Medicinal Plants and Traditional Healing Methods - African Medicinal Plants - page 406

should be noted that these methods are used only for the initial subjugation of the patient. Others
achieve such subjugation by traumatic methods, such as flogging with specially made whips or beat-
ing the patient until the patient is exhausted. In most cases, flogging or beating is later combined
with phytotherapy. In sacred music clinics, obedience to rhythm and orders is used to determine
the extent of sanity. The ability to serve in the clinic's music band is further proof of a better state
of the patient's mind. In all cases, herbs are used to supplement the spiritual healing processes.
Rauwolfia, Picralima, Voacanga, Parquetina, and Jatropha are among the common ingredients in
the medications for insanity.
Several psychosomatic disorders are traced only to the gods, evil spirits, and the magic manipu-
lations of enemies. Such possessed individuals exhibit aberrant behaviors that can be mistaken by a
layperson for insanity. Cure can be effected only after the appropriate rituals, sacrifices, and other
religious acts. The herbs used for the preparation of medicine for the treatment of psychosomatic
disorders are included in the catalog in Chapter 2.
Some of the plants are not necessarily used for their action on the brain but for the psychic effect
on the spiritual causes of many psychosomatic disorders. Several other plants regarded as sacred are
used mainly in rituals and religious ceremonies that are associated with traditional healing.

CONVULSIONS aND EPILEPSY

Drugs used for the treatment of convulsive seizures in children vary enormously from one local-
ity to the other. A common feature is the use of heat treatment, strong embrocations, and warm
fixed oils to arrest the seizures. The medicine pots for convulsions are prepared mainly with decoc-
tions from Calliandra porterensis, Tetrapleura tetraptera, Waltheria africana, Vernonia cinerea,
Ocimum basilicum, Xylopia aethiopica, and Jatropha curcas.

hELMINthIC INFEStatION

It is not clear whether the use of anthelmintics is indeed part of the ethnomedicine of Africa.
It is quite possible that the concept of treating worm infestation was learned originally from the
early European traders. In African folk medicine, worm expellers are quite common, and they are
usually followed with purgatives. Self-medication is prevalent, except for chronic cases for which
the expert knowledge of the herbalist is sought. The plants from which anthelmintic potions are
prepared include the following:

Anisopappus africanus Dalbergia melanoxylon

Antidersmia venosum Deinbollia kilimandschariea

Aspillia mossambicensis Dissotis rotundifolia

Bersema abyssinica Dombeya praetermissima

Bridelia micrantha Embelia schimperi

Calotropis procera Erythrina abyssina

Chyrospermum radicans Erythrophleum suaveolens

Cyathula cylindrical Eucclea natalensis

Cylicomorpha parviflora Gomophocarpus semilunatus

Grevia holstii Plumbago zeylanica

Hibiscus cannabinus Rhus natalensis

Hugonia castaneifolia Rumex bequartii

Jasminum floribundum Scorodophloeus fischeri