Medicinal Plants of Namibia | Page 34

Indigenous(medicinal(use:!!
Sap!of!this!tree!is!rich!in!a!chemical!compound!
called!pachypodin7,!13.!!The!sap!of!this!plant!has!
been!used!to!heal!wounds!showing!signs!of!
infection50.!!This!compound!can!be!used!as!
poison!but!helps!to!calm!inflammation!of!
epidermal!abrasions!when!applied!to!humans!
and!animals7,!13.!!An!application!that!highlights!
the!toxic!form!of!this!compound!is!in!arrow!
poison,!a!method!employed!mostly!by!the!
Bushmen47.!!It!is!important!to!keep!in!mind!
that!secondary!metabolites!like!these!were!
created!originally!by!the!plant!to!protect!itself!
from!predation,!consequently!it!can!be!harmful.!!The!plant!is!also!medicinal!for!the!
Himba!of!the!Kaokoveld47.!!The!Himba!use!a!sap!from!the!tree’s!pith!for!wounds47.!!
The!same!sap!based!extract!can!be!used!for!ear!drops47.!!
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