Gambian tea bush

What it is used for

• Fever

  Limited

  A traditional fever remedy. In rodents, only the highest dose of the essential oil tested (8 ml/kg by mouth) reduced yeast-induced fever. Not tested in people.^1,4

• Pain (general)

  Limited

  The essential oil (2–8 ml/kg) had a dose-dependent analgesic effect in the mouse acetic-acid writhing test, but did not reduce granuloma formation. Animal data only.⁴

• Lice and scabies

  Limited

  A 20% v/v preparation of the leaf essential oil, applied for 5 days, cured all treated scabies patients, against 87.5% with benzyl benzoate at the same strength. Lab tests showed it knocked down head and body lice faster than benzyl benzoate. A single small study.³

• Malaria

  Limited

  The essential oil inhibited chloroquine-resistant and chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum in culture. In Oyo State, Nigeria, it was a main ingredient of herbalists' multi-herb malaria remedies, and confirmed infections responded in 88% of urban and 42% of rural children. That was an uncontrolled observation of mixtures, so it cannot be credited to this plant.^1,5,6

• High blood pressure

  Traditional

  In Ghana the leaves are used for mild hypertension and as a diuretic, and it is a hypertension remedy in Angola. A 1988 study reported hypotensive effects of compounds from the leaves (only its title was available). No clinical trials were found.^1,2,7

• Stress (adaptogens)

  Traditional

  In Ghana the leaves are made into a herbal tea drunk for its aroma and for stress relief. Not clinically tested.²

• Common cold

  Traditional

  Used by healers in Angola and elsewhere in Africa for colds, coughs and bronchial inflammation. Not clinically tested.¹

How it is prepared

Amounts are as recorded by the named source, not a recommendation.

Safety

In the healing traditions

• African traditional medicine

  Lippia tea (Ghana)

  Leaves used for mild hypertension, as a diuretic and as a stress-relieving tea; now made into tea bags by the Centre for Plant Medicine Research, Mampong-Akuapem.

• African traditional medicine

  Bulukutu (Kikongo; Angola)

  Aerial and underground parts used by healers for hypertension, enteritis, 'cleaning lymph', chest pain, diabetes, colds, stomach complaints, jaundice, coughs, fevers, nausea, bronchial inflammation, conjunctivitis, malaria and venereal disease.

• African traditional medicine

  Aglàla (Fon/Mahi; Benin)

  Mainly a wild spice and food flavouring in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin, also used as medicine. Herbalists in southern Benin markets often cite it in remedies for candidiasis, usually as a decoction or pounded leaves.

Active compounds

verbascoside and related phenylethanoid glycosides (isoverbascoside, isonuomioside A, leucoseptoside A)

phenolics reported in the leaves

carvacrol

monoterpenoid reported from the plant

terpineol, α- and β-pinene

in the leaf essential oil; the authors link them to its lice-killing effect

History

Known in English as Gambian tea bush and in French as thé de Gambie, it is drunk as a herbal tea in Ghana. Ghana's Centre for Plant Medicine Research grows it on its farm at Mampong-Akuapem and has developed tea bags with a measured shelf life of about 63 months.

Sources

1. 1.Tlhapi D et al. Phytochemical screening and biological activities of Lippia multiflora Moldenke. Molecules 2025
2. 2.Kumadoh D et al. Approaches for the elimination of microbial contaminants from Lippia multiflora Mold. leaves intended for tea bagging and evaluation of formulation. Adv Pharmacol Pharm Sci 2022
3. 3.Oladimeji FA et al. Pediculocidal and scabicidal properties of Lippia multiflora essential oil. J Ethnopharmacol 2000 (abstract)
4. 4.Abena AA et al. Analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects of essential oil of Lippia multiflora. Fitoterapia 2003 (abstract)
5. 5.Ajaiyeoba EO et al. Efficacy of herbal remedies used by herbalists in Oyo State Nigeria for treatment of Plasmodium falciparum infections: a survey and an observation. Afr J Med Med Sci 2004 (abstract)
6. 6.Valentin A et al. Composition and antimalarial activity in vitro of volatile components of Lippia multiflora. Phytochemistry 1995 (abstract)
7. 7.Pham Huu Chanh et al. Comparative hypotensive effects of compounds extracted from Lippia multiflora leaves. Planta Med 1988 (title only)
8. 8.Kafoutchoni KM et al. Species richness, cultural importance, and prioritization of wild spices for conservation in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin (West Africa). J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2018
9. 9.Fanou BA et al. Ethnobotanical survey on plants used in the treatment of candidiasis in traditional markets of southern Benin. BMC Complement Med Ther 2020
10. 10.GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Lippia multiflora Moldenke

Reference, not prescription. Nothing here is medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and be dangerous in pregnancy; tell your doctor or pharmacist about anything you take.