Educational information, not medical advice — ask your doctor or midwife.
What is Gambian tea bush?
Gambian tea bush is a scented shrub from West Africa. Its dried leaves are brewed into a mint-like, caffeine-free tea. The botanical name is Lippia multiflora.
In Ghana it is known in Twi as saa nunum. It grows wild in savannah country from Senegal to Cameroon. Some farms now grow it for leaf and for its oil.
People drink it as a daily beverage and as a home remedy. Common home uses are for colds, fevers, upset stomach, poor sleep and high blood pressure.
Here is the honest verdict. Long use in a tradition is not proof that a plant works, and it is not proof that it is safe. Human evidence for this plant is thin, and most findings come from lab and animal work.
How is it thought to work?
No one has shown clearly what it does in the human body. The proposed actions come from test tubes and animals.
In animal studies, leaf extracts have lowered blood pressure. They also relaxed the walls of blood vessels. Whether a cup of the tea does this in people is not established.
In mice, extracts had a calming effect and lengthened sleep. This fits the traditional use as an evening drink. It is not proof of a sedative effect in humans.
In laboratory tests, the leaf oil slows the growth of some bacteria and fungi. Lab work also points to antioxidant activity. These results sit in a dish, not in a person.
How is it sold?
Most often it is sold as a plain leaf tea. You may also find it as a scented oil for perfume and insect repellent.
Common forms: - dried loose leaf for brewing - tea bags, sometimes blended with lemongrass or mint - fresh leaf, used at home in West Africa - powdered leaf in capsules, less common - essential oil, for scent and skin products only
The essential oil is very concentrated and is not a drink. Liquid extracts and tinctures exist but are rare outside the region.
What did tradition claim?
Across West Africa the leaf was brewed as both a social drink and a home remedy. Writers recorded its use in Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and The Gambia.
Healers used the hot infusion for fevers, including fevers blamed on malaria. It was also given for coughs, colds, blocked noses and stomach pain.
An evening cup was taken for restlessness and poor sleep. Elders also drank it for what they called high blood.
From the 1970s onward, researchers in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire studied it as a local tea crop. That work looked mainly at the oil and at animal effects. These records describe custom and early research, not a reason to self-treat.
When to see a doctor
Stop drinking it and get medical advice if you notice: - repeated dizziness, faintness or blurred vision - blood pressure readings that drop well below your usual range - unusual drowsiness or confusion - a rash, itching or stomach pain that does not settle
Get urgent care the same day for a fever above 38C that lasts more than two days, or any fever after travel to a malaria area.
Call emergency services for swelling of the lips, face or tongue, trouble breathing, chest pain or collapse.
In the UK, the EU and the US it is sold as a herbal tea or food supplement. It is not approved as a medicine, and no health claims have been authorised for it. In Ghana and nearby countries it is an everyday beverage, and some local herbal products are registered with national regulators.
Evidence grades and traditional-use labels are explained in our methodology. Nothing here is medical advice.
What it is typically used for, usual dose, cautions, and the study behind it where real trial data exists.
One email with the summary. We'll also send a short weekly evidence update — unsubscribe any time.
