Medicinal Plants of Namibia | Page 13

are!massive,!larger!than!1!m!in!diameter!and!their!width!increases!with!age13.!!With!
age!the!trunks!of!the!baobab!will!naturally!hollow!out13.!!Bark!of!this!magnificent!
tree!tends!to!be!smooth!and!in!various!hues!of!grey!or!brown13.!!Fissures!disturbing!
the!smoothness!are!common!on!bark13.!!!
!
Governmental(protection(status:((
The!forestry!legislation!has!this!tree!under!its!protection13.!
(
Indigenous(medicinal(use:!!
The!most!widely!used!parts!of!the!baobab!are!the!pulp!of!the!fruit!or!the!bark45.!!
Both!can!be!used!individually;!dried!and!mixed!with!water!for!medicine45.!!Dried!
pulp!mixed!with!water!has!lots!of!tartaric!and!citric!acid45.!!As!a!result!of!its!high!
nutrient!content,!baobab!fruit!is!good!for!treating!scurvySlike!ailments47.!!This!
waterSpulp!mix!is!traditionally!ingested!to!help!with!fever,!diarrhea,!and!coughing!
up!blood45.!!Juice!of!the!fruit!alone!can!help!with!coughing!up!blood!or!vomiting!
blood47.!!Decoction!of!dried!root!bark!has!been!used!to!treat!inflammation,!urinary!
issues,!and!diarrhea45.!!Leaf!decoctions!are!used!to!prevent!malaria!and!to!reduce!
profuse!sweating47.!!Crushed!leaves,!like!in!C.&mopane,!can!be!used!to!improve!
wound!healing!if!smeared!externally47.!!Eating!boiled!fruit!is!traditionally!used!to!
bring!down!fever!or!battle!colds47.!!Since!resin!of!the!tree!has!an!antipyretic!effect,!it!
taken!for!malaria!prevention47.!!Fresh!leaves!or!a!decoction!made!from!them,!are!
taken!orally!for!pains!of!the!chest,!coughs,!and!asthma47.!!!
!
Ingesting!leaves!variegated!with!fruit!pulp!has!also!been!used!to!treat!malaria47.!!
The!fruits!of!the!baobab!are!high!in!vitamin!C!and!B1!as!well!as!calcium3,!19,!35.!!
Additionally!these!fruits!have!a!lot!of!malic!acid19.!!Note!that!the!seeds!are!also!
edible!because!they!do!not!have!any!alkaloids19.!!!!!!!!!