What is African birch (marke)?

African birch is a savanna tree of West and Central Africa. In Hausa it is called marke. The bark, twigs and leaves are used in folk medicine, mostly for gut upsets, wounds, mouth care and worms.

Despite the name, it is not a true birch. Its botanical name is Anogeissus leiocarpus. It grows in the dry belt from Senegal east to Sudan, and it is also used for dye, tanning and timber.

Here is the honest verdict up front. Lab and animal work on the bark is fairly rich. Good human trials are close to absent, so almost nothing can be promised for people.

Long use in a tradition is not proof that a remedy works. It is also not proof that it is safe. That caution applies to everything on this page.

How does African birch (marke) work?

Most of what is claimed for marke comes from test tubes and animals, not from people.

The bark is very high in tannins. Tannins bind proteins and have a drying, puckering effect. That is the likely reason healers used bark washes on wounds and bark drinks for loose stools.

In test-tube work, bark extracts slow the growth of several bacteria and fungi. Some lab studies also report activity against trypanosomes, the parasites behind sleeping sickness. Whether any of this happens inside a person is not known.

In rats and mice, extracts have lowered blood sugar and reduced signs of swelling. These were animal studies with small numbers. They do not show that a bark tea helps a human being.

Chewing sticks cut from the twigs may work in two ways. The scrubbing action cleans teeth, as any chewing stick does. Lab tests suggest the plant's own compounds also slow some mouth bacteria.

No one has mapped how much of these compounds reaches your blood after you drink a decoction. Dose, bark age and soil all change the mix. So the mechanism stays a reasonable idea, not a proven path.

What forms does African birch (marke) come in?

Marke reaches users in a few simple forms. Most of them are made from the bark.

- Dried bark, sold in pieces or ground to powder in West African markets. - Bark decoction, a drink made by boiling bark in water. - Powdered bark in capsules, sold online by small sellers.

Other forms use the twigs or leaves, or go on the skin.

- Twig chewing sticks, used to clean teeth and gums. - Leaf infusions, used less often than the bark. - Washes and poultices put on the skin for sores and wounds.

The plant is also used outside medicine. It yields a yellow dye, tans leather and feeds livestock. Veterinary use on animal wounds and worms is common in the Sahel.

Nothing on this market is standardised. Strength, purity and plant part can all vary between sellers.

Where it comes from:

Marke has long standing across West Africa. Hausa, Fulani, Bambara and Yoruba healers all recorded uses for it.

Bark decoctions were given for diarrhoea, stomach pain, worms and fevers. Bark washes were applied to wounds, boils and skin infections. Twigs were cut as chewing sticks for daily tooth cleaning.

The tree also held a place in trade and craft. Tanners used the bark for leather, and dyers used it for yellow and black shades. Herders treated cattle and small stock with bark preparations.

Colonial-era and later ethnobotanical surveys recorded these uses in Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The records describe what people did. They were not safety tests, and they do not tell you what a modern dose should be.

What does African birch (marke) help with?

• Diarrhoea and loose stools: This is the most common traditional use of the bark. Healers boiled bark and gave the drink for loose stools. The idea is plausible. Tannins are astringent and bind proteins in the gut lining. In animals, some tannin-rich plants slow gut movement. No good human trial has tested marke for diarrhoea. Loose stools in a child or an older adult can turn dangerous fast. Fluids and salts, plus medical care, come first.
• Wound and skin sore care: Bark washes were used on wounds, boils and skin ulcers across the region. In lab dishes, bark extracts slow several bacteria and fungi. Some animal wound studies report faster closing. These are early findings, not proof in people. A bark wash is not sterile. A deep, dirty or spreading wound needs proper cleaning and, often, antibiotics.
• Mouth and gum care (chewing sticks): Marke twigs are a well-known chewing stick in Hausa-speaking areas. Chewing sticks do clean teeth through simple scrubbing. Lab tests suggest the plant's compounds also slow some mouth bacteria. Controlled human trials on marke sticks are scarce. Heavy, rough chewing can wear enamel and hurt the gums. A chewing stick does not replace dental care.
• Intestinal worms: Bark drinks were given to expel worms in both people and livestock. Test-tube and animal work shows activity against some worms and parasites. That work has not moved into solid human trials. Modern deworming drugs are cheap, tested and effective. Treating worms with bark instead risks leaving the infection in place.
• Fever and malaria symptoms: Bark and leaf drinks were used for fevers, including fevers we now call malaria. Some lab studies report activity against malaria parasites. Animal results are mixed. No trial supports using marke to treat malaria in a person. Malaria can kill within days. Get tested and take the proper medicine. Never swap it for a herbal drink.
• Stomach pain and indigestion: Healers used the bark for belly pain, cramps and poor digestion. Evidence here is thin even by this page's standards. It rests on tradition and on general tannin effects seen in the lab. Tannin-rich drinks can also cause nausea and cramps. Ongoing stomach pain needs a diagnosis, not a trial of bark tea.
• High blood sugar: Blood sugar is a newer research interest, not a classic village use. In diabetic rats, bark extracts lowered blood sugar in several studies. No published human trial backs this up. So nothing here supports using marke for diabetes. It may also add to the effect of your diabetes medicine and push sugar too low.

What are the side effects of African birch (marke)?

• Nausea
• Stomach cramps or belly pain
• Vomiting, mostly with strong brews
• Constipation
• Dry, puckering feeling in the mouth
• Lower iron uptake, which can worsen anaemia (low iron in the blood)
• Gum or tooth wear from hard chewing of the twigs
• Skin rash or itching from washes and poultices
• Possible liver strain with heavy, long use (not well studied)

Good to know:

Most reported effects are mild and come from the gut. Nausea, cramps and constipation are the usual complaints.

The real gaps are the unknowns. No one has tracked long-term users, so liver and kidney safety over months is unmeasured. Children, older adults and people with chronic illness carry more risk.

Stop at the first sign of a bad reaction. Do not push through pain, rash or vomiting.

How much African birch (marke) should you take?

• Recommended daily: No trusted daily amount has been set for marke. It is not sold as a licensed medicine with a label dose in the US, UK or EU. Traditional decoctions vary in strength from healer to healer. Human studies that could define a safe range do not exist. For that reason this page gives no amount, in grams, cups or capsules. Any figure would be a guess dressed as advice. If you are set on trying it, ask a doctor or pharmacist who knows West African herbs.
• Best time of day: There is no evidence that the time of day matters. People who use it for gut upset take it when symptoms are present. People who use the chewing stick do so when they clean their teeth.
• With or without food: A tannin-rich drink on an empty stomach often causes nausea. Taking it with food can soften that. But tannins bind iron in the meal itself. If you are low in iron, that is a real downside. Keeping it well away from iron-rich meals and iron tablets is the safer habit.
• Time to effect: Honest answer: it may do nothing at all for you. For loose stools, traditional reports describe a change within a day. That is uncontrolled observation, not measured proof. Symptoms often settle on their own in that time. For wounds or skin sores, nothing should be judged on feel alone. If a sore spreads, weeps or smells bad, stop and get it seen.
• How long to take it: Traditional use was short and aimed at a problem, such as a bout of loose stools. Daily use for months has no support and is not sensible. Tannin-rich barks can block iron uptake over time. Liver safety with long use has not been studied in people. If you use it at all, keep it short, and stop if nothing changes.