Empowering the community through knowledge sharing, Prof. Janelyn V. Rojas of the College of Health Sciences (CHS) shared on relevant plants to help provide immediate relief and cure illnesses.

Aired on March 12, 2021, Prof Rojas shared on what medicinal plants are, the plants with proven medicinal properties, and the community preparations for these plants for use as immediate cure to illnesses and critical pointers to safeguard health while using these medicinal plants.

This sharing lies along with the topics on Salun-at (Health), in complement to previous topics shared on First Aid by Mr. Jayflor L. Ronquillo and on Panangamiris iti Mapagtalkan ken Pudpudno nga Impormasion Pakaseknan ti Salun-at: Red Flags ken Fake News by Prof. Ryan Dean T. Sucgang.

By sharing information on medicinal plants, the School-on-the-Air (SOA) hopes to help the community establish nurseries and community gardens where these plants could grow for family and community use.

Medicinal and Herbal Plants 

According to Prof. Rojas, medicinal plants are herbal plants with parts such as fruits, seed, stem, bark, flower, leaf, or root for use as cure or medicine to health conditions. They are natural cures for immediate aid to bodily states, especially when medication is limited or no treatment is available. In line with this, herbs are plants with medicinal components. They have distinct scents, flavors, and therapeutic properties. They have been used as medicine ever since and are readily available, accessible, and affordable for simple bodily symptoms.

Generally accepted as a safe alternative because of its organic and healthy nature, Prof. Rojas warned that when used twice or thrice already and there is no noticeable improvement on the condition, it is more advisable to consult a doctor to adequately identify and provide for the condition. She shared that we should not make it a habit to self-medicate as some conditions may not just be a simple illness but a symptom of a more complicated disease or illness.

Medicinal Plants on Home and Community Gardens 

            As approved by the Department of Health (DOH), Prof. Rojas shared ten medicinal plants that should be present in home and community gardens because of their proven effectiveness as remedy for common symptoms or health problems. The following medicinal plants have been scientifically validated to ensure safety and efficacy and endorsed by the DOH-Philippine Institute of Traditional Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) under RA 8423.

• Lagundi. Commonly known as dangla, lagundi is good for treating cough and asthma because of its bronchodilator property that expands the body’s respiratory channels. It also has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer properties.
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• Sambong. Locally known as subusob, sambong is ideal for individuals with urination and kidney stones problems because of its anti-urolithiasis property. It also has anti-microbial and anti-cancer properties.
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• Bitter Gourd (Makiling variety). Locally known as paria or ampalaya, bitter gourd is effective in lowering blood sugar and anti-diabetes. It also has antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
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• Garlic. Bawang complements a healthy diet because of its anti-cholesterol properties.
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• Guava. The bayabas is good in cleansing wounds because of its antiseptic properties.
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• Tsaang-gubat. The itsa iti bakir or itsa nga atap is a good mouthwash and has anti-inflammatory properties.
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• Yerba Buena. This herb is good for headache and body pains because of its analgesic  or antipyretic properties
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• Honey suckle. Also called niog-niogan or tartaraok, this plant is ideal for deworming because of its anthelmintic properties.
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• Acapulko. So-called andadasi, this plant is ideal for skin diseases because of its anti-fungal properties
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• Ulasimang-bato. Also known as pansit-pansitan or linlinnaaw, this plant is suitable for swelling joints because of its anti-gout or anti-hyperusemia property.

Additional information can be retrieved through Propagation Management of Herbal and Medicinal Plants at https://bit.ly/39MIB8A and 10 Philippine Herbal Medicines Approved by DOH at https://bit.ly/3sWsInN.

Community Herbal Preparations

Herbal plants can be prepared in a variety of ways for better efficacy. Common community preparations for herbal plants include decoction, syrup, infusion, ointment, and poultice.

• Decoctions are tea-like preparations made from plant parts boiled in potable water. To prepare decoction, cut the plant part into pieces or grind. Add clean water to submerge the plant. Boil for 10-15 minutes (Note: Start timing when the water begins to boil). Cool, sift, and consume as tea.
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• Syrup is similar to decoctions but added with sugar.
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• Infusion. To prepare this, submerge the plant part in cold or hot water for 5-10 minutes. Sift, and consume as tea. 
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• Ointments are prepared for application to itchy parts of the body. To prepare this, one may opt to use cooking oil or 70% alcohol to extract the medicinal component of the plant. Soak overnight, then sift. If alcohol was used in submerging the material, expose the alcohol before adding petroleum jelly. If no petroleum jelly is available, melted candlewax may be used as ointment base.
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• Poultice. To prepare this, pound the plant part, add a small amount of water until concentrated. Apply to the aching body part.

Medicines for Common Symptoms of Illnesses 

Common illnesses and diseases in families and communities can be addressed by utilizing safe and natural healing agents. And with research as a validating tool for safety and efficacy, the following are common conditions that may be solved with readily available herbal plants.

• Diarrhea. Guava and caimito leaves may be used for loose bowel. To use guava leaves, prepare a spoonful of cut dried leaves of guava. A tablespoonful is equal to a mountain-like spoonful, added with 1 cup of water (approximately 250 mL). Boil the mixture for 10-15 minutes until half the original amount of water is obtained. Sift, consume while hot. If caimito leaves are available for use, cut eight tablespoonful of caimito leaves to two cups of water. Boil for 10-15 minutes, sift and consume while hot.
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• Intestinal colic. For this stomach pain because of unextinguished carbon dioxide, tsaang-gubat may be used. To prepare the decoction, prepare three tablespoonful of fresh leaves of the plant, boil in a cup of water or until only half is retained. Sift, and consume.
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• Stomach aches. For this common ache, turmeric or luyang dilaw may be used. To prepare, dry and pulverize turmeric rhizome. Mix one-half tablespoonful of powdered turmeric with 30 mL of warm water. Drink slowly. For future use, the powdered turmeric may be stored in an airtight container. When dried well, the powder can be stored for up to six months.
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• Boil/Abscess. For the common busali or litteg, guava and kalachuchi leaves and gumamela buds may be used to treat the swelling. This abscess may be caused by microorganisms entering through hair follicles. In using guava leaves, grind or pound clean fresh guava leaves and apply in the affected area. Gumamela buds can also be prepared using the same method. Always change the preparation if observed no longer clean.
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• Arthritis. To aid swelling joints, yerba buena leaves and siling labuyo fruit can be used. In using yerba buena leaves, warm the leaves in small fire, pound to prepare a poultice, and apply to the painful joint. In using siling labuyo, pound the fruit after heating over a small fire and apply while warm.
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• Burns/Sunburn. For superficial burns (first degree burns with reddening and swelling), gumamela flower bud and oregano leaves may be used. To prepare these, ground the parts to prepare poultice, then apply to the affected area. Do not use on blistered burns, and do not pop blisters, if there are any. Popping them may serve as entry points that will infect the area.
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• Cough can be a symptom of a respiratory disease or infection from the throat to the lungs. For this, lagundi leaves and oregano leaves may be prepared and used as decoction for immediate relief. In using lagundi leaves, prepare six tablespoonful of fresh and clean lagundi leaves, add two cups of water, and boil for 10-15 minutes or until only half the original amount is retained. Cool, sift, and consume as tea. In using oregano leaves, boil two tablespoonful of cut oregano leaves in two cups of water for 5-10 minutes or until only half the original amount remains. Cool, sift, and consume as tea. In choosing the leaves, choose mature leaves based on the observed greenness of the leaves. 
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• Hair fall may be caused by poor nutrition, hereditary such that of male pattern baldness, emotional problems, or stress. To aid this, use coconut oil or fresh coconut milk, and massage to scalp for 10-15 minutes. Completely wash off after.
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• Itches. For itchy parts, guava leaves, kakawate leaves, and cassava tubers may be used. In using guava leaves, gather two handful of clean leaves, ground to extract its medicinal components, boil in water just above the ground leaves, and use for cleansing the itching part. For kakawate or madre cacao leaves, ground and sift the leaves to extract fresh juice add water in a ratio of 1:1, and apply to the itching part. In using cassava tuber, ground the rootcrop, add a small amount of water, mix until a thick starch solution is obtained, and apply to the itching part.
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• Ringworm and Athlete’s Foot. Acapulko is often used in treating fungal infections because of its anti-fungal property. In treating ringworm with acapulko, boil a cup of cut acapulko leaves in a cup of water. Mix them before boiling to extract medicinal components and enhance the extraction while boiling. Tanglad leaves and garlic may also be used. In using these, ground the plants, press to obtain the juice, and apply in the affected area twice a day.
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• Minor wounds. For open cuts, guava leaves, gumamela flower, kamatigue leaves, and kalachuchi leaves may be used. Prepare a decoction from any of these plants and use as cleansing agent. Use once or twice a day.

Pointers in Using Medicinal Plants 

Using medicinal plants as medicine, Prof. Rojas also shared important optimize their efficacy and avoid other unnecessary conditions that could spring from their misuse.

• Do not mix different kinds of plants. Prof. Rojas reminded that if the guidelines recommend only one kind of plant, there should only be one kind of plant to be used to address symptoms or conditions experienced.
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• Maintain cleanliness and hygienic preparation of these plants. As there are community preparations that may be done, Prof. Rojas reiterated the use of readily available tools and materials at home when preparing the medicines. One may use the usual spoon or measuring cup and cooking set, either earthenware, ceramic, or stainless steel but not aluminum, as it causes reactions with the medicine being prepared.
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• Follow the recommended dosage and instruction for use. Prof. Rojas shared that there are medicines that need to be taken once a day or thrice a day. However, if there are no observable improvements on the present condition upon twice or thrice consumption of the prepared medicine, discontinuing the medicine is advised.

In as much as these are healthy alternatives in helping the body, Prof. Rojas reiterated that proper medical consultation is necessary to ensure accurate identification of underlying health conditions. Medicinal plants can be immediate remedy, however, individual differences may show side effects, especially when abused or misused.

Finding them in Gardens

Sharing this knowledge on these herbal plants is a step toward embracing them in home and community gardens for easy access and availability in times of need.

By retelling scientific knowledge, the community members are enlightened on factual information and superstitious beliefs still being carried. Through this knowledge, listeners of the SOA program are also equipped with the skills and proper handling of medicinal plants for use in their homes and communities.

By and at large, this sharing envisions healthy and ready health providers in various communities where enrolees of the program are located.

Watch the whole knowledge sharing session and be informed on Herbal Medicine with Prof. Janelyn V. Rojas at https://bit.ly/3m0wfPi and https://2Pi3fqg. Like our FB page, MMSU Extension Directorate at https://www.facebook.com/MMSUExtensionOfficial and join our FB group, KaSOA 2021 at https://www.facebook.com/groups/938415863565401.

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