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Yoruba & West African Medicine

Yoruba Ifa medicine and broader West African traditions unite plants, divination, and spiritual healing — with bitter leaf, African basil, and moringa at the core.

Nigeria & West Africa

History & Philosophy

Origins

Yoruba medicine developed across what is now Nigeria, Benin, and Togo, integrating plant knowledge with the Ifa divination system that remains central to Yoruba spiritual and medical practice.

Core philosophy

Diagnosis and treatment are understood through Ifa divination performed by a babalawo (diviner-healer), who determines both the spiritual root of an illness and the appropriate plant-based remedy in a single integrated consultation.

Practiced today

Babalawo and herbalist healers remain active and widely consulted across West Africa and within the Yoruba diaspora, with bitter leaf, African basil, and moringa among the most commonly used plants.

Herbs, foods & remedies

90 herbs traditionally used within Yoruba & West African Medicine — most often for Digestive Issues, Fever, Skin Health.

See all 90

Showing the first 40 of 90 — use “See all” above for the full, filterable list.

Yoruba & West African Medicine

History & Philosophy

Origins

Core philosophy

Practiced today

Herbs, foods & remedies

African Basil (Efinrin)

African Cherry (Agbalumo Pupa)

African Ginger (Atale Pupa)

African Locust Bean (Iru)

African Mistletoe (Afomo)

African Nutmeg (Ehuru)

African Oil Palm (Eyin Ope)

African Pepper (Ata Wewe)

African Rosewood (Apa)

African Walnut (Asala)

African Yam Bean (Epa Roro)

Aloe Vera (Eti Erin)

Ashwagandha (Asunwun)

Baobab (Ose Odan)

Bitter Aloe (Agbalumo)

Bitter Kola (Orogbo)

Bitter Leaf (Efo Ewuro)

Black Plum (Igi Dudu)

Blighia (Isin)

Breadfruit (Afon)

Bush Mango (Ogbono)

Cactus (Oro Pupa)

Calabash (Igba)

Cashew Leaf (Ewe Kaju)

Cassava Leaf (Ewe Paki)

Celosia (Soko Yokoto)

Cissus (Ogbo)

Clove Basil (Efinrin Arunta)

Ede (Cocoyam Leaf)

Efinrin Pupa (Red Basil)

Efo Igbo (Lagos Spinach)

Eti Erin Leaf (Elephant Ear)

Ewe Abeere (Black Jack)

Ewe Bomubomu (Joyweed)

Fever Nut (Akun)

Fluted Pumpkin Leaf (Ugu)

Forest Nettle (Ina Igbo)

Garlic (Ayu)

Ginger (Ata Ile Funfun)

Guava Leaf (Ewe Guafa)

African Breadfruit (Ukwa)

African Cherry (Agbalumo Wild)

African Mango (Oro)

African Pepper (Atare/Alligator Pepper)

African Star Apple (Udara/Agbalumo)

African Yam

Amala Yam Flour (Pounded Yam)

Baobab Fruit (Ogbono)

Bitter Leaf (Efo Ewuro)

Black-Eyed Peas (Ewa)

Cocoyam (Ede)

Crayfish (Dried)

Dawadawa (Locust Bean Fermented)

Efinrin (Wild Basil)

Efo Shoko (Lagos Spinach)

Efo Tete (Amaranth)

Egusi (Melon Seed)

Garden Egg (African Eggplant)

Garden Egg (White/Light Purple)

Gbodogi (Wild Okra)

Guava (Guava Oyinbo)

Iru (Locust Bean)

Jute Leaf (Ewedu)

Kola Nut (Obi)

Monkey Kola (Obi Abata)

Moringa (Ewe Ile)

Okra (Ila)

Palm Nut (Ofe Akwu)

Plantain (Ogede)

Pumpkin Leaf (Fluted/Ugu)

Scent Leaf (Efirin/Basil)

Shea Nut (Ori)

Sorrel (Isapa)

Tamarind (Tamba)