Follow Us on Google
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. It covers and protects the structures beneath it, helps regulate body temperature and serves as an important barrier between the body and its environment.
When the skin is healthy, we often take it for granted. But when it becomes troubled by persistent itching, rashes, boils, fungal infections, ulcers or wounds that refuse to heal, the discomfort can become difficult to ignore.
For some people, the problem comes and goes. A rash disappears only to return again. A small itchy patch gradually spreads. A boil heals and another appears. A wound remains open longer than expected, or dark marks linger long after the original irritation has disappeared.
Persistent skin problems can have many causes, including bacterial or fungal infections, allergic reactions, irritants, inflammatory conditions and underlying health problems. This is why a skin condition that continues for months or repeatedly returns should not simply be covered with one cream after another. Proper evaluation is important, particularly when there is pain, pus, fever, rapid spreading, bleeding or delayed healing.
For generations, African traditional medicine has relied on indigenous plants for the care of the skin. Among these is Lonchocarpus cyanescens, a West African botanical resource traditionally valued for its medicinal applications as well as its remarkable importance as a natural dye plant.
Species:Lonchocarpus cyanescens (Schumach. & Thonn.) Benth.
Current accepted name:
Philenoptera cyanescens (Schumach. & Thonn.) Roberty
Family: Fabaceae
Common names: Yoruba Indigo, West African Indigo and local names including Anu or Anunu (Igbo), Elu or Ere (Yoruba).
The species is a woody climbing or straggling shrub that may grow to about 2.5 metres in cultivation. It bears pinnately compound leaves and attractive flower clusters whose flowers change from reddish tones to blue. The young leaves may also develop a bluish-black colour as they dry.
Beyond its medicinal importance, this plant has a fascinating cultural history. Its leaves and young twigs contain compounds that yield indigo, a valuable natural dye traditionally used across West Africa for colouring textiles and other materials. The plant is therefore an excellent example of how one botanical resource can serve both cultural and medicinal purposes.
Parts used: Leaves, roots and stem bark.
The medicinal potential of this botanical resource has been associated with naturally occurring phytochemicals. Pharmacognostic studies have reported the presence of alkaloids, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, tannins, saponins, steroids and flavonoids in the leaves. Other investigations have identified additional compounds and have examined the plant for anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities.
Traditional applications of the plant are as follows:
Skin ulcers and persistent skin spots:
The leaves have traditionally been applied externally for skin ulcers and skin spots. Ethnobotanical documentation from Nigeria records topical application of leaf preparations for these purposes. In traditional practice, the leaves may be prepared as a fresh poultice or used in a water-based preparation for washing affected areas.
This longstanding application is particularly interesting because the plant has also attracted scientific investigation into its phytochemical composition and biological activities.
Boils and skin inflammation:
Traditional medicine has also employed the leaves and roots in preparations for boils and other inflammatory skin complaints. Some ethnomedicinal records describe the roots as particularly valued for certain skin conditions, while experimental research has investigated anti-inflammatory activity associated with root extracts.
Wounds and ulcers:
The plant has a documented history of traditional use in the management of wounds and ulcers. Preparations made from the leaves or roots have been applied externally in different West African healing traditions.
The presence of tannins and other secondary metabolites has generated scientific interest in these traditional applications, although traditional use and laboratory findings should not be interpreted as proof that the plant will heal every wound or ulcer.
Fungal and other skin complaints:
Traditional records also associate this botanical resource with various skin diseases. Its use in indigenous medicine has contributed to continued scientific interest in its potential antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
However, not every itchy or circular skin patch is necessarily caused by the same organism. Ringworm, eczema, allergic dermatitis and other skin conditions can look similar. Correct identification remains important, especially when a condition is recurrent or does not respond to treatment.
I once recommended a traditional topical preparation involving this herb to a young man who had suffered from recurrent itchy, circular patches around his trunk and groin for almost two years.He had used several preparations with only temporary relief.
After consistent topical use of the botanical preparation, together with attention to his general routine and diet, he returned with an encouraging report:
“The patches have dried, the itching has stopped at night and my skin is clearing!”
This was his personal experience, and it illustrates why traditional botanical knowledge continues to attract attention. At the same time, one person’s experience cannot establish that the same preparation will produce the same result in everyone.
For external application, traditional practice may involve washing the fresh leaves thoroughly, pounding them into a paste and applying the preparation to the affected area. The leaves may also be prepared as a water decoction and used to wash the skin.
Because fresh plant preparations can sometimes irritate sensitive skin, particularly when applied to broken or extensively inflamed areas, care should be taken. Deep wounds, extensive ulcers, rapidly spreading infections and lesions accompanied by fever require professional medical attention rather than prolonged self-treatment.
African traditional medicine rarely views a plant in complete isolation. Depending on the condition being addressed, experienced practitioners may combine botanical resources according to their traditional knowledge, the part of the plant required and the presentation of the individual.
