Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
olmanyinyikwa olemura; Kiluguru: msuameno; Kigogo: iwenya, mzenye, izenhye; Kinyiramba:
inengafai, ijembaei, idumbasi; Kinyaturu: lumbasi; Kinyamwezi: ilumbasye; Kihehe: iwenye;
Rwanda: umwenya
Description —
It is a much-branched herb about 1-4 m high, with ribbed stem and glabrous
branchlets. The leaves are simple, oppositely arranged, 3-12 cm long, 1.6 cm wide with ovate to
ovate-lanceolate or sometimes lanceolate blade, and bluntly serrated margin. The apex is acumi-
nate, and the base is cuneate. It has terminal inflorescence with simple or paniculate racemes. The
flowers are hermaphrodite, borne in whorls, and irregularly shaped. The corolla is a whitish or
greenish-yellow tube, about 5 mm long, with a 4-lobed upper lip. The calyx is distinctly hairy, 5-7
mm long, with an oval upper lip, with the lower lip displaying 4 triangular teeth. The herb gives a
pleasant aromatic odor when crushed.
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Habitat and Distribution —
Like other members of the genus,
Ocimum suave
is widely dis-
tributed throughout the continent. It is primarily a savanna species, occurring in a wide range of
soils at altitudes between 100 and 20,000 m in areas receiving between 500 and 1500 mm or more
annual rainfall. The plant is the dominant species in most of eastern and southern Africa. It has
been found to occur in Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Somali, Uganda, Kenya, Botswana, Angola,
Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It also occurs in the West Coast
and grows well in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Cameroon, as well as in North
Yemen and Comoro Island.
Ethnomedicinal Uses —
The plant is used as a local application for the relief of nasal conges-
tion; for this purpose, the fresh herb is crushed and sniffed. Extracts of the plant have been used
for the treatment of coughs, abdominal pains, and ear and eye inflammation and as a gargle for
mouth infections. The FAO monograph
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of the species reported that a decoction of the root pieces
is administered twice a day for barrenness. The drug was also listed for the regulation of menstrua-
tion and for the treatment of prolapse of the rectum. The smoke from the burning plant is used as a
mosquito repellant. The plant is also used as a charm against evil spirits.
Constituents —
O. suave
has a high content of volatile oil, which consists mainly of eugenol.
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Pharmacological Studies —
The plant has antimicrobial activity. Other uses are as described
for
O. gratissimum.
Eugenol is used extensively in restorative dentistry as a temporary filling mate-
rial for root canal. The leaf of
O. suave
is used to perfume chewing tobacco and snuff. Most of
the pharmacological activities described under
Ocimum gratissimum
L. are applicable to
Ocimum
suave
Willd (
Ocimum gratissimum
subsp
. gratissimum
).
OCIMUM SANCTUM
Ocimum sanctum
is a synonym of
Ocimum
tenuiflorum
L. The plant occurs in parts of northern
and eastern regions of the continent. The medicinal uses are as indicated for the previously dis-
cussed species.
An alcoholic extract and aqueous suspension of the leaves of
Ocimum sanctum
have been
reported as possessing an immunomodulatory effect on an antigenic challenge of
Salmonella
typhosa
and sheep erythrocytes in albino rats.
837
It was found that there was definite stimulation
of the humoral immunologic response, as represented by an increase in antibody titer in both the
Widal and sheep erythrocyte agglutination tests as well as by a cellular immunologic response rep-
resented by E-rosette formation and lymphocytosis.
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OLEA EUROPAEA
Botanical Name —
Olea europaea
Linn.
