"Koklotsugbé": Treating Urinary Infections

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Extract from the article: Heliotropium indicum, known in Ewé as "koklotsugbé" due to its flower resembling a rooster's crest, is a plant widely used in traditional medicine. It contains active principles with various medicinal properties that can be ....

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Heliotropium indicum, known in Ewé as "koklotsugbé" due to its flower resembling a rooster's crest, is a plant widely used in traditional medicine. It contains active principles with various medicinal properties that can be used to treat numerous diseases.

Heliotropium indicum has multiple therapeutic uses due to its natural composition of active elements beneficial to human biology. With its slightly bitter taste, it is rich in polyphenols, saponosides, flavonoids, gallic tannins, catechins, quinones, adrenergic substances, and alkaloids. The aqueous extract of Heliotropium indicum possesses multiple biological properties, including gastro-protective effects against gastric ulcers, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunostimulant potentials.

Treating Prostate Hypertrophy and Urinary Infections

A study titled "Review of Biological Activities and Chemical Composition of Heliotropium Indicum L." conducted by Diop Rouguiatou in 2021 showed that the methanolic extract of the dried roots of the plant led to substantial inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing in experimental mice, indicating a significant diuretic activity in these animals. The diuretic effects were revealed by the electrolyte loss ratio, similar to that of the standard diuretic furosemide used in the experiment. Other researchers have shown that tannins and flavonoids, through relaxation of the vascular endothelium, and alkaloids, by inducing bradycardia, are responsible for the reduction of arterial hypertension.

In Mali, the leaves of "koklotsugbé" combined with tamarind fruit are used in decoction for oral administration to treat urinary problems. A study conducted in Mauritius showed the efficacy of leaf infusion for treating kidney infections and as a diuretic.

In Africa, this plant is traditionally used in the pharmacopeia to help treat diarrhea, constipation, and cardiovascular diseases due to the presence of alkaloids that reduce arterial hypertension.

Recipe 1: To Treat Prostate Hypertrophy

Take the leaves of the plant and wash them thoroughly. Boil in 1 liter of water for 10 to 15 minutes. Let it rest, then filter and drink one bamboo glass three times a day for three days.

Recipe 2:

Take 10 leaves of "koklotsugbé" and crush them. Extract the juice and drink one small glass in the morning on an empty stomach and another small glass in the evening before going to bed.

 

Raymond DZAKPATA