The Healing Power of Plants: Lessons from the Lamiaceae Family

Have you ever wondered why your grandma always tells you to drink mint tea when you’re not feeling well? It turns out she might be onto something! Let’s explore the amazing world of the Lamiaceae family of plants and how they can help keep our hearts healthy.

What’s the Lamiaceae family?

The Lamiaceae family is a group of plants that includes mint, basil, and many other herbs. The mint family is a huge group of plants with over 7,000 different types! In Yoruba culture, we have our own special plants from this family, like “efirin” (African basil) and “ewuro” (bitter leaf), which are often used in traditional medicine. They help prevent heart diseases, which are becoming more common around the world. For more information about Yoruba foods, check here to get started.

The power of plants can help our hearts in many ways, but how?

Scientists have found that plants from the Lamiaceae family can:

1. Fight off harmful substances in our bodies (antioxidant effect):

One of the most important ways Lamiaceae plants help our hearts is through their antioxidant powers. Antioxidants are like shields that protect our body cells from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals.

Plants like oregano, rosemary, basil, thyme, and sage are especially good at this. For example, some Lamiaceae plants were found to be even better at fighting free radicals than a well-known antioxidant called rosmarinic acid!

2. Help lower bad fats in our blood (antihyperlipidemic effect):

Another way these plants help our hearts is by lowering bad fats in our blood. When we have too much of these fats, they can build up in our blood vessels and cause problems like atherosclerosis—that’s when our arteries get clogged up.

Some Lamiaceae plants can help break down these fat buildups and increase the good fats in our blood. This helps keep our blood vessels clear and healthy.

3. Relax our blood vessels (vasorelaxant effect):

Imagine your blood vessels are like flexible straws. Sometimes, these straws can get tight and narrow, making it harder for blood to flow through. Plants from the Lamiaceae family can help these “straws” relax and widen, allowing blood to flow more easily. This is called the vasorelaxant effect.

When our blood vessels are relaxed, blood pressure goes down, the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood, and organs and tissues get more oxygen and nutrients. This effect is like when you take a deep breath and feel your whole body relax—but for your blood vessels!

4. Break down blood clots (thrombolytic effect):

Now, think of blood clots as traffic jams in your blood vessels. These clots can block blood flow and cause serious problems like heart attacks or strokes. Some plants in the Lamiaceae family have a special power to break down these clots, much like how soap breaks down grease.

This clot-busting ability helps prevent dangerous blockages, improves blood flow throughout the body, and can potentially save lives in emergency situations. It’s like having a tiny clean-up crew in your blood, ready to clear any traffic jams that might form!

All these effects can help prevent heart diseases, which are becoming more common worldwide.

What Makes These Plants So Special?

These plants contain special ingredients called bioactive compounds. These include:

• Phenolic acids
• Flavonoids
• Alkaloids

Phenolic Acids

Phenolic acids are like nature’s shield for our bodies. They:

• Act as powerful antioxidants, protecting our cells from damage
• Help reduce inflammation in our blood vessels
• May lower the risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions

Some common phenolic acids found in Lamiaceae plants include rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid[1].

Flavonoids

Flavonoids are colorful compounds that give many fruits and vegetables their vibrant hues. In Lamiaceae plants, they:

• Work as strong antioxidants, fighting harmful free radicals
• Help improve blood flow by relaxing blood vessels
• May lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease

Examples of flavonoids in Lamiaceae plants include luteolin and apigenin[1].

Alkaloids

Alkaloids are a diverse group of compounds that often have powerful effects on the body. In Lamiaceae plants, they can:

• Help regulate heart rhythm
• Potentially lower blood pressure
• Act as natural pain relievers

While alkaloids can be beneficial, it’s important to note that some can be toxic in large amounts, which is why traditional healers are careful about how they use certain plants[1].

These compounds work together in Lamiaceae plants to provide various health benefits, especially for our hearts. It’s like having a team of tiny superheroes in our food, each with its own special power to keep us healthy!

Plants as Food and Medicine

Just like how Yoruba traditional healers use herbs in their remedies, scientists are now looking at how we can use these plants as both food and medicine. Some Lamiaceae plants are rich in important nutrients like omega-3, which is good for our hearts.

The Future of Plant Medicine

While there’s still a lot to learn, researchers are excited about using plants from the Lamiaceae family to create new medicines and healthy foods that can help prevent heart diseases. They’re even looking at how specific diets rich in these plants could help manage chronic diseases

So, the next time your grandma offers you some mint tea or efirin soup, remember that she’s not just feeding you—she’s helping to keep your heart healthy too!

The reference for the information about the Lamiaceae family and its potential benefits for cardiovascular health is:

Chakrabartty, S., Basu, S., & Mitra, A. (2022). Lamiaceae Family: A Natural Treasure for Cardiovascular Diseases. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.829076

Read the full article here.