KawaKawa - Traditional Maori Medicine

It's nearing the end of Māori language week and I thought it would be great to highlight some of our traditional medicines.  The New Zealand bush is rich in history, culture, beauty and its also a  source of native plants you could use in your life for medicinal purposes.

Kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum)
The pharmacy of the forest! It is a potent plant that is beneficial for for easing the digestive system in helping ease digestive pains, indigestion, , a winter general tonic and helpful for relieving coughs and colds, sore throats, tonsillitis and topically is ideal for cuts, boils, abscesses, wounds, eczema and toothache.  Leaves can be steeped in boiling water and taken as a tea, a herbal extract or in an oil form.  The leaves  contain Volatile oils and lignin's,. Another good source is Dunaliella salina (a microalgaemicro-algae),  a key ingredient in our Kawakawa balm.