10 Herbal Medicine

Approved by DOH
Presented by: Cornell, Fatmah Sarah M.
1. SAMBONG (Blumea balsamifera)
A plant that reaches 1 ½ to 3 meters in
height with rough hairy leaves. Young
plants around mother plant may be
separated when they have three or more
leaves.
USES:

PREPARATIONS:
✔ Anti-edema
• Boiled chopped leaves in water for ✔ Diuretic
15 minutes until one glass remains.
Cool and strain.
✔ Anti-urolithiasis
• Divide decoction into 3 parts. Drink
one part 3 times a day. ✔ NOTE: Sambong is not a medicine for a kidney
infection.
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  PREPARATION:
✔ Fresh, matured leaves are pounded.
✔ Apply as a soap to the affected part 1 to 2 times a day.
 USES:
✔ Anti – fungal: Tinea Flava, Ringworm, Athlete’s Foot and Scabies.
 Also known as, “Ringworm Bush” or “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.

2. AKAPULKO (Cassia alata)

Source: Rohner F, et L. (2013). Infant and young child feeding practices in urban Philippines and their associations with stunting, anemia, and deficiencies of iron and vitamin A. 3
3. NIYUG – NIYUGAN (Quisqualis indica L.)
✔ Known as “Chinese Honey Suckle”. A vine which bears tiny
fruits and grows wild in backyards. The seeds must come
from mature, dried but newly opened fruits. Propagated
through stem cuttings about 20 cm in height.

PREPARATION:
✔ Seeds of niyug – niyugan are eaten raw two hours before the patient’s USES:
last meal of the day. ✔ Anti – helmintic
✔ Adults may take 10 seeds; children 4 to 7 years of age may eat up to
(used to expel parasitic
four seeds only; ages 8 to 9 may take six seeds and seven seeds may
be eaten by children 10 to 12 years old. worms.)
✔ Not to be given to children below four years old. 4
4. TSAANG GUBAT (Carmona retusa)
✔ Also known as “Forest Tea or Wild Tea”. A shrub with small, shiny
nice – looking leaves that grows in wild uncultivated areas and
forests.
PREPARATION:
✔ Boil the following amount of chopped leaves in 2 glasses of water
USES:
for 15 minutes or until water goes down to 1 glass. Cool and strain.
✔ Wash leaves and chop. Boil chopped leaves in 1 glass of water for 15 ✔ Diarrhea
minutes. Cool and filter/strain and drink. ✔ Stomach ache

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5. AMPALAYA (Momordica charantia)
✔ Also known as “Bitter Gourd or Bitter melon”. A climbing vine with tendrils
that grows up to 20 cm long. Leaves which are 5 to 10 cm in diameter. Fruits
have ribbed and wrinkled surface that are feisty green with pointed end at
length and has a bitter taste.
USES:
✔ Lowers blood sugar levels.
✔ Diabetes Mellitus (Mild – non insulin dependent)

PREPARATIONS:
✔ Gathered and wash young leaves very well. Chop. Boil 6
tablespoons in two glassfuls of water for 15 minutes under
low fire. Do not cover pot. Cool and strain. Take one third
cup 3 times a day after meals. 6
 6. LAGUNDI (Vitex negundo)
✔ Also known as “5 Leaves – Chaste
Tree”. A shrub growing wild in vacant
lots and waste land. Matured
branches are planted. The flowers
are blue and bell – shaped. The small
fruits turn black when ripe. It is
better to collect the leaves when are
in bloom.
USES:
✔ Asthma and cough
✔ Fever, Dysentery, Cold & Pain
✔ Skin diseases and wounds
✔ Rheumatism, sprain, contusions,
insect bites.
✔ Aromatic bath for sick patients.
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PREPARATIONS:
✔ For Asthma, cough and fever, boil chopped raw fruits or leaves in 2 glasses of water
left for 15 minutes until the water left in only 1 glass (decoction). Strain.
✔ For Dysentery, colds and pain, boil a handful of leaves and flowers in water to produce a
glass full of decoction 3 times a day.
✔ For skin diseases (dermatitis, scabies, ulcer, eczema) and wounds, prepare a decoction
of the leaves. Wash and clean the skin/wound with the decoction.
✔ For headache, crushed leaves may be applied on the forehead.
✔ For rheumatism, sprain, contusions and insect bites, pound the leaves and apply on the
affected part.

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7. ULASIMANG BATO (Peperomia pellucida)
✔ Also known as “Silver bush or Shinny bush or
Pansit – pansitan”. A weed with heart – shaped
leaves that grow in shady parts of the garden
and yard.
USES:
✔ Lowers uric acid (Rheumatism and Gout)
PREPARATIONS:
✔ Wash the leaves well. One and a half cup
leaves are boiled in two glassfuls of water
over low fire. Do not cover pot. Cool and
strain. Divide into three parts and drink
each part 3 times a day a day.
✔ May also be eaten as salad. Wash the
leaves well. Prepare one and a half cups
of leaves (not closely packed). Divide into
three parts and take as salad 3 times a
day.
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8. BAWANG (Allium sativum)
✔ A low herb and grows up to sixty cm
high. Leaves are flat and linear.
Bulbs consist of several tubers

PREPARATION:
✔ May be tired, roasted, soaked in vinegar for 30 minutes, or blanched in boiled water for 5 minutes. Take two pieces
three times a day after meals.
✔ For toothache, pound a small piece and apply to affected part.

USES:
✔ CAUTION: Take on full stomach to ✔ For hypertension
prevent stomach and intestinal ulcers. ✔ Toothache
✔ Lowers cholesterol levels in the blood
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9. BAYABAS (Psidium guajava)

✔ It is known as “Guava” A tree about 4 to 5

meters high with tiny white flowers with
round or oval fruits that are eaten raw.

PREPARATIONS:
✔ Warm decoction is used for gargle.
✔ Freshly pounded leaves are used for toothache. Guava leaves are used to be washed well and chopped. Boil for 15
minutes at low life. Do not cover pot. Cool and strain before use.

USES:
✔ For washing wounds
✔ For toothache
✔ For diarrhea 11
10. YERBA BUENA (Mentha cordifelia)
It is known as “Peppermint”. A small multi –
branching aromatic herb. The leaves are small,
elliptical and with toothed margin. The stem
creeps to the ground and develop roots.

USES:
✔ For pain in different parts of the body as head ache, stomach ache
✔ Rheumatism, arthritis and headache
✔ Cough and cold
✔ Swollen gum and toothache
✔ Menstrual and gas pain
✔ Nausea and fainting
✔ Insect bites and Pruritus 12
10. YERBA BUENA (Mentha cordifelia)
PREPARATION:
 For pain in different parts of the body, boil chopped leaves in 2 glasses of water
for 15 minutes. Cool and strain.
 For rheumatism, arthritis and headache, crush the fresh leaves and squeeze sap.
Massage sap on painful parts with eucalyptus.
 For cough and cold, get about 10 fresh leaves and soak in a glass of hot water.
Drink as tea. Act as an expectorant.
 For toothache, cut fresh plant and squeeze sap. Soak a piece of cotton in the sap
and insert this in acting tooth cavity. Mouth should be rinsed by gargling salt
solution before inserting the cotton. To prepare salt solution: add 5 g 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 patients.
 For insect bites, crush leaves and apply juice on affected part or pound leaves
until paste – like and rub this on the affected part.
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