I first came across it on a weekend sojourn to Lilongwe from Blantyre in Malawi. On the drive up to Lilongwe, the guys took an unscheduled pit stop in a bustling market village. After protracted discussions, one of the vendors disappeared and promptly returned with several roots of “white ginger” wrapped in a newspaper.  We continued on our journey with the guys being more animated and extremely anxious. I was completely naïve. This spot is quite popular for buying vegetables so I thought gondolosi was some sort of local vegetable but the guys filled me in on the remainder of the trip about their organic delight and the exciting plans they had for that Saturday night. In Malawi, Gondolosi is believed to promote sexual arousal, enhance sexual performance, increase sensitivity, and cure erectile dysfunction in men.Gondolosi is wide spread across Sub-Saharan Africa from Guinea, to Kenya, to Angola. In Kenya, the Luhya tribe call it Mukombela, or “love and forgiveness.” In Cameroon it is called Limte and in Angola, Mundondo. Its scientific name is Mondia whitei. It is a wild, high climbing vine with red-purple flowers and large heart-shaped leaves almost telling of its “romantic” qualities. The roots have a strongly pleasant aroma and a sweet enjoyable taste, rather hot and bitter at first then slightly sweeter later. People either chew the root or brew it as a tea.

Mondia whitei is supposedly a remedy for anything and everything not just sexual prowess, e.g. heartburn, indigestion, flatulence, gonorrhoea, abdominal pain, constipation, bilharzia, premature uterine contractions in pregnant women, appetite stimulant, asthma, and high blood pressure.  Beyond its possible pharmacological capabilities, it is also nutritious having tested positive for micronutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K, zinc, iron, magnesium, and calcium. It’s not only good for people but animals too. It’s a valuable and nutritious animal food, though it is unpalatable for goats. It also increases milk production in Fresian cows and lactating mothers (yes real human beings).  In addition to all these apparent health benefits of the root, the leaves have been used as a cooked vegetable, the roots as a culinary spice, and the seeds as an arrow poison. And finally but not least, it has spiritual qualities bestowing luck on people who are about to embark on a difficult endeavour. Is there anything this plant can’t do?

A 2008 study, found that Mondia whitei increases human sperm motility. Other research has shown that Mondia whitei enhances libido by increasing testerone levels. More recently, it has been shown to have an effect on erectile dysfunction similar to sildenafil (Viagra) which stimulates the release of nitric oxide which relaxes muscles, increases blood flow, and causes erections.

Mondia whitei is fast becoming popular and heavily exploited so much so that in 2007, the Malawi government banned exports as it is currently being harvested unsustainably from the wild with demand outstripping supply. There are projects in Kenya where Mondia whitei is being cultivated to curb depleting wild populations with local farmers earning around  $3300 a year from a 0.4ha plot.  As the scientific evidence grows on this multifunctional plant – I envisage little pills of “love and forgiveness” – cheap and available across the African continent.

Muza Gondwe is a science communicator from Malawi who is keen to engage Africans with science. She is currently on a fellowship at the Centre of African Studies on the Public Understanding of Science in Africa, working on a project titled African Science Heroes.