10 Amazing Health Benefits of Scent Leaf You Need To Know
Ocimum gratissimum, often known as scent leaf, is a highly medicinal plant. It is an African leaf that grows in parts of Africa and Asia. Apart from its pleasant aroma, it is primarily utilized as a culinary herb due to its medicinal properties. In Yoruba, it is known as ‘efinrin,’ in Igbo as ‘nchanwu,’ and in Hausa as ‘daidoya.’
Scent leaf is well-known for its potent aromatic herbal health benefits. It can be cooked as a vegetable stew or as a spice after being boiled, pureed, and cooked. It contains essential nutrients that are extremely beneficial to the body. Vitamin A, carbon, iron, phosphorus, and calcium are all present.
The plant has antibacterial, antifungal, larvicidal, and antipyretic properties, making it useful in the treatment and prevention of diseases and infections. Scent Leaves include critical bioactive substances that give the aforementioned functions, such as tannins, phenols, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, and others, all of which are necessary for human health.
Scent leaf can also be used as a vegetable spice, adding a distinct flavor and aroma to any meal. It has numerous health benefits that you should be aware of. It is not commonly cultivated, especially before it is available. Because of its uniqueness, it is generally found near homes.
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10 Amazing Health Benefits of Scent Leaf
Below are 10 health benefits of scent leaf you need to know:
1. It Protects Against Malaria and Fever
In Nigeria, it is known as ‘fever leaf,’ and it is an effective malaria therapy, especially when combined with bitter leaf. To avoid nausea, boil, squeeze, or smear it before drinking. It has been demonstrated that persons who use this frequently as a drink do not become ill quickly. It fortifies the body’s defenses against malaria and fever.
2. Enhances heart function
Scent leaves have calcium and magnesium, which both aid to lower bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) and enhancing blood circulation. Because low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterols raise the risk of Coronary Artery Disease in adults, consuming fragrance leaves can help to minimize this ever-present risk. Heart and arterial issues caused by clogged arteries are nearly prevented if sufficient amounts of scent leaves are consumed.
3. Lowers blood sugar levels
Scent leaves have an unrivaled ability to decrease blood sugar and prevent insulin-producing pancreatic islets from harm. A study on mice revealed that fragrance leaves were effective in decreasing blood sugar levels.
4. It Aids digestion Of Food
Scent leaves can help alleviate bloating and aid with the digestion of food. Brew scent leaves can help with bowel evacuation and have a relaxing effect on the stomach. Heartburn can also be relieved by drinking scent leaves tea.
5. Fungal Infection Treatment
Scent leaves possess antifungal efficacy against Penicillium chrysogenum (also known as Penicillium notatum), Candida albicans, and Microsporeum gyseum, according to research. Chloroform preparations of the leaves shown significant antifungal activity against the aforementioned fungus species. Thus, when crushed and spread on skin ailments, scent leaves aid in their cure.
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6. Treatment of respiratory infections
Aqueous extracts of scent leaves have shown effects on inflammation markers such as interleukins, protein kinases, and leukocytes/eosinophils in respiratory allergy models (in vitro experiments evaluating effects on airway epithelial cells, in vivo studies in rodents) and can thus be used to treat respiratory problems.
As a remedy for obstructed nostrils, the leaves are rubbed between the palms and sniffed.
7. Diarrhea Treatment
Scent leaf extracts in ethanol and hot water (100oC) have been shown to be effective against several pathogenic bacteria known to induce diarrhea, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Shigella sp., and Salmonella sp. It is thus possible that scent leaves can be prepared as tea to treat diarrhea caused by the aforementioned microbes.
Furthermore, the use of scent leaves in the treatment of diarrhea can be related to the relaxing action of O. gratissimum essential oil, which is likely attributable to a direct influence on the smooth muscle of the ileum rather than an indirect effect on neurotransmitter release.
8. Activity in wound healing
Because it is said to keep the baby’s umbilical cord and wound surfaces sterile, scent leaf is commonly used in the dressing of neonatal umbilical cord and wounds. Scent leaf’s wound healing properties may be linked to its capacity to improve vascular permeability.
O. gratissimum leaf essential oil (Ocimum oil) formulations have been used in a range of bases as topical antiseptics and for the treatment of boils and pimples.
9. Promotes Normal Hair Growth
One of the most feared adverse effects of cancer chemotherapy is hair loss. The essential oil of scent leaves (Ocimum oil) promoted hair development and follicular proliferation in cyclophosphamide-induced hair loss.
10. Encourages Good Oral Hygiene
When used as a chewing stick, the stem of the scent leaf kills bacteria in the mouth and aids in the prevention of bad breath. It can also prevent tooth decay. Tea brewed from smell leaf leaves can be used as a tonic or as a gargle to cure sore throats.
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Some Frequently Asked Questions
Can scent leaf drive snakes?
The smell of scent leaf, lemongrass, tobacco plant, or Datura stromonium, when planted around the building drives snakes away. The seeds are collected and spread at different places around a building, a house and in a homestead to repel snakes.
What time of the day is good for scent leaf bath?
Scent leaf bath is good to be taken in the evening. Scent leaf can be used for bathing or eaten raw to help a woman’s ovulation.
What is The Dosage of scent leaf juice?
he scent leaf aids the quick digestion of food, has a calming effect on the stomach and helps with bowel evacuation. The scent leaves can be taken once or twice per day. It’s not advisable to blend and store for more than 3day
