Review: An Illustrated Guide to Medicinal Plants of East Africa, by Najma Dharani and Abiy Yenesew

Rating: Buy it ASAP – a bookshelf essential

What is it? Field guide, fact book  

Ideal for fans of: Botany, medicine, herbalism, aromatherapy

What makes it special? Comprehensive, fully illustrated and easy to use

Get it in South Africa from: Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa

Whether you’re a novice to plant-based remedies, or a pro with a degree in botany, I guarantee you’ll learn something from this book. 

An Illustrated Guide to Medicinal Plants of East Africa features a mind-blowing 136 different plant species with medicinal properties. And that number may include some you’d not expect. For example, Blue Plumbago can relieve headaches and treat warts. Also, did you know that the Coral Tree can be used for wound poultices, or to cure ear ache? What’s more, even Jasmine could form part of your ‘first aid’ garden, as it treats parasitic worms and lice.

Najma Dharani and Abiy Yenesew have used their extensive combined knowledge to bring you the ultimate guide to medicinal plants. Moreover, the authors certainly know what they’re talking about. Dharani is an ecologist and senior lecturer in plant sciences, while Yenesew is a professor of chemistry, specialising in organic chemistry. Together, they offer unique insights backed by decades of scientific research and understanding.

Each plant comes with extensive photographs of the plant in its entirety, as well as close ups of the leaves, flowers, and (where relevant) bark. In addition, every entry has a comprehensive description to make sure you correct in your identification. 

Even better, the plant ecology and geographic spread are noted, allowing you to be certain you’re dealing with the right plant.

But the most interesting information is the breakdown of everything you need to know to use these plants. From which plant parts to use, and how to prepare them – while ensuring that you do this using the correct dosage - and a helpful guide to the active ingredients, you’ll be a herbalist in no time at all.

That’s not all. An Illustrated Guide to Medicinal Plants of East Africa also contains info on conservation, as well as an index to both the common and scientific names of each entry.

Finally, there’s also a helpful list of common medical ailments, and which plants can be used for them – saving you time, and helping you learn the major medicinal groupings.

This book is ideal for every home, especially if you’d like to venture towards herbal medicine and cultivate your own first aid garden.

An Illustrated Guide to Medicinal Plants of East Africa, by Najma Dharani and Abiy Yenesew is published by Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa.