AbaThwa nezizwe zakoBantu balusebenzisile uzipholumyeko ekwelapheni ukuqunjelwa, izifo zegazi, imikhuhlane,ukubhinyika namathumba. Izindlela ezishaya emhlolweni zokulusebenzisa ukuluphuza njengesichonco noma ukukhuma impande egayiwe, futhi yayigcotshwa nasesikhunjeni. Namuhla, lo muthi usutholakala ungamaphilisi, imipholonja (capsules), amatiye, utshwala-sichonco nezitaputapu. Umuntu wokuqala waseNtshonalanga ukufunda ukuthi luyini uzipholumyeko uMjalimani, uG.H. Mehnert, owafundiswa lo muthi ngabaThwa nabaNama baseNamibia ngo-1904. (Namuhla elaseJalimane lilithenga kakhulu leli khambi.) Amakhasi amnyama ‘ozipho’ ayasetshenziswa ekwelukeni obhasikidi bese imbewuihlutshwa idliwe. Isithelo esiseyiklume singaphekwa njengomfino othi awubengumgusha (i-okra).
Imisebenzi yesimanje yalesi simila imbandakanya ukuqeda ubuhlungu okungefani nokwamasteriod nokuqeda izinhlungu ze-arthritis-isebenza ngokufanayo necortisone kodwa ngaphandle kokugulisa ngezinye izindlela. Naphezu kwalokhu, kukhona ukunqubuzana-isibonelo, uzipholumyeko ikhombise ukungahambisani nesifo sikashukela kanye nezilonda zethumbu nesisu (ama-ulcer). Ngo-2002, amasimu okuqala ayimpumelelo asungulwa eNingizimu Afrika naseNamibia, izithombo eziwu-250 000 ngo-2003 zathela isivuno esiwu-40 ton ngo-2004. Kumanje iNamibia ikhiqiza umgodla (ongu-90%) womkhiqizo othengiselwe amanye amazwe. ENingizimu Afrika, uzipholumyeko lutholakala eLimpopo, eNorthern Cape (lapho luvunwa kancane) naseNyakatho-Ntshonalanga (lapho luvunelwa ukuthengisa) Uzipholumyeko luyinala ezinkalweni lapho oluthanda izihlabathi ezomile lapho zigawuliwe khona, njengamacele omgwaqo noma amahlane. Luyisimila esitshalwa ngembewu noma ngezigimbaxa zezimpande.
Lukhula endle, luyisimila esivuthwa emva kweminyaka emine. Ukuvunwa kwalo kumbandakanya ukugubha (kujule ngo-1 kuya ku-2m), ukukhipha, ukuqoba nokomisa kwezimpande. Uzipholumyeko isimila esiqashwe ngeso lokhozi eNingizimu Afrika, eBotswana naseNamibia. Lokho okusho ukuthi akukho emthethweni ukusigubha noma ukuvuna ngisho isithombo sibe sinye,ngaphandle kwemvume evela eminyangweni ehlukene yezokulondolozwa kwemvelo.