What is the Kinza herb?
The term 'Kinza herb' refers to a group of plants coming from different regions, commonly used in traditional medicine.
Kinza is commonly associated with products from plants such as:
Combertum micranthum, or Kinkéliba, is a common tea bush growing in West Africa. Among its benefits are enhancement of skin health and potential therapeutic effects in diabetes with insulin resistance [1, 4].
Kigelia Africana and Solanecio gigas are also used in traditional medicine [3, 2]. Kigelia, for example, has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Similarly to Combertum Micranthum [1], Kingelia also benefits the skin by slowing aging [3].
Kinza herbs are used in many products, like soaps for dandruff [5] or tablets as an antiparasitic substance [6].
If you are planning to try Kinza herb, always remember to look up the region and the usual uses of the plant it contains.
What are the health benefits of Kinza herb?
Kinza herb has been widely used in traditional medicine and has several health benefits.
The primary property of the Kinza herb is that it reduces inflammation, especially on the skin. The Kinza herb can be effective in treating dandruff [1, 5].
Another positive effect Kinza herb can have is its antioxidant effect. It reduces the oxidative stress that occurs in diseases such as hepatitis, arthritis, and diabetes. Also, its antioxidant properties can reduce blood pressure [7].
Researchers have found that Kinza herbs can increase glucose tolerance and decrease the glucose level in the blood of people with diabetes [4, 8].
Kinza herb also has potential benefits for the liver. It has hepatoprotective properties, which help prevent liver damage, which is useful especially in liver disease [8, 9].
Moreover, Kinza herbs also show anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects [10, 9].
Who should avoid Kinza herb?
Generally, Kinza herb should be avoided by people who have experienced any allergic reaction after tying it. Allergy symptoms include irritation, itching, redness, and burning [5].
Herbal medicine should also not be used in breastfeeding or pregnant women if not allowed by a doctor [5].
Kinza herb is an herbal medicine, and though not as potent as modern drugs, it can impact the efficacy of other medications. Thus, people who take other medicines should consult a doctor [11, 12].
People who take blood-thinning drugs or suffer from a bleeding disorder should pay particular attention when using the Kinza herb. Herbal medicines can also affect the blood clotting process.
Additionally, even though the Kinza herb has a hepatoprotective effect, some of the plants used in the product may not. They can contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which, in the long run, can cause liver damage [2]. Therefore, people with liver disorders should avoid long-term use of herbs, in particular those of unknown origin.
What other Kinza herb exists?
Among the Kinza herbs is Kaliziri or Vernonia anthelmintica. This plant is used in traditional Uyghur medicine and treats vitiligo [15].
Further Kinza herb is Trianthema portulacastrum. It is a small weed that grows in India, Africa, and the Americas. However, it is mostly used in Indian medicine [16].
Kai-Xin-San is a Kinza herb mixture used in Chinese medicine. It contains plants like Poria, Ginseng Radix Rhizoma, Acori Tatarinowii Rizoma, and Polygalae Radix [17].