The Health Benefits of African Wild Potato

The African wild potato Hypoxis hemerocallidea is native to South Africa and belongs to the Hypoxidaceae family.

It is a bitter plant used for a wide variety of conditions, including diabetes, bleeding and prostate problems. It is popularly used by many people to make medicine.

Traditional healers have used the African wild potato boiled into tea for its medicinal properties. The tea from the plant is said to quickly replace lost of blood.

The tea is used in conjunction with other plants to combat “bad blood” in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Orally, the African wild potato is used for bladder and urinary disorders including cystitis, prostate problems including prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer, lung disease, and cancer. Topically, the African wild potato is used for wound healing.

African wild potato may boost immune function. Some believe its nutrient values are 50,000 times greater than modern vegetables.

Today, sterols and sterolins are still sought after and are preferred immune system boosters.

The Shangaan used African wild potato in a mixture with other plants for endometriosis and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The rootstock was one of the ingredients of an infusion taken as an internal parasiticide and purgative.

African Wild Potato
African Wild Potato

In Africa, traditional herbal medicines are often used as primary treatment for HIV/AIDS and for HIV-related problems including dermatological disorders, nausea, depression, insomnia, and weakness.

Some herbal and traditional medicines are not well-researched, poorly regulated, may contain adulterated products, and may produce adverse effects.

Herbal supplements are used all over the world especially in Africa for its medicinal properties, always contact a health care provider before consuming herbs and do a skin patch test before applying to skin.

While some people will have no problem using herbs others might have adverse side effects, pregnant and nursing mothers should avoid the use of herbs and it should never be used on children.