Exploring the hidden powers of nature's 'garlic weed' for healing

Guinea hen weed is a well-known miracle plant in Jamaica and is most known for its cancer-fighting benefits. As most plants in nature’s kingdom, Guinea hen weed goes by many names: Anamu, Apacin, or Mucura in Spanish-speaking regions, Guiné in Brazil, Gully root in the Caribbean, Garlic weed occasionally, and Petiveria alliacea in general botanical literature.

While at first glance, the plant appears as an invasive weed to the untrained eye, its potent medicinal properties greatly contradict it’s meager appearance with widespread use throughout the Jamaican diaspora. While Guinea hen weed is better known for its cytotoxic effect on cancer cells, it was also recently discovered to have antiviral properties. In a 2016 study, the plant was found to prevent the proliferation of hepatitis C due to a naturally occurring bioactive compound called dibenzyl trisulphide or DTS.*

Amongst Guinea hen weed’s super powers in fighting cancer and hep C, the bush and its roots have traditionally been used for pain relief, stimulating the immune system, lowering blood sugar, combating arthritis, cold and flu treatments, and its mild blood thinning capabilities.

Guinea hen weed also has a few similarities to garlic (hence its other name, ‘garlic weed’). This is clear based on the garlicky smell the plant naturally emits, especially from the roots. What’s most fascinating, of the plant’s 20 biological compounds, several are exclusively unique to the plant and found nowhere else in nature while others are directly linked to garlic making it an almost-cousin to Allium sativum.

In high doses, this herb can be fatal for fetuses and can cause contractions of the uterus (so mamas and mamas-to-be, please steer clear).

To prepare, I usually steep a tablespoon of the desiccated plant material in an 8 ounce tea pot, but you can also get Jamaica-fancy with it: Mix 1/2 a teaspoon of white rum with 2 tablespoons of ground Guinea hen weed to form a paste that can be spread on the forehead to ease headaches.

*Source: Lowe, Henry & Toyang, Ngeh & Roy, Sanjit & Watson, Charah & Bryant, Joseph. (2016). Inhibition of the Human Hepatitis C Virus by Dibenzyl Trisulfide