The genus Justicia named after the 18th-century Scottish botanist James Justice is a flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae. Justicia carnea is a medicinal plant that is used conventionally as blood tonic from time immemorial in Nigeria. The resultant liquid after boiling is usually crimson red. Local consumers of the leaves are mostly anaemic patients, women who want their blood replenished after the menstrual cycle and pregnant women. It is generally considered as an ornamental plant and it is widely distributed in various parts of Africa. In Nigeria, it is grown around homesteads and acts as fences.

Justicia Carnea has been proven by researchers who used animal models in a new study that it possesses blood-boosting properties more effective than blood tonics. This enables it to effectively restore blood levels to normalcy within a short period of treatment. It is commonly called “Hospital too far” or Blood of Jesus. It is known as “ogwu obara” by the Igbo. The Yoruba call it “ewe eje” (blood leaf) or “ewe ajeri”(Jehovah Witness leaf). Obviously, it is called “èwe ajeri” as a reminder of the fact that the leaf is a substitute for blood transfusion for Jehovah Witnesses.

While preparing for the discussion on this plant, the fact that it is red like blood when boiled made the doctrine of signatures flash through my mind. Although modern medicine rejects the doctrine of signatures, scientific research tends to validate it unintentionally; all the research on Justicia has proven that it has blood-boosting properties! Could you believe that Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (efo iyana ipaja) is also called ‘’hospital too far’’ just like Justicia carnea? This is why I stressed last week that we should be careful about indigenous names of plants.

I spoke with a pastor, Atilade Adelami, on the plant because it was in his house I first saw the plant. He told me that a sick person who was hospitalised came down with serious anemia and they cooked the leaves for him. By the time the blood level of the sick person was checked again, it had gone up. He went further to say that he has used the plant for many people and good results have been reported.

The resultant liquid after boiling is usually crimson red. Most of the medicinal properties exhibited by the plant extracts such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic and anti-cancerous are associated with their bioactive constituents mainly phenols and flavonoids. Justicia Carnea leaves extract contain a rich supply of iron, riboflavin, vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B9, and B12. It has also been reported to be rich in both macronutrients and trace elements of which calcium and iron are in high quantity. Traditionally, several species of Justicia are used in the management of inflammation, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory tract infection, fever, pain, diabetes, diarrhoea, liver diseases, rheumatism and arthritis. They also possess anti-inflammatory, anti-tumoral, antiviral and analgesic activities. Species of Justicia found in India such as Justicia tranquebariensis and Justicia wynaadensis have been reported to possess cardioprotective prop-erties and antioxidant activity. In various parts of Africa, several species of Justicia are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of anemia, inflammation, fever, diarrhoea, liver diseases, arthritis, respiratory and gastrointestinal disorder.

Let me share a story with you before I proceed with my discussion on Justicia carnea. Years ago, one of my siblings, Mrs Bukola Oladejo, had her first child and before her menses returned, she discovered she was pregnant with the second child. After she weaned the second child, she visited me and was complaining that her menses had not returned again. I told her to let us put nature to the test. I started and as usual, everything I used is found in nature. Days later, she started having menstrual cramps and the menses eventually came!

Back to my discussion on Justicia. In Nigeria, the leaf of Justicia carnea is usually prepared with edible vegetables to make soup. It is boiled separately in water to make tea or prepared by cooking with other medicinal plants for therapeutic purposes. In some localities in Nigeria, the raw leaves are chewed while some use it together with Ocimum gratissimum (Efinrin) as culinary vegetables to garnish yam porridge...





source: https://punchng.com/nigerias-medicinal-plant-justicia-carne-ewe-eje/

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