Buchu
Buchu (Barosma betulina) is a small shrubby plant that is native to South Africa. The Hottentots call the plant bookoo and that is where its name comes from. The leaves which have a strong aromatic taste and a peppermint-like odor are mixed with oil and used as a perfume. Buchu is part of the cultural heritage of the Khoi and San people and has long been known at the Cape, where it is infused in Brandy and known as Buchu Brandy, as a stimulant tonic and remedy for stomach problems. Today, Buchu is mainly used to relieve complaints of the genito-urinary tract. It is often combined with Uva Ursi for treatment of water retention and urinary tract infections.
Buchu Medical Uses
The main constituents of Buchu leaves are volatile oil, mucilage, pulegone, and diosphenol, the latter being considered to be the most important constituent, as it has antiseptic properties. Buchu has a healing influence on all chronic ailments of the genito-urinary tract. It is one of the best herbs for the urinary organs, as it absorbs excessive uric acid and reduces bladder irritations. Buchu has shown to increase the quantity of urinic fluids and solids, as well as being astringent and disinfectant to the mucuous membranes. It has further shown to be useful for the first stages of diabetes. Combined with Uva Ursi it is used to treat water retention and urinary tract infections. Taken warm, it can help in the treatment of enlargement of the prostate gland and irritation of the urethra. Buchu is helpful in the treatment of kidney stones, cystitis, and other urinary tract infections. It helps to normalize blood sugar levels and has shown to alleviate rheumatism. Externally, it it used to treat bruises, leukorrhea, and candidiasis. Finally, Buchu is also used to treat minor digestive disturbances.
Buchu Other Uses
Most of the world’s supply of Buchu is obtained from wild grown bushes in the mountains of South Africa. For medicine, the leaves are collected at the end of the season, and afterwards the hillsides are burned in order to remove weeds and underbush that might choke out the Buchu shrubs. Fresh Buchu leaves are collected and beverages or perfumes are made out of them. Dried Buchu leaves are either used in teas, or they are powdered and mixed with ointment. By a steam process, oil is derived that has a distinctive flavor similar to black currents, and is frequently used to give foods, beverages, or medicines a fruity flavor.
Buchu Side Effects and Risks
Buchu should not be taken by patients with liver disease or people who drink large amounts of alcohol, as one of the chemicals in Buchu, pulegone, may damage the liver. Pulegone can also provoke menstruation and cause miscarriage, therefore pregnant women should not take Buchu. Women who are breast-feeding should avoid the use of Buchu, as its effect on infants is unknown. As Buchu is known to trigger the start of menstruation, women may experience menstrual bleeding at unexpected times. Buchu also acts as a mild diuretic, therefore people who take duiretics should not take Buchu as this may promote the loss of water from the body. Patients who have to take anticoagulants should not use Buchu as this may lead to uncontrolled bleeding. For the same reason, Buchu should not be taken together with aspirin and other herbal products that are known to delay blood clotting, such as devil’s claw, garlic, ginkgo, and red clover.
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