Buchu Leaf

History and Uses:
Buchu Leaf is a low shrub that is native to the Cape Region of South Africa, where the leaves are harvested, and an essential oil obtained by steam distillation and used in herbal medicine. The word Buchu comes to us from the Hottentot word for the plant, bookoo. The principal constituents of Buchu Leaf are volatile oil and mucilage, but it also contains diosphenol, which has known antiseptic properties, and is considered by some to be the most important constituent of the herb. The Cape government of South Africa exercises strict control over the gathering of Buchu Leaves and has lately made the terms and conditions more stringent, in order to prevent the wholesale destruction of the wild plants, with no person being permitted to pick or buy Buchu without a license. Cultivation experiments with Buchu have been made from time to time by private persons, and during World War I experiments were conducted at the National Botanic Gardens, Kirstenbosch (near Cape Town), the result of which (first given in the South African Journal of Industries, 1919) indicated that, under suitable conditions, the commercial cultivation of Buchu should prove a success. The plant is particularly adapted to dry conditions and may be cultivated on sunny hillsides where other crops will not succeed. Buchu may be used for any infection of the genito-urinary system, such as cystitis, urethritis and prostatitis. Its healing and soothing properties indicate its use.