Abstract
Lippia javanica occurs naturally in central, eastern, and southern Africa and has also been recorded in the tropical Indian subcontinent. The potential of L. javanica as herbal or recreational tea and herbal medicine and its associated phytochemistry and biological properties are reviewed. The extensive literature survey revealed that L. javanica is used as herbal tea and has ethnomedicinal applications such as in colds, cough, fever, malaria, wounds, diarrhoea, chest pains, bronchitis, and asthma. Multiple classes of phytochemicals including volatile and nonvolatile secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, amino acids, flavonoids, iridoids, and triterpenes as well as several minerals have been identified from L. javanica. Scientific studies on L. javanica indicate that it has a wide range of pharmacological activities which include anticancer, antiamoebic, antidiabetic, antimalarial, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiplasmodial, and pesticidal effects. Although many of the traditional uses of L. javanica have been validated by phytochemical and pharmacological studies, there are still some gaps where current knowledge could be improved. Lippia javanica is popular as both herbal and recreational tea, but there is need for more precise studies to evaluate the safety and clinical value of its main active crude and pure compounds and to clarify their mechanisms of action.
Highlights
Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng. (Verbenaceae) (Figure 1(a)) has a long history of traditional uses in tropical Africa as indigenous herbal tea or tisane (Figure 1(b)), refreshing beverage, or food additive based on its perceived health and medicinal properties
This study showed that the killing rate was greatest for K. pneumoniae followed by C. neoformans and very little reduction of microbial populations was observed for B. cereus
Research on L. javanica over the past decade on health promoting properties has greatly contributed to the increased consumption of the species as herbal or recreational tea
Summary
Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng. (Verbenaceae) (Figure 1(a)) has a long history of traditional uses in tropical Africa as indigenous herbal tea or tisane (Figure 1(b)), refreshing beverage, or food additive based on its perceived health and medicinal properties. Lippia javanica has been recorded in low to high altitude (0–2350 m above sea level) woodlands and wooded grasslands, scrub bushland, and grassy rocky kopjes, in riverine vegetation, and on margins of dambos and swampy ground, sometimes on termite mounds, in montane grasslands, and on evergreen forest margins, in disturbed ground beside roads, forest clearings, plantations, and cultivated land and becoming a weed in derived rangelands [101, 106]. This shows that the plant is highly adaptable to a wide range of climatic, soil, and vegetation conditions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
