HERBAL MEDICINE  Decoctions loose potency after some time.

Dispose of
decoctions after one day. To keep fresh during the day, keep
 As part of primary health care and because of the increasing
lukewarm in flask or thermos.
cost of drugs, the use of locally available medicinal plants and
 Leaves, fruits, flowers or nuts must be mature before
herbs in the Philippine backyard and field have been found to
harvesting. Less medicinal substances are found on young
be effective in the treatment of common ailments as attested
parts.
to by the National Science Development Board, other
 Stop giving the herbal medication in case untoward reaction
government and private agencies/ persons engaged in
such as allergy occurs.
research
 If signs and symptoms are not relieved after 2 or 3 doses of
 The DOH is advocating the use of the following ten herbal
herbal medication, consult a doctor.
plants

SAMBONG
REPUBLIC ACT OF 8423
scientific name: Blumea balsamifera
 Otherwise known as TAMA
 TRADITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ACT OF  A plant that reaches 1 ½ to 3 meters in height with rough hairy
1997 leaves
 An act creating the Philippine Institute of Traditional and  Young plants around mother plant may be separated when
Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) to accelerate the they have three or more leaves.
development of traditional and alternative health care in the
USES:
Philippines, providing for a traditional and alternative health
care development fund and for other purposes.  Anti – edema
 Diuretic
Reminders on the use of Herbal Medicine  Anti – urolithiasis

 Avoid the use of insecticides as these may leave poison on PREPARATION:

plants  Boil chopped leaves in water for 15 minutes until one glassful
 In the preparation of herbal medicine, use a clay pot and remains. Cool and strain.
remove cover while boiling at low heat  Divide decoction into 3 parts. Drink one part 3 times a day.
 Use only the part of the plant being advocated
 Follow accurate dose of suggested preparation NOTE: Sambong is not a medicine for kidney infection but can
 Use only one kind of herbal plant for each type of symptoms help in preventing infection.
or sickness
 Use only half the dosage prescribed for fresh parts like leaves
when using dried parts
AKAPULKO
Scientific name: Cassia alata
 Ringworm bush
 Bayas – bayasan
 This plant is about 1 to 2 meters tall
 The leaves are embraced with 8 to 20 oblong – elliptical
shaped leaflets
 It has flowers with oblong sepals
USES:
 Anti – fungal: Tinea Flava, Athlete’s Foot and Scabies
PREPARATIONS:
 Fresh, matured leaves are pounded
 Apply as a soap to the affected part 1 to 2 times a day.
NIYUG-NIYOGAN
USES:
 Anti – helminthic (used to expel parasitic worms.)
PREPARATIONS:
 Seeds of niyug-niyogan are eaten raw two hours before the
patient’s last meal of the day
 Adults may take 10 seeds; children 4 to 7 years of age may
eat up to 4 seeds only; ages 8 to 9 may take six seeds and
seven seeds may be eaten by children 10 to 12 years old.
 Not to be given to children below four years old.
TSAANG GUBAT
Scientific name: Carmona retusa
 Forest tea or Wild Tea
 A shrub with small, shiny nice-looking leaves that grows in
wild uncultivated areas and forests.
USES:
 Diarrhea
 Stomachache
PREPARATIONS:
 Boil the following amount of chopped leaves in 2 glasses of
water for 15 minutes or until amount of water goes down to 1
glass. Cool and strain.
 Wash leaves and chop. Boil chopped leaves in 1 glass of
water for 15 minutes. Cool and filter/strain and drink.
AMPALAYA
Scientific name: Momordica charantia
 Bitter Gourd or bitter melon
 A climbing vine with tendrils that grow up to 20 cms long.
 Leaves are heart-shaped, which are 5 to 10 cms in diameter.
 Fruits have ribbed and wrinkled surface that are freshly green
with pointed ends at length and has a bitter taste.
USES:
 Lower blood sugar levels
 Diabetes mellitus (mild-non-insulin dependent)
 PREPARATION:  For skin disease (dermatitis, scabies, ulcer, eczema) and
wounds, prepare decoction of the leaves. Wash and clean
 Gather and wash young leaves very well. Chop. Boil 6
skin/wound with the decoction.
tablespoons in two glassfuls of water for 15 minutes under low
 For headache, crushed leaves may be applied on the
fire. Do not cover pot. Cool and strain. Take one third cup 3
forehead.
times a day after meals.
 For rheumatism, sprain, contusions and insect bites, pound
the leaves and apply on the affected part.
LAGUNDI
Scientific name: Vitex negundo ULASIMANG BATO
 5 leaved – chaste tree Scientific name: Peperomia pellucida
 A shrub growing wild in vacant lots and waste land
 Silver bush or shiny bush
 Matured branches are planted
 Pansit-pansitan
 The flowers are blue and bell – shaped
 A weed with heart – shaped leaves that grow in shady parts
 The small fruits turn black when ripe. It is better to collect the
of the garden and yard.
leaves when are in bloom.
USES:
USES:
 Lower uric acid (Rheumatism or Gout)
 Asthma and cough
 Fever, dysentery, colds and pain PREPARATIONS:
 Skin diseases and wounds
 Wash the leaves well. One and a half cup leaves are boiled in
 Headache
two glassfuls of water over low fire. Do not cover pot. Cool and
 Rheumatism, sprain, contusions, insect bites strain. Divide into three parts and drink each part 3 times a
 Aromatic bath for sick patients day.
PREPARATION:  May also be eaten as salad. Wash the leaves well. Prepare
one and a half cups of leaves (not closely packed). Divide into
 For asthma, cough and fever, boil chopped raw fruits or leaves 3 parts and take as salad 3 times a day.
in 2 glasses of water left for 15 minutes until the water left in
only 1 glass (decoction). Then strain.
 For dysentery, colds and pains, boil a handful of leaves and
flowers in water to produce a glass full of decoction 3 times a
day.
BAWANG PREAPARATIONS:
Scientific name: Allium sativum  Warm decoction is used for gargle
 Freshly pounded leaves are used for toothache. Guava leaves
 Garlic
are to be chopped. Boil for 15 minutes at low fire. Do not cover
 A low herb and grows up to sixty cms high
pot. Cool and strain before use.
 Leaves are flat and linear
 Bulbs consists of several tubers
USES: YERBA BUENA

 For hypertension Scientific name: Mentha cordifelia

 Toothache  Peppermint
 Lowers cholesterol levels in the blood  A small multi – branching aromatic herb. The leaves are small,
PREPARATION: elliptical and with toothed margin.
 The stem creeps to the ground and develop roots.
 May be fried, roasted, soaked in vinegar for 30 minutes, or
blanched in boiled water for 5 minutes. Take two pieces three USES:
times a day after meals.
 For pain different parts of the body as headache, stomach
 For toothache, pound a small piece and apply to affected part. ache.
CAUTION: take on a full stomach to prevent stomach and  Rheumatism, arthritis, and headache
intestinal ulcers.  Cough and cold
 Swollen gums and toothache
 Menstrual and gas pains
BAYABAS  Nausea and fainting
 Insect bites and Pruritus
Scientific name: Psidium guajava
PREPARATION:
 Guava
 A tree about 3 to 5 meters high with tiny white flowers with  For pain in different parts of the body, boil chopped leaves in
round or oval fruits that are eaten raw 2 glasses of water. For 15 minutes cool and strain.
 For rheumatism, arthritis and headache, crush the fresh
USES:
leaves and squeeze sap. Massage sap on painful parts with
 For washing wounds eucalyptus.
 For toothache  For cough and cold, get about 10 fresh leaves and soak in a
 For diarrhea glass of hot water. Drink as tea, acts as expectorant.
 For toothache, cut fresh plant and squeeze sap. Soak a piece
of cotton in the sap and insert in aching tooth cavity. Mouth
should be rinsed by gargling salt solution before inserting the
cotton.
 To prepare salt solution: add 5g of table salt to one glass of
water.
 For menstrual pain and gas pain, soak a handful of leaves in
a glass of boiling water, drink infusion. It induces menstrual
flow and sweating.
 For nausea and fainting, crush leaves and apply at nostrils of
patient.
 For insect bites, crush leaves and apply juice on affected part
or pound leaves until paste-like and rub this on the affected
part.