BUCHU

Chemical Properties

Buchu is a small shrub with opposite leaves, white, five-petaled flowers and penta-follicled fruits. The plant is native to South Africa (Cape of Good Hope). The buchus grow up to 1.5 m tall as a bushy, drought-resistant plant. The leaves are described as yellowish-green to brown, glossy and leathery, revealing oil-glandular dots on the underside. Harvesting of the leaves occurs in summer. Buchu leaves contain from 1.5 to 3.5% volatile oil. Buchus has a strong, sweet odor and a fresh, bitter flavor. Buchu leaves and extracts are recognized in herbal medicine as diuretics and weak antiseptics. Buchu is a popular ingredient in over-the-counter herbal diuretic preparations.

Occurrence

Buchu is found in South Africa.

Uses

Buchu is used as a diuretic and an antiseptic, and for the treatment of the common cold, stomachaches, rheumatism (Simpson, 1998), gout, leukorrhea, yeast infections, and urinary tract infections, including cystitis. Buchu is also used in combination with uva-ursi for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Essential oil composition

Over 100 components exist in the oil, including diiosphenol (the main component in distilled oil, also called buchu camphor, barosma camphor or 1-pulegone), limonene, methone, pulegone terpinen-4-ol and p-menthan-3-on-8-thiol (responsible for the aroma of the plant).

Raw materials

Preparation Products