The scent leaf, botanically known as ocimum gratissimum is an aromatic herb with immense health benefits.
The plant is normally a perennial home-grown shrub, although it can be found in the wild, and is used mainly as a spice for cooking delicacies due to its aromatic taste.
It has clusters of flowers with fragrant leaves that have serrated margin.
At Kimironko market, a bunch is sold at Rwf 200, and the vendors say people normally use the leaves in tea and as an ingredient for those who love spicy food.
Researchers agree that this plant has several medicinal values that depend on certain active chemical substances. These active chemical substances are believed to have a physiological impact on the human body.
For an ordinary person, it is easy to dismiss this plant as just another sweet-smelling plant but nutritionists say it is more than just that.
The plant boasts of antibacterial, antifungal, larvicidal, and antipyretic activities that give it a prominent role in the treatment and prevention of diseases and infections.
Scent leaves contain vital bioactive substances which confer them with the above-mentioned activities including; tannins, phenols, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, and more, all of which are essential for human health.
Joseph Uwiragiye, head of the nutrition department at University Teaching Hospital (CHUK) says aside from what people know about scent leaves, they are helpful in promoting good eyesight, explaining that vitamin A is needed by the retina of the eyes in the form of retinal which combines with protein opsin to form rhodopsin, the light-absorbing molecule which is ultimately necessary for both scotopic vision (low-light) and colour vision.
"The deficiency of vitamin A can be terrible for the eyes leading to xerophthalmia (a medical condition in which the eye fails to produce tears) and night blindness both of which are preventable when adequate amounts of scent leaves are consumed,” he says.
Besides, he says scent leaves contain calcium and magnesium, both of which help to reduce bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and increase blood circulation.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterols increase the risk of coronary artery disease in adults and so the intake of scent leaves can reduce this ever-present risk.
Heart and artery problems resulting from the clogging of arteries are nearly preventable if there is adequate intake of magnesium and calcium.
Also, studies show that scent leaves can help relieve bloating and also help digest meals on time. They have a calming effect on the stomach and help with bowel evacuation.
Drinking tea from scent leaves also relieves heartburn.
They also contain compounds like camphor, cineole, and limonene which are larvicidal and so are harmful to mosquitoes or insects. Here, the leaves can be potted and left in residential quarters to serve as a repellent for houseflies, mosquitoes, and other insects.
Scent leaves have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory properties akin to drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen but are kinder to the inner linings of the stomach. Decoction made from leaves of scent leaves is used in healing menstrual pain, stomach ache, earache, and fever.
Also, it has been proven that the stem of scent leaf, when used as a chewing stick, it kills bacteria in the mouth and helps fight off bad breath. It is also able to prevent tooth decay. Tea made from the leaves of scent leaf can be taken as a tonic or used as a gargle to treat sore throat.