This is one extremely powerful antifungal plant. When we started putting this post together this morning, we found the following:

Results: The plant extract killed 99.5% of all the test isolates in less than 30 seconds while chlorhexidine gluconate killed 40% and 20% and triclosan 55% and 35% of C. albicans strains isolated from HIV positive and HIV negative patients respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the results of the two study groups and between chlorhexidine gluconate and triclosan.

Conclusion: The plant Dodonea angustifolia killed all the strains of C. albicans isolated from HIV positive and HIV negative patients in a shorter time than chlorhexidine gluconate and triclosan.

Ok, that is just amazing. A plant, that is twice as effective in helping HIV patients than new age muti. We like it. Let’s take two steps back and learn a little more about this wonderful species.

Common names

(Afrikaans) : bosysterhout, gansiebos, sandolien, sandolyf, ysterhoutbos
(English) : giant bush hop, sand olive
(Swahili) : mkaa-pwani

Botanic description

Dodonaea angustifolia is a variable shrub or tree, usually 2-8 m tall; branchlets rusty red and resinous; bark dark grey, fissured and peeling. Leaves simple lanceolate, pale green, margins untoothed; leaf tip round or pointed; 5-10 cm long, 5-8 mm wide; leaves secrete gummy exudate – thus appearing shiny always. Flowers inconspicuous, pale green; sepals greenish-yellow, petals absent; stamens brown. Fruits pale green, sometimes inflated; 3-winged, wings pale brown or coral pink. Seed black, smooth.

Its also hugely effective in erosion control: Sand olive roots are soil binding and effective in soil conservation. Shade or shelter: The plant is a shade provider. Reclamation: Widely used in arid areas to bind sand or reclaim marshes, an excellent choice for sand dune fixation and erosion control.

All around, just an amazing species. That has perked our day right up. Hope yours has been off to just as good a start. Have a fantastic weekend. The wonderful Cape is going to do its best to fry us out, but that’s why we have Semillon and Shiraz Rose…