Bitter leaf, Vernonia amygdalina
Photo by Daniel Paullll · CC BY-SA 4.0
Leafy VegetableMedicinal

Bitter leaf

Vernonia amygdalina

A small shrub with bitter-tasting leaves, widely grown across tropical Africa and one of the most-used vegetables and traditional remedies in Nigeria. The leaves are cooked as a vegetable in soups and separately used in traditional medicine for a wide range of ailments.

Categories
Leafy Vegetable, Medicinal
Found in
West, Central, East and Southern AfricaPOWO
Data sources
NMPPDB, Dr. Duke's, other literature

Local names

Known in 6 languages

Say it in

Yoruba · West Africa

Ewuro

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Traditional & Common Uses

Important medical disclaimer

The information below is for educational reference only. It does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.

  • General

    Used traditionally for infections; leaf extracts have shown activity against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli in lab studies.

  • Ghana

    Used in Ghana for arthritis; associated with reduced inflammation in animal studies.

  • Cameroon

    Used in Cameroon for oxidative stress; leaf extracts show free-radical scavenging activity in lab studies.

  • Nigeria

    Widely used in Nigeria for managing type 2 diabetes; associated with lowered blood glucose in animal studies.

  • Togo

    Used in Togo for cardiovascular health; associated with reduced LDL cholesterol in animal studies.

  • Uganda

    Leaf infusions used in Uganda to treat dysentery; tannin content linked to gut health support.

  • General

    Traditionally used for malaria, with documented antimalarial activity.

  • Nigeria

    Used in Nigeria for liver cleansing/detoxification; associated with liver protection in animal studies.

  • South Africa

    Used in South Africa for tumor prevention; vernolide shown to induce apoptosis in cancer cells in lab studies.

  • Ethiopia

    Used in Ethiopia for menstrual issues; leaf extracts shown to enhance uterine contractions in animal studies.

  • Guinea

    Taken as a tonic in Guinea.

  • Angola

    Used in Angola for diarrhea and fever.

  • Côte d'Ivoire

    Used in Côte d'Ivoire for fever, pneumonia and gonorrhea.

  • Ghana

    Used in Ghana to stimulate the appetite, as a purgative, and for coughs.

  • Tanzania

    Used in Tanzania for coughs and as an antidote to poisoning.

Known Phytochemicals

Cautions & Contraindications

  • highSignificant risk documented in literature
  • moderatePotential risk; caution advised
  • lowMinimal risk under normal conditions
  • high

    Pregnant women are advised to avoid it due to potential abortifacient risk.

  • moderate

    No acute toxicity observed at traditional doses in animal studies; excessive use may cause nausea, hypoglycemia, or uterine stimulation.

  • low

    May reduce iron absorption with regular use.

Sources & Citations

  1. 1Erasto et al. (2007), via NMPPDB (nmppdb.com.ng)
  2. 2Adedapo et al. (2014), via NMPPDB (nmppdb.com.ng)
  3. 3Ijeh & Ejike (2011), via NMPPDB (nmppdb.com.ng)
  4. 4Adaramoye et al. (2008), via NMPPDB (nmppdb.com.ng)
  5. 5Yeap et al. (2010), via NMPPDB (nmppdb.com.ng)
  6. 6NMPPDB (nmppdb.com.ng)
  7. 7Farombi & Owoeye (2011), via NMPPDB (nmppdb.com.ng)
  8. 8Toyang & Verpoorte (2013), via NMPPDB (nmppdb.com.ng)
  9. 9Kamatenesi-Mugisha & Oryem-Origa (2007), via NMPPDB (nmppdb.com.ng)
  10. 10Ayensu, E.S. (1978). Medicinal Plants of West Africa. Reference Publications, Inc. — via Duke's Ethnobotanical Database
  11. 11Infonet-Biovision: Bitter leaf (Twi), citing Appiah et al. (2018)

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