Saturday, September 8, 2012

Sambong (Blumea balsamifera) Description and Uses

The Sambong, or Blumea Balsamifera, is found from northern Luzon to Palawan and Mindanao, in
all or most island and provinces. It is usually common in open grasslands at low and medium
altitudes. It is also reported from India to southern China and through Malaya to the Moluccas.

This plant is a course, tall, erect, halfwoody, strongly aromatic herb which is densely and softly hairy
and 1.5 to 3 meters in height. The stems grow up to 2.5 centimeters in diameter. The leaves are
elliptic- to oblong-lanceolate, 7 to 20 centimeters long, toothed at the margins, pointed blunt at the
tip, and narrowed to the short petiole, which is often auricled or appendaged. The flowering heads
are stalked, yellow, numerous 6 to 7 millimeters long, and borne on branches of a large terminal,
spreading or pyramidal, leafy panicle. The involucral bracts are green, narrow, and hairy. The
achenes are 10-ribbed and silky.

Sambong would be worth cultivating in the Philippines as a source of camphor. Experiments in Indo-
China as cited by Bacon show that it is possible to Obtain 50,000 kilos of leaves per hectare per
year, which would give a possible borneol yield of from 50 to 200 kilos per hectare. He says that l-
borneol is easily oxidized to camphor.

Filipinos drink an infusion of the leaves as a substitute for tea. Burkill quotes Boorsma [Teysmannia
29 (1981) 329], who states that the leaves are sometimes smoked in Sumatra in place of Indian
hemp but are not narcotic.

Wehmer records that the leaves and stem contain a volatile oil (Ngai camphor oil) which consists of
l-borneol 25 per cent, l0camphor 75 per cent, a little cineol, limonene, sesquiterpene, alcohol, and
phenol phloracetophenon-dimethyl ether. Bacon, after studying Philippine material, reports that the
leaves contain from 0.1 to 0.4 per cent of a yellow oil with a camphorlike odor. He states that the oil
is an almost pure form of l-borneol.

Sanyal and Ghose report that the drug causes contraction of muscular fibers, mucous membranes,
and other tissues.

According to Father Clain the juice of the leaves of the powdered leaves are used as a vulnerary.
Guerrero reports that the roots are used locally as a cure for colds. The leaves are applied to the
forehead to relieve headache. An infusion is used as a bath for women in childbirth. A tea made from
the leaves is used for stomach pains. A decoction of the leaves as an antidiarhetic and
antigastralgic. The decoction is used also for aromatic baths in rheumatism.

The Pharmacopoeia of India record that the plant possesses a strong camphoraceous odor and a
pungent taste. It quotes Horsfied [As. Journ., vol. 8, p. 272], who says that a warm infusion of the
plant acts as a powerful sudorific; it is in very general use among the Javanese and Chinese, as an
expectorant. Several European medical men, practicing at Sumarang, assured Horsfield that they
had repeatedly employed it in catarrhal affections. Loureiro mentions the use of the leaves in Indo-
China as a stomachic, antispasmodic, and emmenagogue. Caius says that in Cambodia they are
used externally in scabies. Nadkarni reports that the fresh juice of the leaves is dropped into the
eyes for chronic, purulent discharges. Internally, the decoction is both astringent and anthelmintic. It
is given for worms and also in dysentery and chronic uterine discharges. The powder of the leaves is
used as snuff. Burkill reports that the Malays value sambong very highly as a sudorific, stomachic,
and anthelmintic, and menorrhagia. In the case of fever a decoction of the leaves is often given, or a
decoction of the leaves and roots together. The leaves are also used for beriberi. The leaves are
crushed and applied externally as a styptic on wounds. A lotion made from boiled leaves is used for
lumbago and rheumatism, for bathing women after childbirth, and for soothing the skin of children.

who states that the leaves are sometimes smoked in Sumatra in place of Indian hemp
but are not narcotic.

Chinese countries strongly believe that the use of sambong gives relief for sinusitis, headache, and
other respiratory problems for this is traditionally used since early times. The smoke coming from
sambong leaves serves as an insect repellent and for restoration of normal breathing functions

In Indo-China smoke from burning leaves of B. balsamifera is believed to be ideal for restoring normal
breathing functions. In the Philippines leaves are burnt on hot coal to generate smoke for inhaling to
relief asthma, for this purpose it is sometimes combined with Euphorbia hirta. In Bangladesh B.
balsamifera fumigation is used in rheumatism and headache. In Thailand cigarettes made of Sambong
leaves are smoked to reliev sinusitis pain. This smoke act also as a insect repellent. Blumea leaves can
also be used for makeing steam inhalations, helpfull in headache, sinusitis, respiratory problems,
colds etc.
In India this herb is called Kukundara and is used as a tranquilizer in excitement and insomnia, fresh
juice is squeezed from the leaves and dropped into the eyes in chronic purulent discharge. In Myanmar
juice squeezed from the leaves is used as an eye-drop during malaria, and drunk in doses 20-60ml. In
Bengal powdered leaves are snuffed and eaten with butter for nose disease called ''Ahwah'', which
causes strong fever and back pains. In the Philippines pounded leaves are applied on foreheads to relief
headache.
Blumea balsamifera is also used for making aromatic baths good for rheumatism, lumbago, sciatica•
and respiratory system ailments. Blumea infusions are used for baths for women in childbith, after
childbirth and for soothing the skin of young children. Leaves and roots decoctions are drunk as a
postpartum remedy. Leaves are also used in hot fomentation over the uterus to induce rapid involution
in postpartum. Sambong is also used in treatment of postpatum joint pains. Fresh pounded leaves mixed
with coconut oil are rubbed over the abdomen of children with gas pain.
Blumea balsamifera is traditionaly used as a antifertility herb, this action was proved in tests on mice,
and therefore it should be avoided by pregnant women.