By Johnny Coomansingh
Among other things, Trinidad and Tobago is famous for its bush medicines, potions, formulae, decoctions and recipes that are accepted as bible for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases and medical conditions. Many individuals prefer to imbibe medicines prepared from certain plants and eat certain things before consulting with a doctor. I am not here to vilify what we know as bush medicine because bush medicine has its place in our culture.
According to Patricia Bissessar’s Facebook post: “Those who grew up in a household with a mother knowledgeable in natural remedies can easily throw their mind back to the times when the backyard was the pharmacy, and various concoctions were forced down your throat.” As a geographer, and more so a cultural geographer, I always ask the ‘why,’ ‘where’ and most times, ‘how’ did these plants and practices arrive on our shores. I guess many plants came with the people who came to our shores as enslaved Africans, indentured servants of the British Crown and the Chinese as well. There is written evidence about what the South Asian indentured servants brought. In his article, A Passage of Indian Ancestral History in Trinidad and Tobago, Paras Ramoutar indicated: “They came with Ramayana, Hanuman chalisa, Satnarine Poti, tulsi plants, and mango trees.”
Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) or what we refer to as fever grass in Trinidad and Tobago, is one of the foremost herbs used when there is the onset of a fever. This plant grows in the backyards of almost everybody in my community. It is native to Southeast Asia. No one knows exactly who brought it to Trinidad but it could have come with the arrival of British indentured servants. In the article, ‘The Wonders of Lemon-grass,’ the Catholic News (June 29, 2020) stated:
“Fever grass is very popular in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica for many reasons. It is traditionally used in tea where the leaves are tied together into a bouquet and simmered with sugar in addition, it is used in many culinary dishes. Lemongrass is known to have antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, promotes sleep, relieves pain, boosts immunity and many more. The essential oils from the leaves are used to make various medicines. It is commonly taken orally, applied directly to the skin or inhaled as aromatherapy. In the manufacturing sector, lemongrass is used as a fragrance in soaps, cosmetics, deodorants and in the making of Vitamin A.”
Seed-under-leaf is also known as ‘Chanca Piedra’ (Phyllanthus niruri), or ‘Carry-me-seed.’ The plant is also known as ‘Miracle Leaf,’ ‘Life Plant,’ ‘Goethe Plant,’ and other variations. It is used as a traditional herbal remedy used for its potential benefits in kidney health, liver function, and digestive issues. It’s particularly recognised for its ability to help break down and remove kidney stones. Additionally, it’s believed to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. While native to Madagascar, it’s grown in many parts of the world…and it’s very present all over my community.
Although further research is needed as to its benefits, some research suggests that the plant’s juice may help with the disintegration of kidney stones. Some traditional uses also mention its ability to clean the bladder and remove harmful bacteria from the intestines. It has been used for the treatment of a variety of conditions such as rheumatism, cough, asthma, tonsillitis, diarrhea, body pain, arthritis, heartburn, skin ulcers, peptic ulcer, diabetes mellitus and microbial infections. It can be applied to wounds, boils and insect bites. It’s used for its potential to help with ulcers, improve intestinal function, and remove toxins. It’s also been studied for its potential to lower blood sugar, improve immunity, and even have anticancer properties. Nevertheless, there are important aspects to consider in the use of this herb.
While traditional uses are extensive, scientific research supporting these claims is still limited.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved seed-under-leaf for any condition, so it’s not a replacement for conventional medical treatment. It’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional before using seed-under-leaf, especially if you have pre-existing medical conditions or are taking medications, as it may interact with them.
Native to Madagascar, the Wonder of the World (Bryophyllum pinnatum/Kalanchoe pinnatum), or ‘Leaf of Life,’ is a plant with a variety of traditional medicinal uses, including treating conditions like asthma, diabetes, kidney stones, and high blood pressure. This plant is very common in the yards of people in Trinidad and Tobago. It’s also used topically for skin conditions and insect bites. The plant has a long history of use in traditional medicine, particularly in the Caribbean.
It’s believed to have properties that can help with respiratory issues like asthma, diabetes, kidney stones, high blood pressure and skin conditions like wounds, boils, and insect bites. Some ‘healers’ believe that if ‘yuh get blesse’ (blessure to wound/bad lash), the warmed leaves of the plant could be applied to the swollen areas of the body as a poultice to relieve pain. During my childhood days, we all used to place a Wonder of the World leaf in our school books to see it send out shoots.
Here’s Patricia Bissessar’s account of a medicine bush she once knew—Chandilier bush (Leonotis nepetifolia):
“This morning, while doing some yard work, our regular helper who does the brush cutting around the house, drew my attention to a plant and asked me if I knew the name of it. He also remarked he had not seen this plant in a long time. Having grown up and still living in the country, I immediately recognised the plant as the Chandelier bush a common remedy for coughs and colds by the elders in Trinidad and Tobago long ago. I, too, have not seen this plant growing in the wild for many years now. I remembered my mother crushing and squeezing the leaves which she brewed to make the remedy for coughs that would not go away.
Chandilay as it is commonly pronounced, is sometimes called Christmas candlestick. To the native indigenous people the Chandelier bush was traditionally used as a medicinal cure for respiratory problems like coughs, flu, and asthma. It was also used to treat fever, rheumatism, headaches, wounds, womb prolapse, and malaria. According to the source Zen Health/Trinidad Food/Caribbean, a 2016 study, on the scientifically proven benefits of chandelier, along with its traditional uses, revealed pharmacological evidence to support the traditional use of this bush medicine.
“Now one of the side effects I got from taking the first jab of the AstraZeneca is a nagging dry cough which tends to get worse at night. Thankfully, the doctor confirmed it was not COVID-19, and my lungs were not compromised. But as a precautionary measure were prescribed antibiotics which, after using the full course, the cough lingered. Since modern medicine has proven it is not quite effective in dealing with a cough that won’t seem to go away, being a typical Trini and knowing full well chandelier bush tea is not the most pleasant to consume, it’s time to turn back to the bush medicines of old.”
It has been used to address various health concerns, including respiratory issues, digestive discomfort, and mild pain relief. Additionally, its colorful flowers are known to attract pollinators, making it a beneficial addition to pollinator-friendly gardens. The first time I tried it was horrible. The little teaspoon of juice from the leaves with a little pot salt was horrible…aargh, what bitterness, but the medicine worked.
Tea made with Soursop (Annona muricata) leaves is always recommended for anyone suffering from insomnia. Making soursop tea with a leaf or two is one thing but the soursop fruit is regarded as one of the best fruits in the world. Also known as graviola, and guanabana, the Soursop is a delicious tropical fruit that can be eaten raw when ripe or turned into drinks and ice cream. WebMD had this to say about Soursop:
“Soursop contains many essential vitamins and minerals, including: Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Zinc, and Copper. The fruit and the leaves of the Soursop contain many other antioxidants, including phytosterols, tannins, and flavonoids. Antioxidants play a role in your overall health and may help protect against a variety of health conditions. Antioxidants fight free radicals, reducing the damage to your cells caused by oxidative stress. One of the side effects of oxidative stress is inflammation. The antioxidants in soursop may, therefore, help reduce inflammation in the body.
“Soursop is a tropical fruit full of antioxidants. It grows in Central and South America and has been used in these countries for decades to treat many types of health problems. Although there’s little scientific evidence to show it’s beneficial for people, several in vitro and animal studies have found that soursop extract may have positive results in treating some cancers and gastric ulcers, lowering blood pressure, and stabilizing blood glucose. We need more research to know if these effects apply to people.”
Whenever we come upon a patch of the plant, as children we loved to provoke the Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica) with our little verse: “Marie, Marie, close yuh door. Police coming tuh hold yuh.” Normally referred to as ‘Tee-Marie,’ this wonderful plant seems to many people as just another thorny, noxious weed. However, it is believed to have curative powers over several disorders such as cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, obesity, and urinary infections. Tee-Marie is famous for its anticancer alkaloid, mimosine, along with several valuable secondary metabolites like tannins, steroids, flavonoids, triterpenes, and glycosylflavones. One writer said that you have a gold mine if you have this plant around.
This article has just scratched the surface concerning bush medicine plants used in Trinidad. I have identified over 30 plants in Trinidad that residents use as medicine. Space would not permit me to write about all of them in this session but rest assured that I will come up with some more plants, for example mango leaf, papaya leaf, wild carilli, guava leaf, shining bush, fowl foot grass, matico, sea moss (Irish Moss), and of course, the so-called aphrodisiac known as bois bande (Richeria grandis).
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