Scent Leaves (Ocimum gratissimum),It Health Benefits and usage.
This is scent leaf, also known as Ncheanwu or Ahu-Igbo in the Eastern part of Nigeria(Igbo). It is an aromatic herb and of very use due to it medicinal value/purposes, and it aromatic scent for cooking.
Although ordinary person mightt just think that this herb is only used for cooking purpose, but I tell you, it's just more than for cooking purpose.
MEDICINAL VALUE OF SCENT LEAVES
1: it's used for treatment of wound and sore
2: it contains vitamin A which improve eye sight
3: it reduces high blood pressure
4: It's used as food preservative
5: scent leaf contains calcium and magnesium which helps in reducing cholesterol and as well improve the circulation of the blood.
6: Scent leaves aids digestion and also helps in regulation of stomach purging.
7: Nursing mothers take scent leaves which helps in the healing of umbilical cord.
Other benefits of Scent leaves are: Antifungal, facilitate milk, relief heartburn, antiseptic, flies and mosquito repellant, improve erection in men and prevent infertility in women, etc.
Usage
Locally, for the treatment of sicknesses like: malaria, typhoid or cough, scent leaves are boiled inside water, served and taken hot by the patient according to the herbalist prescription. Also we obtain these medicinal value of scent leaves knowingly or unknowingly by consuming it as it's used as spice or vegetable in food preparation.
Squeezing and applying it to wound/sore is another way by which scent leave is locally used in the treatment of wounds and sore .
According to Fadesh Trado[https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=272544513260586&id=267601700421534](Fadesh Trado) "Essential oils of scent leaves can be used for aroma therapy massage, because the essential oils of scent leaves can relief and refresh the body. However, pregnant women are prohibited from using it because it feared could cause a miscarriage.
But beside that essential oils can be used as a mixture of various manufacture drugs and body treatment such as soap, essence perfume, body lotion, ointments, lozenges, as well as aromatherapy oil"
##References
https://www.pharmapproach.com/16-amazing-health-benefits-of-scent-leaves-ocimum-gratissimum/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/scent-leaf-its-health-benefits-stella-ekene-aligbe
https://www.newtimes.co.rw/lifestyle/health-benefits-scent-leaves
https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=272544513260586&id=267601700421534
https://pharmanewsonline.com/11-amazing-health-benefits-of-scent-leaves/