Chifumuro (Dicoma anomala): bulbous roots can treat stomach upset and other diseases.
- Chirindamatongo (Catharanthus Roseus): the roots of the herb can treat stomach ache problems.
- Njonjonjo: the bulbous roots of the herb can treat all sorts of abdominal problems.
- Munimu (Ochna pulchira): the leaves of the plant make a good remedy for stomach problems.
- Mubikasadza (Rhus Dentala): you can use the leaves to treat stomach problems, diarrhoea and ulcers.
- Ruhwahwa (Schkuria pinnata): the whole plant used in making remedies for easing stomach pains and problems.
- Rurimirwemombe (Sonchus oleraceus): leaves used in making remedies for treating stomach pains and problems.
More herbs for treating stomach problems
- Mukomberwa (Crossopterya febrifuga): the bark of the plant is the useful part. You can use this bark to treat dysentery and diarrhoea.
- Mubvumira (Kirkia acuminata): The bark can help in herbal treatments for stomach problems. Mubvumira bark treats cholera, dysentery, constipation and diarrhoea.
- Musambasi (Lannea edulis): the herbal remedy for this plant comes from its thick underground roots. The bark of thick underground roots is treat diarrhoea.
- Ruvavashuro (Indigofera setiflora): You can add the roots of this plant to remedies for treating diarrhoea.
- Marubhani: you can prevent and treat cholera using the bulbous roots of marubhani.
- Chimwazano: the roots of the chimwazano plant, can treat constipation problems.
- Mupasa (Brachylaena rotunda): The leaves of mupasa can help in making an ulcer herbal remedy.
- Mutodzvo (Leonutis leonurus): this plant also produces another antiulcer herbal remedy. This remedy for duodenal ulcers is made from the leaves of the mutodzvo plant.
- Mukomberwa (Crossoptera febrifuga): the bark of this plant can help in the treatment of several bowel problems however it has one of the weirdest application and administration methods.
- Chizuzu (Maylenus heterophylla): leaves of this plant make a herbal remedy for treating abdominal pain problems.
- Nhindiri (Hypoxis vigidula): the bulb of this plant is used remedies for treating the whole body.
List Traditional herbs in Zimbabwe for treating respiratory disorders
- Zumbani (Lippia javanica): this is a more common local herb also known as umsuzwane in isiNdebele or mosukudu in Botswana. You can use the leaves and twigs of this traditional herb from Zimbabwe to treat coughs, colds, chest pains, malaria and several other problems.
- Rufandichimuka/ Mufandichimuka (Mylothamnus flabellifoins): this is one of the most common traditional herbs in Zimbabwe. It is also known as resurrection bush in English. You can use the leaves and twigs of the shrub to treat colds and coughs.
- Mudziwebwe (Pellea adiantaceae): the leaves and roots of this plant can help you treat chest pains and chest-related problems.
- Mutsubvu (Vilex payos): besides producing tasty dark black fruit, this tree also has medicinal properties. The leaves can treat colds through a cough medicine.
- Rufuri (Coleochlora setiflora): this traditional herb in Zimbabwe is for those with pneumonia problems. The roots are used to make a remedy that acts as a pneumonia medicine.
- Gavakava (Aloe ferox): this herb like its relative the Aloe vera has many medicinal properties and uses. The leaves are used as a traditional herb for treating tuberculosis, stomach worms and diabetes.
- Mukute (Syzygium cordatum): the uniquely extracted bark of the mukute tree is used to make a special remedy for treating tuberculosis.
- Chimbwidi: the root of this plant s used to treat asthma problems.
- Mugwiti (Dalbergiame lanoxylon): the bark and leaves of mugwiti are very important in the treatment of diseases traditionally. The bark is used in the treatment of asthma. The leaves are important in the treatment of bronchitis and throat inflammation.
List of herbs used to traditionally treat sexual problems in Zimbabwe.
- Muvunga/ muzunga (Acacia karoo): the root of the tree can treat gonorrhoea, and syphilis and also acts as an aphrodisiac for men.
- Musimbiti (Androstachys jonhsonii): the bulbous root of this tree works as an aphrodisiac for men. It also acts as a remedy for convulsions.
- Mutunduru (Garciana huillensis): the yellow tarty fruit of mutunduru has aphrodisiac properties when eaten by men
- Musvosve (Mucaranga capensis): the roots also have aphrodisiac properties.
- Mutamba (Strychnos spinosa): You can make herbal remedies for sexually transmitted diseases gonorrhoea and genital warts using the fruits of mutamba.
- Munhiti (Spirostachys africana): the roots of the plants essential in the herbal treatment of venereal diseases and infections.
Zimbabwean traditional herbs for treating problems specific to women
- Ruredzo (Dicerocaryun zanguebarium): the whole plant is used for the dilation of the birth canal in females. This assists in the birth process for pregnant mothers.
- Saramhanda (Sansel vieral): remedies from the roots of the plant assist the birth process for pregnant mothers by dilating the birth canal.
- Mutunduru (Garciana huillensis): the bark of this plant reduces the size of the birth canal in traditional remedies.
- Mugan’acha (Lannea discolor): this plant helps in reducing the duration of menstrual flow.
- Muvonde/ muwonde (Fiscus fur): this tree’s fruit is used to increase the flow and yield of milk to breastfeeding mothers.
- Chirovadunguru: the roots and leaves of this plant are important for reducing and preventing miscarriages in pregnant mothers.
Also read: Traditional foods in Zimbabwe
Conclusion on traditional herbs lists in Zimbabwe
Traditional herbs have helped treat chronic diseases in rural Zimbabwe where access to expensive medical care is tough. Oral information from various people shows that there is a belief that these traditional herbs can treat chronic diseases. Some people believe that traditional herbs helped them overcome the early stage of cancer and diabetes. As a result, there has been a frenzy for traditional herbs in Zimbabwe. Whilst traditional herbs can heal, they can also be deadly. This is because you don’t know whether what you are using is enough to heal you or kill you. You need to be careful when using traditional herbs. Also, you must make sure that they do not interfere with other health conditions you have. I hope this list of traditional herbs in Zimbabwe will be useful.