Calomba

/kəˈlɒmbə/ noun

Definition

A tropical plant or medicinal substance derived from a plant found in East Africa, historically used in traditional medicine and tonics.

Etymology

From Bantu or Swahili languages of East Africa where the plant grows, the name traveled through colonial trade routes into European pharmacopeias in the 18th-19th centuries.

Kelly Says

Calomba was once so popular in European pharmacies that it became a status symbol—wealthy people would drink it as a health tonic even though its actual medicinal value was probably minimal!

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