Acanthusmontanus (Nees) T. Anders
Family: Acanthaceae.
Common names: English false thistle; leopard’s tongue; agamevu, ógwu-agha (Igbo); ahun-ekun (Yoruba).
Acanthus is a thinly branched perennial with basal clusters of oblong to lanceolate shaped glossy, dark greenleaves reaching up to 30 cm long. The leaves have silver marks, wavymargins with acuminate tips and thorns. It reaches up to1.8 m tall and about 24 inches wide. Flowers are pink toreddish in long erect spikes. Aesthetically, this is quite beautiful particularly as the flowers open down the stem. Butget too near and it pricks you! Yes, Acanthus is an extremely prickly plant andcertainly looks after itself. It is even pricklier in its dried state.
The species is native to tropical areas in Western Africa, andthrives well in shady habitats but tolerates sunny, dry environments too.
The phytochemical components of this plant which attribute to itsdiuretic, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, analgesic, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, ccarminative, anthelmintic,purgative, and mosquitocidal properties include- alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, and tannins.
Parts used: Leaves androots. Acanthus is popularlyused in traditional medicine in many parts of the world including Nigeria.Though an extremely unfriendly plant to handle (due to its sharp spines), it’sbeen used for thousands of years to relieve many health conditions.
Here’s how it can help you.
Internalheat: Dried leaf powder is taken with pap and isespecially beneficial for heat in the lower abdomen in women. One teaspoon is to betaken two times daily. Acanthus also works well for night sweats; sleepdisruption, and other types of menopausal discomfort.
Back pain: If you are coping withback pain, go for an herbal formula that contains Acanthus. The anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and analgesic properties of thisplant enhance its medicinal use for backache significantly. The leaves aredecocted and drunk as an analgesic, blood purifier and excellent nerve tonic. Poultices of the leaves can also be appliedtopically to relieve arthritis associated with backache.
Muscle spasms: Theherb is an excellent analgesic, antispasmodic and muscle relaxant. Take asinfusions, one teaspoon; two to three times daily. You may also add finelypowdered plant parts to Shea butter. Massage daily until desired results areseen.
Vaginal problems: When it comes tofemale issues concerning the genitals- dryness, rashes, itching, redness, orirritation, this herb is a woman’s best friend. It is a powerful remedy forreducing vaginal dryness and boosting tissue tone and elasticity. Also, it is used in Africantraditional medicine for the treatment of urogenital infections, urethral pain,endometritis, urinary disease, cystitis, and leucorrhoea.Start with one teaspoon, two times daily.
Bacterial infections: The plant may helpyou get rid of that stubborn infection. In some studies, ethanolic extract of leaves has shown marked antibacterial activityagainst Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and other bacterial infections.
Boils: Poultices of the plant parts areused. Grind the roots/leaves and paste on boils for faster ripening and bursting.To maturate abscesses, apply hotpoultices of theplant.
Wounds: The herb possesses antiseptic attributes that are effective in treating skin afflictions. Acanthus contains high levels of tannins, which help to accelerate the process of repairing damaged tissues andstop hemorrhages from grazes and cuts. The tannins are also useful in curingscalds, insect bites, piles, and skin problems accompanied by inflammations.
Upset stomach: With its ability to relievespasming and cramping, antispasmodic properties, Acanthus can ease stomachdiscomfort. The plant is a carminative, helping to remove air stuck in theintestines by pushing it downwards until it’s expelled from the body. Therelaxing, anti-inflammatory effects of Acanthus’s photochemical compounds can ease the knots and inflammationof the gastrointestinal system and relieve tightness and discomfort.
Constipation: A decoction of leafy-twigs is taken in as a purgative to clear the bowels of hard stools.
Liver disorder: Researchershave recorded the hepatoprotective potential of the plant. In a study, the alcoholic and aqueous extracts of leaf and stem ofAcanthus montanus wasshown to prevent liver damageinduced by carbon tetrachloride in rats.
Cough and chest complaints: Acanthusis a powerful remedy for treating chronic cough and chest complaints. Wholeplant is decocted for 45 minutes and one teacup taken two times daily for sevendays. Repeat dosage after two weeks.
Aneamia: For blood shortage and purification, boil the leaves –take one teacup two times daily. Be sure to check with your physician to ruleout any underlying issues.
Mountain thistle is readily available and can be purchased from localherb sellers. But be careful, it has prickles. For me, it is always a bit of anightmare to collect them; every bit of it is covered with sharp spines!