Buchu: The Desert Shrub That Healed Generations of Khoi-San

By Dimpho Malematja 

Between the valleys of land lived a plant that draws one in. The smell is particularly pleasant and strong yet its strength lies in its leaves, roots and stems. For decades plant-based medicine use has proven to be a crucial aspect of health and healing in Southern Africa. It has been explored and appreciated greatly by communities that continue to thrive on their knowledge of indigenous plant uses. The Khoi-San people are an exceptional example of people who rely on their resources for efficiency and livelihood.

One of these aspects of livelihood is what we call ‘indigenous wellbeing’ and for the Khoi-San people the ‘buchu’ plant is central. Buchu (Agathosma betulina) is the common plant heavily relied on for medicinal purposes and in modern day it serves purposes beyond medicinal uses. From past to present this is the journey of the buchu.

Meet Buchu: A Plant of Medicinal Wonders

The Agathosma genus is a pillar of medicine with various species known for their healing properties. For instance, buchu also known as bucco, boegoe, bookoo, and diosma, is found in Southern Africa in the Cape region. Buchu has multiple stems with small rounded leaves with tops that curve backwards. It is a dotted shrub quite small with a typical height of roughly 2 metres. However, beyond many characteristics, it has beautiful white to purple star-shaped flowers.

According to ethnobotanical research, buchu  was a significant plant used by the Khoi cultures in the Cape and was generally regarded as having medicinal properties throughout Southern Africa.

The term ‘Buchu’ was introduced by indigenous people to European settlers in the Cape as a medicinal plant. Buchu has been regarded as an important aspect of the San and Khoi culture within the Cape and has been used as a medicine and tonic throughout Southern Africa. The San and Khoi tribes use the term ‘Buchu’ for any related Rutaceous fragrant plants which can be dried and powdered. 

Beyond that, the San use buchu lubricated with fat as a moisture-keeping skin softener and as an antibacterial and anti-fungal agent under desert-like conditions. Furthermore, it can be used as a deodorant, an insect repellent, and overall, as aromatic substances for general well-being.

Consuming buchu is also possible by simply chewing the leaves or by preparing a tincture with brandy. It is said that this mixture helps relieve stomach pain.

Other descriptions of medicinal preparations include a mixture of buchu and ginger to clean wounds. Buchu can also be used to fight kidney inflammation and infection, as well as urinary tract infections. Additionally, it has also been shown to treat cystitis and prostatitis and stimulate kidney function. ‘Buchu’ has been a stimulant in treating colds, influenza, cough, gout, rheumatism, and hangovers. It has also been recorded to be used in various ways, including in bath water to treat rheumatism, and often in the form of vinegar for wounds and bruises.

Figure 1: Agathosma betulina (buchu)

Figure 2: Agathosma betulina in the wild

The Economics of Buchu

Whilst buchu has been recognized as having significant medicinal values for the San and Khoi people it also has been recognized as having economic values.

For instance, farmers rely on the growth of Agathosma betulina for monetary value. Farmers have used a strategy that allows buchu to regrow and propagate by not harvesting it during the flowering season (October and November). A buchu plant can have a lifespan of up to 100 years. In the wild, buchu is harvested every 2-3 years to ensure ample time for it to regrow.

However, the Agricultural Research Council of South Africa has launched projects in collaboration with farmers to monitor buchu harvesting and ensure the protection of its pure genetic strains.

Recent studies have indicated that Agathosma betulina and Agathosma crenulata, alongside other hybrid plants, would have developed because of different strains being transplanted out of their natural habitat. This primarily serves the international market, as there is a high demand for the organic product [1] of Agathosma betulina,. This is because consumers depend on a high supply of products, both naturally and organically produced by buchu.

Buchu in Modern Medicine

Over the years, recent studies have indicated that buchu not only has a significant medicinal use for indigenous communities such as the Khoi and San but has also contributed significantly to other diseases serving purposes beyond medicinal needs and uses within San and Khoi communities.

For instance, buchu has been described as good nutrition, playing a crucial role in the prevention of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. The term ‘nutraceutical’ has been introduced and defined as parts of food or food that provide health or medical benefits by preventing and/or treating disease. Buchu can be described as a nutraceutical as it has extracts that help prevent and treat various diseases. More so, due to organic and natural oil extracts, it had been exploited in the past for anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities.

Identity, Wellbeing and Culture

What buchu reminds us is how people and plants can form an important relationship that continues to live on. The use of a plant such as buchu is also crucial in understanding the significance of culture, when a plant is not just used for medicinal purposes but is expanded into skin care and indigenous healing. For the Khoi-San people, buchu is not just a plant but is an extension of their culture and identity. It is a plant that has shaped what healing and living looks like.

Whilst buchu has been recognised to be used by Khoi-San people, it does beg the question as to whether it is used by other indigenous communities within sub-Saharan communities and if so, how can we keep the story of its origins and history intact and pass it on to the next generation?

What it all comes down to is that buchu (Agathosma betulina) has been recognised for its cultural, economic, and medicinal importance in southern Africa. For years, it has played a central role in traditions and healthcare practices for the San and Khoi communities. It has been utilized for a wide range of hygienic, medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Beyond its traditional use, contemporary literature has highlighted buchu’s use in the treatment of various diseasesand has a reputation as a valuable medicinal and nutraceutical plant.

Whilst it has varying uses, its documentation has been quite limited to the Western Cape and does raise the question as to whether it is as valuable in different parts of Southern Africa to different indigenous communities that rely heavily on traditional uses of plant medicine.

Overall, buchu is an extraordinary example of how people-plant dynamics continue to contribute to the importance of identity in communities and the richness of Southern Africa’s botanical indigenous heritage.