The Yoruba Perception About Leaves (Ewe) and the History

EWE (Herbs)
The use of herbs and plants, called ewe in Yoruba, is of great importance. Herbs are picked for medicinal, and the spiritual powers they possess. In Yorubaland, herbs are gathered by the Oloogun, or by the various types of herbalists who inhabit the regions where Osain is practiced. The population can usually obtain herbs either by private practice or from the marketplace in town. In the Americas and the Caribbeans, Osain based practitioners are also directed to use herbs as medicine. Here the Oloogun or priests, as well as devotees alike gather herbs for medicine, baths, and religious artifacts. Because of the wide-spread practice of Osain in the New World, Nigerians and people from other African countries have begun to set up herbal businesses in increasing numbers. More and more indigenous herbs are now being made accessible to devotees here in the Americas. It is said that ewe (herbs) are for the "healing of Nations" and many health food stores provide them in powder, leaf, and capsule form. Adherents to the traditional practices of Osain are usually advised to use herbs as medicine before going to Western allopathic drugs for healing.

Yoruba Medicine, Its Origin and More information.

Yorubic medicine is indigenous to and widely practiced on the African continent. Yorubic medicine has its roots in the Ifa Corpus, a religious text revealed by the mystic prophet, Orunmila, over 4,000 years ago in the ancient city of Ile-Ife, now known as Yorubaland. Within the last 400 years, this healing system has also been practiced in the day-to-day lives of individuals in the Caribbean, and South America, in large part, because of the traditions brought over by African slaves arriving in the Americas.
Orunmila's teachings were directed at the Yoruba people which centered around the topics of divination, prayer, dance, symbolic gestures, personal and communal elevation, spiritual baths, meditation, and herbal medicine. This ancient text, the Ifa Corpus, is the foundation for the art of divine herbology. Although Yorubic medicine has been practiced in Africa for over 4,000 years, its fundamental principles are little known to Westerners around the world. Among the various medical techniques for diagnosis and treatment, Yorubic medicine provides an important and valuable system worthy of study. The purpose of Yoruba is not merely to counteract the negative forces of disease in the human body, but also to achieve spiritual enlightenment and elevation which are the means of freeing the soul.

How the Yoruba Culture of Nigeria use Dracaena Spp, Anacardium Occidentale and Magnifera India

The Dracaena arborea, (botanical name) that goes in various local names but called Peregun (yoruba); is a perennial tree up to 20m tall with deep green think leaves. Margin entire and leaves agave-like. It is found around homes and in distributed forests and also common in not too dry places.
The part used are the roots. The active chemical compounds are tannis and frustanol glycoside. The decoction (extraction of water soluble materials through boiling) of the root is highly effective for abdominal pains
Anacardium occidentale L., (botanical name). The common name is cashew nut tree.The local name is Kaju (Yoruba). It is a tree of about 10m high with a crooked trunk, rather sprawling crown and simple obovate leaves and resinous barks with a big fruit. It is mostly found in sandy and coastal regions. The part used are the bark, fruit, and twigs. The chemical compounds are tannins and Phenols.

A few more plants in yoruba

   Transvaal alchornea – yoruba: ijandu, ijandudu, gbaluwo, ijan pupa, sewo sese pepe, ijan, ijan funfun, pepe
    Christmas bush – yoruba: isin, ipa, epa, esin, asiyin, esin abata
    Yellow siris, yellow bean – yoruba: ayinreta, ayinre popo, ayunre, akudinrin, alota
    Lebbeck tree, siris tree, white siris tree, bastard lebbeck, tall albizia, white siris – Yoruba: ayinreta; Edo: ekpaghudo; Igbo: nyie avu
    Flat Crown – yoruba: ayinre, ayinre isingede, ayinre ogo
    Black currant tree – yoruba: aduigbo, asofeyeje, olowuko, yanya holo
    Tassel berry – yoruba: aponlojusese, aroro
White mahogany – yoruba: ifa okete
    Kola nut – yoruba: obi-abata, ogungun
Zulu coshwood, vanquisher – yoruba: atewu-edun, orodo, ofun, fomu, obi-edun
    Job’s tears, gromwell-read, pearl barley – yoruba: obi, obi ifin, obi pupa, obi abata
    African mahogany, counterwood – Yoruba : apa, ako apa, apa igbo
    Pond apple – afe

Yoruba Names of Plants (Continued from where I Stopped)

I cannot Post all the Yoruba Names of Herbs once, because we have many herbs and the more research I conduct, the more I discover new herbs and names. Here is the continuation of the List.

    Alchornea cordifolia – Ipa
    Caesalpinia pulcherima – Barbados pride, dwarf poinciana, Barbados flower-fence – Eko-omode
    Afzelia africana – Afzelia, Lenke, Lengue, or Doussi – Apa-igbo
    Alternanthera sessilis – sessile joyweed or dwarf copperleaf – Reku-reku
    Anacardium occidentale – Cashew – Kasu
    Anthocleista djalonensis, Anthocleista liebrechtsiana – Sapo, Shapo
    Arachis hypogea – peanut, or groundnut – Epa
    Bambusa vulgaris – Golden Bamboo, or Buddha’s Belly Bamboo – Oparun
    Baphia nitida – African sandalwood – Osun, Irosun
    Allanblackia floribunda – tallow tree – Eku, Eso roro
    Byrsocarpus coccineus – Amuje wewe
    Calendula officinalis – pot marigold – Ododo-Maria in yoruba
    Calotropis procera – Sodom apple – Bomubomu
    Canarium schweinfurthii – African elemi or canarium – Paapo, Origbo

Yoruba Names for plants (Continued)

Lawsonia inermis – Henna plant – Laali, Lali
Ficus exasperata -Ficus Tree – Epin
Ficus asperifolia – Ipin
Ficus capensis – Opoto
Ficus elegans – Asoro
Ficus mucuso – Odan-afomo
Ficus thoningii – Odan-abaa
Ficus vallis-choudae – Ogunro
Vernonia amygdalina – Ewuro
Phyllanthus amarus – stonebreaker or seed-under-leaf- Eyin-olobe
Mucuna sloanei – Werepe

Ìtàn Ìjà laarin Ọ̀kẹ́rẹ́ àti Asin – Ìgbẹ̀hìn Ìjà fún Asin àti òfófó fún Ìjàpá kò bímọ ire” – “The fight between the Squirrel and the Rat (with a long mouth) and the Consequence of Gossiping for the Tortoise

Once upon a time, the animals had their own market.  On Market Days, the Lion, Dog, Deer, Hyena, Fox, Elephant, Leopard, Squirrel, Rat (with long mouth) and other animals brought their farm produce to the market for sale.  Elephant was the Market Leader while Lion was the Deputy.  All the animals knew the vices of each other.  Rat was known to love fighting, while gossiping and poke-nosing was the Tortoise’s vice.
One day, a fight broke out between the Squirrel and the Rat.  The Rat loved fighting hence the other animals did not intervene when the fight began.  Tortoise left his stall, ran as fast as he could to watch the fight.  On getting there, he thought the Rat was prevailing on the Squirrel, so in sympathy for the Squirrel, he jumped in their midst.  The Rat disdained the Tortoise for not minding his business, hence, he was angry, he then left the Squirrel to face the Tortoise.  In anger he then bite Tortoise’ nose.  Tortoise began to cry out with a song on the situation he found himself to attract the other animals to save him from the Rat.

Some herbs in yoruba language

If you have been wondering how to Know the Yoruba Names of some Herbs this post is here to help you.
Hibiscus plant – Zobo 
Tamarin - Tsamia Tumeric –  ata Ile pupa
Cayenne Pepper – Bawa 
Chilli – Shombo
Black pepper – iyere
Oziza in igbo Thorny pigweed/prickly amaranth – tete eleegun alternanthera nodiflora – Dagunro
Butryospermum - paradoxum – Shea tree – Ori 
Allium sativum -Garlic – Ayu 
Capsicum frutescens – Tabasco pepper – Ata-wewe 
Lactuca capensis – Lettuce – Yanrin
Bryophyllum pinnatum – Air Plant,Life Plant, Miracle Leaf – Abamoda 

The usage of Corn Silk and Aloe Vera to cure frequent Urination

The corn silk or maize (Yoruba Name: Owu Agbado) silk is highly effective herbal cure for frequent urination. Corn silk or maize silk is a yellowish thread like strands found inside the husk of a corn or maize,sometimes it can be brown in colour too. It can be removed from corn cob.

Preparation 

The sufficient quantity of corn silk whether fresh or dry will be boil in fresh water, and person suffering from frequent urination will be taking it one cup in the morning and afternoon and night in replacement of water during the period of treatment for like 30 day. It should be noted that it good to just boil the quantity you can take per day. Each day you prepare new one for that day. Corn silk has been modernized as you can now get corn or maize silk package for sale in herbal store. You can also see it in form of herbal tea. Any one you have access to so far is corn or maize silk will cure frequent urination.