Bahamian Bush Medicine: The Seven Year Apple

See that pretty tree in front, with a couple orange leaves, that's Casasia Clusiifolia. The Seven's Year's Apple.

Also named the pond apple, because of the green fruit it produces in winter and spring. The tree is native the Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexico and the West Indies. It mainly grows on rocky cliffs as it does on Iguana Cay. An island full of the Endangered Bahamian Rock Iguana, isn't he adorable?

The fruit is edible, but really only if you're hungry enough. You should wait until the fruit is dark and soft. It tastes similar to rotten onions, or some say prunes. It's name is actually a reference to how long the fruit takes to ripen.

In bush medicine the fruit and leaves are sometimes used in teas. They are often used as purgatives and emetics. The leaves contain are known to contain flavonoids.

Besides benefiting humans, the apple also provides benefits to the animals of the islands. Mocking birds and iguanas love the fruit while the tree provides a great environment for bugs and has some resistance to invasive species, like the austalian pine.

So go ahead and try it if you like. Just make sure to spit out the seeds and plant a new tree while you're at it!
Sources:
Wilmanowicz, Renate. Bush Medicine in the Bahamas: A Modern Approach. Createspace, 2012. 40. Print.

http://www.eattheweeds.com/genipa-clusiifolia-an-acquired-taste-2/

Bahamian Bush Medicine: Amazing Avocados

This is an avocado,Persea americana, not the fruit but the tree. Its an evergreen that sheds it leaves early in the spring which is why this one looks a little sad. Avocado flowers need to pollinated so it's best to have two. And one last thing before I get into Bahamian specifics, the tree comes from south american soils and is full of healthy fats, sort of making it the olive of the new world.

I'm sort of sorry I didn't try it while I there but I've recently read the leaves make a great substitute for coffee on a hot day. Boil the leaves until the water turns a dark green color and enjoy. It can be very cooling, especially when served 'on the rocks'.  Boiling the seed will allow you to create a mouthwash that can relieve toothaches and the pulp is an excellent ointment for itches and wounds.

I'm sure you all also know about all the health benefit that come from ingesting the fatty fruit and I must recommend adding key lime leaves to your guac if you're ever short on actual limes.

And lastly, this plant contains many beneficial compounds that have antioxidant, inflammatory, analgesic, antiviral and 'pro-heart' applications. Specifically, these compounds are peptones, b-galactosides, glycosylated abscisic acids, alkaloids, cellulose, polygalacto ureases, polyuronoids, and volatile oils. And if that's not enough random words for you, just know the avocado is in the laurel family, which includes yummy cinnamon. Although I wouldn't recommend them together...

Sources:

Yasir, Mohammad, Sattwik Das, and M. D. Kharya. “The Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile of Persea Americana Mill.” Pharmacognosy Reviews4.7 (2010): 77–84. PMC. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.

Rolle, Christine. Bahamian Bush Medicine. Quincentennial ed. 2000. 34. Print.

Wilmanowicz, Renate. Bush Medicine in the Bahamas: A Modern Approach. Createspace, 2012. 40. Print.

Bahamian Bush Medicine: Pigeon Peas

The bush in the background of this picture is Cajanus cajan, the perennial legume, the pigeon pea.

Pigeon peas, rice and vegetables,seasoned with cumin, is one of the most commonly eaten meals in the Bahamas. They are also delicious in a citrus and parsley marinated salad. One additional recipe Janise recommended that we try was fresh peas (gathered from the bush in the picture) stir fried with some onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and cumin. It was fun to harvest and even more enjoyable to eat.

On top of being full of fiber, protein and folate, the pigeon pea is another widely used plant in bush medicine. The leaves from the herb can provide relief from chicken pox and measles when boiled and added to a bath. Boiling the leaves with some water also has the ability to cure your cough. Boiling the root is also useful to induce vomiting should you ever have the unfortunate experience of getting food poisoning from fish.

The bush contains the phenolic compounds isoquercitrin, quercetin, and quercetin-3-methyl ether. These compounds have neuroprotective, cardioprotective, chemopreventive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic properties which may explain some of the reason why the tea is so effective.

I hope you enjoy! 

Sources:
Green WC, Stevenson PC, Simmonds MJ & Sharma HC (2003) Phenolic compounds on the pod-surface of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan), mediate feeding behaviour of Helicoverpa armigera larvae. Journal of Chemical Ecology 29: 811–821.

Hannah-Smith, Martha. "Bush Medicine in Bahamian Folk Tradition". Dodd Printers, Miami. 2006

Bahamian Bush Medicine: Coconuts!

Behold the coconut palm, a beautiful, delicious, palm seen frequently in the Bahamas.

Behold! A child trying to open a coconut, with a machete, another frequent observance in the Islands.

For this 6th edition of Bahamian bush medicine I thought it was time to bring it back to some tasty treatment with Cocos nucifera. One of my favorite things about the Island is that we could have fresh coconut whenever we wanted, as long as we were willing to put in the time, physical strength and bravery to hack away at one with an extremely dull machete. It tasted so sweet and was an excellent addition to carrot cake, pineapple and rice and chicken and pineapple. Yum, yum, yum!

Okay, enough about food now for bush doctor talk,

The milk and immature jelly is used as a soothing gruel for a sore throat.

In general, coconut is eaten in the Bahamas for pleasure rather than for pure medicinal purposes. However, I'm sure you all know that coconut and the oil from it has many health benefits. One scientific study found it aids in satiation and can reduce waist circumference. Another recent study I came across found that adding coconut oil to a pot before cooking rice decrease the calories you intake from the rice. And one last example may explain for the relaxed mindset of islanders as coconut oil provides antistress benefit.

So go ahead maun, put the lime in the coconut and shake it all up.

Sources:

YEAP, SWEE KEONG et al. “Antistress and Antioxidant Effects of Virgin Coconut Oil in Vivo.” Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 9.1 (2015): 39–42. PMC. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/03/25/scientists-have-figured-out-a-simple-way-to-cook-rice-that-dramatically-cuts-the-calories/?tid=sm_fb

Liau, Kai Ming et al. “An Open-Label Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Virgin Coconut Oil in Reducing Visceral Adiposity.” ISRN Pharmacology 2011 (2011): 949686. PMC. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.

Rolle, Christine. Bahamian Bush Medicine. Quincentennial ed. 2000. 34. Print.

Wilmanowicz, Renate. Bush Medicine in the Bahamas: A Modern Approach. Createspace, 2012. 40. Print.

Bahamian Bush Medicine: Red Mangrove, an Old Lady

Rhizophora mangle, the red mangrove,

These trees are near and dear to my heart as I have done research on them and am captivated by the amount of ecological diversity they foster. They protect regions from erosion and provide a habitat for crabs, snails, and fish. I have also gained a new appreciation for them while writing this blog as I found out they are also used in bush medicine.

The rind of the tree can be used in baths to relieve backaches and the bark can be used in teas to prevent diarrhea and heal skin lesions.

Red Mangroves contain catechin-tannic-acids(that good stuff in green tea) and are the reason for all the benefits. The leaves are also full of flavonoids though I am unsure if the leaves are also used in teas.

Fun fact: the tannins from this plant are frequently used to dye leather.

Hope you all enjoy!
Source:

Wilmanowicz, Renate. Bush Medicine in the Bahamas: A Modern Approach. Createspace, 2012. 40. Print.

Bahamian Bush Medicine: The Love Vine

For this parasitic plant, orange, not red is the color of love. The love vine,Cassytha filiformis, is showcased alive, in the above pictures as the florescent, invasive, climbing pant. Fun side note: the tree below being attacked is actually another invasive called the Australian pine.

The vine can only live through the nutrients of its host and can actually transfer some of the secondary compounds it makes back to the host plant. It is used widely in bush medicine. In her book, bush doctor, Christine Rolle, states it can be used to give strength to a weak spine, by both tying the vine around your waist and drinking crushed vine as tea in the morning. Boiling the vine in a bath has also been used to relive itchiness and prickly heat.

Dr. Wilmanowicz  writes its often mixed with other teas and can be used to combat bedroom problem and treat arteriosclerosis. 

Cassytha is full of cytotoxic alkaloids. In addition, it contain actinodaphnine, cassythine and dicentine which can attack enzymes that trigger carcinogenisis. Decentine has been support to treat high blood pressure, arrhythmia, thromboses and arteriosclerosis.

So grab your love and start sipping the vine<3

Sources:

Rolle, Christine. Bahamian Bush Medicine. Quincentennial ed. 2000. 34. Print.

Wilmanowicz, Renate. Bush Medicine in the Bahamas: A Modern Approach. Createspace, 2012. 40. Print.

Bahamian Bush Medicine: Fever Grass + Lemon Grass and Key Lime Tea!

I'll admit it, I goofed and never got a good picture of the fever grass by itself. But I was able to capture the key lime tree and the tea in the cup is a combo of the two. Since both are useful for healing I figure the more the merrier. 

In case you haven't figured it out by now lemon grass and fever grass are the same thing, the second is simply what the locals refer to the monocot as.

As its name suggests, fever grass(Andropogon citratus) is most commonly used by islanders to reduce fevers. It also is taken regularly, with a little sweetener since the tea tastes very similar to warm lemon water. Fever grass additionally is useful for relieving high blood pressure, vomiting, exhaustion, aiding in sickness recovery and relieving achy joints.

The grass grows throughout the Caribbean in sandy soil in both inland and coastal regions. The leaves look similar to sugar cane and smells lemony.

Fever grass should be boiled 10 minutes or longer and is effective due to the many volatile oils and flavonoids it contains. At this point Citronella, Limonene, Linalool and Luteolin have been identified.
As I said before, the tea is super refreshing hot or cold. So I encourage you to sit back, relax and sip some fever grass.

Sources:
WedMD
Wilmanowicz, Renate. Bush Medicine in the Bahamas: A Modern Approach. Lexington, 2012. 24-25. Print.

Bahamian Bush Medicine: The wonders of the Sapodilly (Manilkara zapota)

For this next Island Biology Blog I decided on a tropical Island fruit, mainly because it was so good I couldn't wait to share it with you. Ripe and soft it tastes like baked pears with cinnamon and brown sugar! Amazing, right?! It is grown in Florida and California, so if you can't get it from the Bahamas directly I highly suggest you try it here. Its names are varied but is most commonly called the 

Sapodilly, Sapodillla, Chico or Naseberry.  

 The evergreen tree originates in central american rain-forests, is quick growing and oddly drought resistant. There is a stick white resin that comes out the bark and the stem of the sapodilly known as chicle and used to be used as a chewing gum by the Aztecs. A related fruit, the gum dilly is still chewed by Bahamians today. I was able to try it myself. It was very reminiscent of chewing on burnt marshmallows. A fun thing if you're hungry enough.

 The fruit is high in vitamin A, C and very high in fiber. It is also rich in tannins which have been shown to have antiviral, antibacterial, anti-parasitic and anti-hemorrhoidial properties.

In Bush Medicine grated green fruit can be used to treat thrush. Jenise also told us that the fruit can be baked into a cake. I bet that would be de-lici-ous!

Sources:
"sapodilla". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 14 Mar. 2015
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/523694/sapodilla>.

Hannah-Smith, Martha. "Bush Medicine in Bahamian Folk Tradition". Dodd Printers, Miami. 2006

Bahamian Bush Medicine- The Wonderful Soap Bush

I have recently returned tan, rested and revitalized from the wonderful Bahamian island of Hummingbird Cay. While at this very special place I conducted my own research project and learned some bush medicine. The tradition of treating people with natural medicine is something the locals use and find effective which is why I am very excited to share some of it with you all.

For this first edition I thought I'd start with something fun and simple. The Soap Bush. When you rub the leaves with water you start to get nice little suds. The bush has been used for decades to wash hands, feet, and clothes. Below is how I witnessed it being used.

Janiese, the local expert on bush medicine easily shows us how to get suds out of the soap bush.

Next, she grabs more leaves from the bush next to her and tries to get Emily to do it.

Obviously its much harder than it looks, but a little practice makes perfect

Another name for this plant is the wild coffee or Colubrina arborescens. The tree is good for the soil and attracts pollinators. It also does more for us than keep us clean. The leaves can be used to make a tea for a remedy for rheumatism and extracts are can be used for antiseptic baths. Lathered leaves have been found to kill pests like centipedes and millipedes.

The seeds are high in terpenes which explains the pesticide application. The leaves contain alkaloids and saponins, which explain the health benefits and lathering properties. Curiously, the soap bush is one of the few plants in the Bahamas in which no anti-cancer secondary metabolites have been found. I guess you can't do it all.

Sources:

John K. Francis.Colubrina arborescens (P. Mill.) Sarg.                             http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Colubrina%20arborescens.pdf
http://www.fleppc.org/manage_plans/ca%20mngt%20plan.pdf