Bitter leaf included in Acanthaceae family. This plant grows wild in open places such as roadsides, in fields, on vacant land rather damp soil, or planted in the garden as a medicinal plant. This plant is easy to do reproduction and can plant in lowlands to 700 m above sea level.
The bitter leaf plant has different species and is a member of the Acanthaceae family. You can find the bitter leaf growing in many open places such as roadsides, bushes, vacant lands with damp soil, open fields, and also in gardens where are as grown for medicinal purposes or for food.
When it comes to planting, bitter leaf is one of those vegetables or herb that can easily be cultivated and can also thrive in life like low land.
The stem of a bitter leaf plant can easily develop roots and soon begin to produce leafs if planted and well catered for.
What are the nutritional benefits of the bitter leaf plant?
Lactone as well as the bitter leaf herb contains flavonoids. Lactone derived from branches and leaves, respectively contain 14-deoxy-n, deoxy andrographolide, 12-didehydroandrographolide, homoandrographolide, and andrographolide.
There are also alkane, ketones, aldehydes, sodium, potassium, calcium, resin, and acid grit. Flavonoids can also be found in bitter leaf with the application of roots namely: andrgrafin, polimetoksiflavon, mono-0-metilwithin, pan ikulin, apigenin-7, and 4-dimetiler.
While a lot of people make soups and porridges using the bitter leaf, not everyone is aware that the plant is one of the most nutritious and powerful ones on the planet. It even shares lots of similar benefits with turmeric.
Below are some of the most wonderful bitter leaf benefits you should know:
1. Helps to reduce fever
The bitter leaf contains an antiseptic that is very effective to reduce the heat inside. The content of andrographolide lactones, glucosides, diterpene,and flavonoids serve to reduce Fever. Fever is a common symptom of malaria and other conditions.
Especially when you can easily catch a flu, having some bitter leaf around may just be all the treatment you need. The bitter leaf plant contains an antiseptic quality that has been discovered to be wonderful at reducing the heat inside a person’s body.
The flavonoids, andrographolide lactones, diterpene, and glucosides, work together to combat fever.
To use bitter leaf for treatment of fever follow these instructions:
- Measure and boil 25 g dried turmeric tuber (2.5 thumbs),10 grams of sun-dried bitter leaf, and 200 ccs of water.
- Boil the water with the bitter leaf and turmeric, measure out 100 ccs, then strain.
- While the bitter leaf tea is still warm, get some mahogany cotton flower honey and add about 100 ccs to the water, then stir well. Divide the tea into 3 parts, and drink three times a day.
2. It prevents cancer
It has been revealed that bitter leaf can treat trophoblastic tumor, hydatidiform mole, and lung tumor which are considered the forerunner of cancer.
Bitter leaf extracts have shown activity in certain substances that are considered effective in the treatment or prevention of liver diseases, improvement of immune system function, and anti-cancer.
Some studies have reported that bitter leaf plant can stop the growth of tumors, inhibit the activities of gastric cancer cells, and bitter leaf extracts can also inhibit the development and growth of breast cancer cells.
To make an anti tumour medicine using the bitter leaf herb follow the instructions below:
- Simply get some dried bitter leaf and combine with turmeric.
The medicinal qualities found in turmeric coupled with the substances that exist in the bitter leaf will be able to form a potent formula that will function as an effective cancer prevention drug.
The use of the bitter leaf and turmeric combination to fight cancer cells dates as far back as whenever the use of herbs for treatment of cancer began.
This herbal formula works because both herbs compliment each other and the mutual supportiveness is what also speeds up the healing process.
3. Bitter leaf lowers hypertension
The compounds in the bitter leaf plant have among other wonderful substances alkaloid, andrographolide a bitter taste, and potassium. All of these can help to improve the body’s defence mechanism which produces white blood cells that fight bacteria amongst other foreign substances.
For the use of bitter leaf and a way to reduce high blood pressure, lots of people simply squeeze out the bitter leaf juice and add some salt.
Potassium is a compound that provides help for the reduction of high blood pressure. Several studies have shown that the liquid deduction of the bitter leaf plant ( 10% at a dose of 0.3 ml / kg body weight ) can lower blood sugar levels to points that can be compared to what is provided by glibenclamide suspension.
To reduce high blood pressure, we can use all of the parts of the bitter leaf plant or just the roots. Follow this instruction to use bitter leaf for hypertension:
- Collect a half handfull of some fresh bitter leaf.
- Wash and boil the fresh leaf in 3 cups of water or at most four cups of clean water.
- Boil the water with its leaf content for about 8 to 10 minutes
- Once properly boiled, filter as much as 3/4 of the water and allow to cool before drinking.
- Drink twice daily
Please note that this drink is very bitter but effective at regulating high blood pressure.
4. Effective for typhus disease
Bitter leaf plant is also used as a herbal remedy for typhus. The typhus disease is one that is caused by bacterial infection of the lymph nodes, spleen and intestine. The incubation period of typhus is between 5-14 days.
How to take medicine:
- Boil 10 leafs of the bitter leaf plant combined with some 500 cc of clean water and mandarin orange peel.
- Once water is boiled, allow to sit for a while till it is cool enough for drinking. Heat up to a lukewarm temperature and drink two to three things daily.
5. As a treatment for itching
Itching can be very uncomfortable and destabilizing, but with some bitter leaf, you can fix the problem.
- To treat itching using bitter leaf, follow the instruction below
- Get 1 gram of bitter leaf, and 1 gram of ginger root
- Get a clean and dry blender and blend all ingredients until fine and smooth like powder.
- Dilute the combination with one cup of water and then drink 3 times a day.
6. As treatment for malaria
Malaria is a very common illness in Africa and not every person wants to treat it with pills or injections. The malaria illness is caused by a parasite known as plasmodium which is commonly carried and spread by mosquitoes.
To cure malaria, follow the instructions below:
- Get a handful of bitter leaf and boil in four cups of drinking water.
- Once boiled, allow up to 2 cups of the water to cool then drink three times daily.
7. Increased Endurance
Do you get tired easily? there are so many reasons why you may be feeling that way but the good news is that there are available remedies. Bitter leaf is one of them.
Bitter leaf and some other bitter substances come with the typical form of andrographolide. Besides the andrographolide, bitter leaf also has panni colin which is also an important substance. Based on the presence of both elements, the bitter leaf plant is named andrographis paniculate.
Generally if you are trying to increase endurance, all you have to do is drink two cups of bitter leaf juice a day.
How to make it:
- Get 10 grams of dried bitter leaves and boil in a pot with 4 cups of water for 10 minutes.
- Drink twice daily.
Bitter leaf has many other health benefits that you can enjoy, so take advantage of them. Leave a comment below and also share this article.
