Herbal Medicine Plant - Philippines

Akapulko 

Akapulko or Acapulco in English is a shrub found throughout the Philippines. It is known under various names in different regions in the country. Locals call the plant katanda, andadasi, and palochina in Tagalog, Ilocos and in the Visayas regions, respectively. The shrub belongs to the family ofLeguminosae, and grows about one to two meters tall. It has thick branches and the leaves are embraced with 8 to 20 leaflets that are oblong-elliptical in shape. The flowers of the Akapulko have oblong sepals, and its fruits are tetragonal, which are also winged and glabrous. A medicinal herb that contains chrysophanic acid, a fungicide used to treat fungal infections, like ringworms, scabies, and eczema. Akapulko also contains saponin, a laxative that is useful in expelling intestinal parasites.

The primary part used for herbal purposes are the leaves, although the roots and flowers are also used for certain preparations with medicinal value. The extracts from the Akapulko plant is commonly used as an ingredient for lotions, soaps, and shampoos.

Ampalaya

Ampalaya (Bitter Melon) with a scientific name Momordica charantia, is a climbing vine and the tendrils of which grow up to 20 centimeters long. This herbal plant belongs to the family of Cucurbitaceae, and it is a tropical as well as a subtropical vine. Ampalaya leaves are heart-shaped, which are 5 to 10 centimeters in diameter. The fruits of the ampalaya vine are fleshy green with pointed ends at length. It can never be mistaken for any other variety because its ribbed and wrinkled surface had always been ampalaya’s distinct physical structure. The bitter taste of the ampalaya fruit had also been the distinguishing factor from the rest of the fruits with medicinal value, and this is due to the presence of a substance known as momorcidin.

Ampalaya has been a folkloric cure for generations but has now been proven to be an effective herbal medicine for many aliments. Most significant of which is for Diabetes. The Philippine variety has proven to be most potent. Ampalaya contains a mixture of flavanoids and alkaloids make the Pancreas produce more insulin that controls the blood sugar in diabetics. Aside from Ampalaya's medicinal value, it is good source of vitamins A, B and C, iron, folic acid, phosphorous and calcium.

Ampalaya has been for used even by the Chinese for centuries. The effectively of Ampalaya as an herbal medicine has been tried and tested by many research clinics and laboratories worldwide. In the Philippines, the Department of Health has endorsed Ampalaya as an alternative medicine to help alleviate various ailments including diabetes, liver problems and even HIV. Aside from these, ampalaya also helps treat skin diseases and cough. Its herbal value extends to increasing the sterility of women, in parasiticide, antipyretic, and has purgative functions, as well. Note: In large dozes, pure Ampalaya juice can be a purgative and abortifacient.


Herbal Benefits of Ampalaya:

• Good for rheumatism and gout
• And diseases of the spleen and liver
• Aids in lowering blood sugar levels
• Helps in lowering blood pressure
• Relives headaches
• Disinfects and heals wounds & burns
• Can be used as a cough & fever remedy
• Treatment of intestinal worms, diarrhea
• Helps prevent some types of cancer
• Enhances immune system to fight infection
• For treatment of hemorrhoids
• Is an antioxidant and parasiticide
• Is antibacterial and antipyretic

Bawang or Garlic

Bawang or garlic, is a specie in the onion family Alliaceae. Bawang is a close relative of onion (sibuyas), the shallot, the leek and the chive. Bawang has been used throughout recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes.

Bawang is a low herb, growing to up to 2 feet high. Bawang is widely popular for its bulbs. Bawang bulbs are broadly ovoid, 2 to 4 cm in diameter, consisting of several cloves. Bawang leaves are linear and flat. Umbels are globose, many flowered. Sepas are oblong, greenish white, slightly tinged with purple.

Bawang has a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking. Bawang cloves are used as seed, for consumption (raw or cooked), and for medicinal purposes. The leaves, stems (scape) and flowers (bulbils) on the head (spathe) are also edible and most often consumed while immature and still tender.

Bayabas or Guava

Bayabas or guava is a fruit bearing shrub or small tree that grows in the tropical climate like Mexico, Peru and the Philippines. Bayabas is widely used in the Philippines as herbal medicine and is recognized by the Philippine Department of Health for its antiseptic property. Bayabas or guava fruit is known for being rich in vitamin C and vitamin A. Bayabas leaves and fruits contain eugenol, tannin, saponins, amydalin, phenolic acids, malic acid, ash, aldehydes, catequinic components and flavonoids.

Bayabas or guava is used in herbal medicine as antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, antioxidant hepatoprotective, anti-allergy, antimicrobial, anti-plasmodial, anti-cough, antidiabetic, and antigenotoxic.

Lagundi

Lagundi (scientific name: Vitex negundo) is a large native shrub that grows in the Philippines and has been traditionally used as herbal medicine. The Philippine Department of Health has conducted research and study for Lagundi and has suggested that the lagundi plant has a number verifiable therapeutic value

Lagundi is an erect, branched tree or shrub, that grows to as much as 5 m high. Lagundi has a single thick, woody stem like a trunk and is usually seen in swamps of the Philippines. Lagund leaves appear palmately, in the form of five pointed leaves which splay out like the fingers of a hand. Lagundi leaves are 5-foliate, rarely with 3 leaflets only. Lagundi leaves are 4-10 cm long, slightly hairy beneath. The lagundi flowers are blue to lavender, 6-7 mm long bearing fruit globose of about 4mm in diameter that turns black when ripe.

Niyog-niyogan

Niyog-niyogan is a large climbing, woody shrub that is native in Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, India, Myanmar and Malaysia. Niyog-niyogan grows to about 20 feet in height with leaves that is rounded at the bottom and pointed at the tips. Niyog-niyogan shrub has fragrant and colorful flowers. Niyog-niyogan flowers exhibit varying colors, from white, red, reddish purple, pink red to orange that sprouts into clusters. Niyog-niyogan has edible fruit that is ellipsoidal in shape with five lengthwise wings. It has seeds that are black in color.

Niyog-niyogan is also one of the herbal plants endorsed by the Philippine Department of Health for its deworming property. Niyog-niyogan has other medicinal benefits as discussed in the following.

Sambong

Sambong is used as herbal medicine and is a shrub that grows wild in the tropical climate countries such as Philippines, India, Africa and found even in eastern Himalayas. Sambong is widely used in the Philippines as herbal medicine. Sambong leaves are known for its ngai or Blumea camphor that is used as herbal medicine to treat kidney stones, wounds and cuts, rheumatism, anti-diarrhea, anti spasms, colds and coughs and hypertension. The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) has develop the technology for a sambong herbal medicine tablet.

Sambong is an aromatic shrub, that grows from 1 to 4 meters in height. It is considered as a weed in some countries and is difficult to eradicate. Sambong has yellow flowering heads that is 6 mm long. Sambong leaves are green obloid that spreads in a pyramidial pattern. Sambong bears fruits that are ribbed and hairy on top. Sambong fruit has 1 seed.

Tsaang Gubat

Tsaang Gubat is used as herbal medicine and is a shrub that grows wild in the tropical climate of Philippines. Tsaang gubat is widely used in the Philippines as herbal medicine. The tsaang gubat were studied for possible anti-allergic subtances to counter the histamine release from mast cells that cause type-1 reactions. The tsaang-gubat, contains rosmarinic acid and microphyllone which is attributed for its efficacy to control allergy. Tsaang gubat studies also shows it has antibacterial, antinocicpetive and anti-inflammatory properties. Study of tsaang gubat leaves showed a mixture of triterpenes– a-amyrin, ß-amyrin and baurenol and a wide range of bioactivity. The tsaang gubat showed analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal and antibacterial activities. Tsaang gubat is commonly prepared in pills capsules and in herbal tea bags form.

Tsaang gubat is an erect, shrub with green compound leaves. The tsaang gubat shrub grows to about 1 to 4 meters high and can be found in secondary forest in low and medium altitude. Tsaang gubat leaves grows in clusters on short branches, 3-6 cm long, somewhat toothed or lobed near the apex and pointed at the base, short stalked and rough on the upper surface. Tsaang gubat bears small white flowers, axillary, solitary, 2 or 4 on a common stalk. It bers yellow fruits when ripe about 4-5 mm in diameter, fleshy, with a 4-seeded stone.

Pansit-pansitan

Pansit-pansitan (Peperomia pellucida Linn) is a common fleshy shallow rooted herb that grows to about 15 to 45 cm in height in damp and lightly shaded areas. Pansit-pansitan has been used as food item as well as a medicinal herb for its analgesic, anti-arthritic, diuretic activity. The entire plant is edible both cooked or raw.

Pansit-pansitan plant can grow wild but also grown as ornamental foliage. Pansit-pansitan is characterized by its shiny heart shaped leaves about 4 cm in length, growing from an erect translucent green stalks. Pansit-pansitan has tiny dot-like flowers that grow from erect and slender green spikes that turn brown when matured. The fruits are also very small, round to oblong, ridged, first green later black. Tiny seeds drop off that grows easily in groups.

Yerba buena

Yerba buena (Clinopodium douglasii) is a rambling aromatic herb of the mint family that is known and used as herbal medicine worldwide.

Yerba Buena is a perennial plant that grows up to 1 meter in height with oblong shaped leaves with toothed margins. Flowers are hairy and the color is bluish to purplish with axillary headlike whorls.

Yerba Buena are grown throughout the world from North America to Asia. The plant takes the form of a sprawling, mat-forming perennial, and is especially abundant close to the coast.

Yerba Buena is more popular for its culinary application because of its minty flavor. Used in salads and as flavor for cooking foods. Yerba buena aroma is also used for scents and fragrances.