Blackjack: The Ordinary Weed with Extraordinary Capabilities

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Humans and snakes have a long and complicated history, across different cultures and religions. Kenya has many endemic snake species, and the Lake Victoria basin is one of the regions that provides niches conducive to reptile life.

The Luo community predominates this lake basin and has various beliefs about snakes. Most snake species have a sinister reputation linked with witchcraft and death, but there are those that are associated with positive outcomes. Nyang’idi is a Luo divinity for fertility and harvest and is also a totem animal represented by the python. As such, pythons were traditionally revered for their spiritual significance, and were allowed to slither in and out of homesteads unharmed.

Venomous snake attacks were more likely to occur out in the field when farmers were tending to their crops. When this happened, the patient was started on treatment not more than thirty minutes after the attack.

First, bands were tied above and below the puncture wounds to slow the spread of venom. Incisions were then made on the wound, and the venom sucked out using the mouth of the person administering the treatment. This was meant to drain the poisoned blood. As all this was happening, an antivenom treatment was being prepared using one of the most common weeds: blackjack.

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Notorious for embedding their hook-like bristle fruits into clothes and animal fur, blackjacks are a typical sight in shambas. They are scientifically called Bidens pilosa, but are referred to as onyiego in Dholuo and kishona nguo in Swahili. Their invasive nature makes them plentiful in areas where they grow, which made them easy to come by as an antivenom.

The leaves were harvested and crushed into a paste which was then placed onto the bite area. Finally, the wound was wrapped with bark strips that held the medicine in place. The wound had to be cleaned regularly, and the poultice replaced often until the patient healed.

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Research about the use of blackjack leaves in treating snake bites remains insufficient and inconclusive. Furthermore, the act of drawing venom out using the mouth is dangerous and could lead to nerve and blood vessel damage, infection, or even death. As such, we recommend seeking medical advice when snake bites occur.