The Top 3 Herbs from Australia
Many of us associate the practice of using herbs for alleviating health problems to traditional Chinese and Indian (Ayurvedic) systems of medicine. However, it’s not just limited to these two alternative medicinal systems. People in many parts of the world also traditionally used herbs to heal their bodies and improve their health and wellness, including Australia.
The smallest continent on earth has thousands of years’ long history of using herbs for medicinal purposes. The system is called Bush Medicine, or Australian Bush Medicine, and is built on traditional herbs used by Indigenous Aboriginals. To help increase your knowledge about the traditional medicinal system that is less known to the general public, here we’re listing some of the best herbs from Australian traditional medicinal system:
Kangaroo Apple
Commonly known for its unique leaves that somewhat look like a Kangaroo’s paw (hence, the name), the Kangaroo Apple plant has been both a source of food and medicine for many Aboriginal tribes. The fruits of the Kangaroo Apple plant are rich in alkaloid solanine, which, when infused with hot water, forms a steroid that is vital for the production of cortisone in the body. The steroid also has anti-inflammatory properties. Due to this property, the fruits of Kangaroo Apple are widely used as a poultice on swollen joints. They also work great for joints pain, small wounds, scarring, and skin pigmentation.
The green fruits and young leaves of Kangaroo Apple are used to manufacture oral contraceptives in several parts of the world.
The two species of Kangaroo Apple used for medicinal purposes are Solanum laciniatum and Solanum aviculare.
Goat’s Foot
Goat’s Foot, or Ipomoea pes-caprae, is a hardy creeping vine commonly found growing from the sand dunes of northern NSW to the coast of Queensland. The indigenous people of these areas have long been using the plant as a natural pain-relieving remedy for stings of stonefish and stingray. The leaves of the vine are crushed, heated, and applied topically on the site for this purpose.
Snake Vine
Bearing the scientific name Hibbertia scandens, Snake Vine is another Australian native plant with powerful antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. The Aboriginals used the leaves and stems of the plant as a topical remedy for joints pain, particularly arthritis pain and inflammation resulting from injuries. The sap of Snake Vine also has strong antiseptic properties.