MEDICINAL

PLANTS
HISTORY

ANCIENT TIMES – SUMERIAN CLAY TABLET HAVE LISTED

HUNDREDS OF MEDICINAL PLANTS ARE LISTED.
MIDDLE AGES – BENEDICTINES MONASTERIES (EUROPE)
• AROUND 1,500 MEDICINAL PLANTS FROM MORE THAN
13,500 PLANT SPECIES IN THE PHILIPPINES OF WHICH MORE
THAN 3,500 ARE CONSIDERED INDIGENOUS

• ONLY 120 MEDICINAL PLANTS (12.5%) HAVE BEEN

SCIENTIFICALLY VALIDATED FOR SAFETY AND EFFICACY

• ONLY 10 MEDICINAL PLANTS HAVE BEEN PROMOTED BY

DOH SINCE 1993 AND PITAHC (PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE FOR
TRADITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE) SINCE 1997
 8 Global Uses of Medicinal Plants

•Phytomedicines and phytochemicals

•Nutraceuticals

•Personal Care Products and Cosmetics

•Spa Health and Spa Medicine

•Culinary: Flavors and spices

•Fragrance and perfumer

•Bio-pesticides

•Veterinary Medicines
10 HERBAL MEDICINES
APPROVED BY DOH
 Scientific Name: Cassia alata
Common Name: Acapulco
Description: The shrub stands 3–4 meters. with
leaves 50–80 centimeters. The inflorescence looks
like a yellow candle. The fruit, shaped like a
straight pod, is up to 25 cm long. Its seeds are
distributed by water or animals. Spacing 1.8
meters
Medicinal Uses:
External Use: Treatment of skin diseases: Tinea
infections, insect bites, ringworms, eczema,
scabies and itchiness.

Internal Use: Expectorant for bronchitis anddyspnoea. As diuretic and purgative.

As a laxative to expel intestinal parasites and other stomach problems.
 Scientific Name: Momordica charantia
Common Name: Ampalaya
Description: known as “bittergourd” or “bitter
melon” in English,it most known as a treatment
of diabetes (diabetes mellitus), for thenon-insulin
dependent patients. Spacing 1.2 -1.5 meters

Medicinal Uses:
Enhances insulin secretion
Aids in lowering blood sugar levels.
Helps in lowering blood pressure.

Relives headaches and disinfects and heals wounds &burns

Can be used as a cough and fever remedy
Treatment of intestinal worms, diarrhea.
Helps prevent some types of cancer enhances immune system to fight infection. Is an
antioxidant, parasiticide, antibacterial and antipyretic.
 Scientific Name: Allium sativum
Common Name: Bawang
Description: is a an herbaceous, annual, bulbous
plant in the family Amaryllidaceae grown for its
pungent, edible bulb of the same name. 0.6
meter tall. Spacing 1.2 meters apart.

Medicinal Uses:
It mainly reduces cholesterol in the blood and
hence, helps control blood pressure. Good for
the heart ,helps lower bad cholesterol levels .Aids
in lowering blood pressure.
May help prevent certain types of cancer. Boosts immune system to fight infection With
antioxidant properties. Cough and cold remedy. Relives sore throat and toothache. Aids
in the treatment of tuberculosis. Helps relieve rheumatism pain.
 Scientific Name: Psidium guajava
Common Name: Bayabas
Description: the guava is easy to recognize
because of its smooth, thin, copper-colored bark
that flakes off and also because of the
attractive, "bony" aspect of its trunk which may in
time attain a diameter of 10 in (25 cm). 10 meters
tall. Spacing: 5-8 meters

Medicinal Uses: It is primarily used as an

antiseptic, to disinfect wounds. Also, it can be
used as a mouth wash to treat tooth decay and
gum infection.

Also, it can be used as a mouth wash to treat tooth decay and gum infection.
Promotes menstruation The fresh leaves are used to facilitate the healing of wounds and
cuts.
 Scientific Name: Vitex negundo
Common Name: Lagundi
Description: commonly known as the Chinese
chaste tree,five-leaved chaste tree, or horseshoe
vitex, is a large aromatic shrub with quadragular,
densely whitish, tomentoes branchlets. It is widely
used in folk medicine, particularly
in South and Southeast Asia. 3 meters tall.
Spacing: 3 meters
Medicinal Uses:
It’s main use is for the relief of coughs
and asthma.

Relief of asthma & pharyngitis.

Recommended relief of rheumatism, dyspepsia, boils, diarrhea.
Treatment of cough, colds, fever and flu and other Broncho pulmonary disorders
Alleviate symptoms of Chicken Pox.
 Scientific Name: Ficus pseudopalma
Common Name: Niyog-niyogan
Description: The Rangoon creeper is
a ligneous vine that can reach from 2.5 meters to
up to 8 meters. The flowers are fragrant and
tubular and their color varies from white to pink
to red. Spacing 2-3 meters.

Medicinal Uses:
It is effective in the elimination of intestinal
worms. Matured seeds and dried can as
anthelmintic.

Decoctions of its roots are also sometimes used as a remedy for

rheumatism while its fruits are used as an effective way to relieve toothaches.
 Scientific Name: Blumea balsamifera
Common Name: Blumea Camphora (Sambong)
Description: Softly hairy, half woody, strongly
aromatic shrub 1-4 meters high. Simple,
alternate, broadly elongated leaves, 7-20 cm
long. Spacing 0.5 meters.

Medicinal Uses:
A very efficient dissolver of kidney stones.
A good diuretic and anti-edema; can be used
as an anti-hypertensive.

Anti-diarrheic properties
Anti-gastralgic properties
Decoction of the roots, on the other hand, is to be taken in as cure for fever.
Scientific Name: Carmona retusa
Common Name: Tsaang-Gubat
Description: Carmona retusa or commonly
known as Fukien Tea or Philippine Tea Tree is a 4
m tall deciduous well-branched shrub with small
white flowers and small drupe fruits. Spacing 0.15
to 0.30 meters

Medicinal Uses:
Prepared like tea, this herbal medicine is
effective in treating intestinal motility and also
used as a mouthwash since the leaves of
this shrub has high fluoride content.
Scientific Name: Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth
Common Name: Pansit-pansitan
Description: 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.

Medicinal Uses:
Anti-inflammatory
 Scientific Name: Clinopodium douglasii
Common Name: Yerba Buena
Description: Yerba Buena is an herb of the mint
family. It is an aromatic plant used as herbal
medicine worldwide. This perennial plant’s
growth ranges from 0.6 meters to 1 meter. It has
elongated leaves and in summers, it bears small
whitish or purplish flowers.

Medicinal Uses:
Indigestion

Arthritis
Head aches
Tooth aches
Mouth wash
Relief of intestinal gas
Stomach aches
 Scientific Name: Cymbopogon citratus
Common Name: Tanglad
Description: A tufted and perennial grass. Leaves
grow to a
length of up to 1 meter, about 1to 1.5
centimeters wide,
scabrous, flat, long-acuminate, and smooth.
Panicles are
30 to 80 centimeters long, interrupted below; the
branches and branchlets somewhat nodding.

Medicinal Uses:
for gastrointestinal problems stomach aches,
diarrhea, bowel spasms, vomiting,
fever, the flu, and headaches.

Antitumoral
Neurobehavioral Effects
 Scientific Name: Hedychium coronarium
Common Name: Philippine Kamia

Description: These fragrant flowers are usually

white with pale yellow centers. Others are
cream-colored with bright yellow cores. Camia
plant of the ginger family is a tall herb about 1.5
meters high. Its smooth leaves on top and hairy
underneath. Its stem is soft and juicy and is similar
to that of the ginger plant. It grows underground
and creeps horizontally producing new shoots at
the tips.
Endangered plant
species(https://philippineendangered.wordpress.com/about/)

Stomachic Medicinal Uses: carminative

The root is ant rheumatic
A decoction is used to treat pain in the chest and arms
Anthelmintic
A decoction of the basal part of the stem is gargled in the treatment of tonsillitis, or, alternatively, a
part of the stem may be chewed.
 Scientific Name: tabernaemontana pandacaqui
Common Name: Pandakaki Puti
Description: Tabernaemontana pandacaqui is
an evergreen shrub or small tree growing from 1 -
14 meters tall. The bole can be 20 cm in
diameter. The plant is sometimes gathered from
the wild, mainly for local medicinal use.

Medicinal Uses:
Analgesic
Anti-Inflammatory
Hypotensive

Antibacterial
Wound Healing
Decoction of the root and the bark is used to relieve affections of the stomach and
intestines
Scientific Name: Areca catechu
Common Name: Betel-Nut Palm
Description: Betel Palm or Areca catechu is a
tropical palm of up to 30 m high with a straight
and slender trunk. Its dark green leaves can
spread 5m across. It is native to the Philippines.
Spacing 3 meters
Medicinal Uses:
Betel palm is an astringent
stimulant herb that relieves hunger
It kills intestinal parasites
 Scientific Name: Cocos nucifera
Common Name: Coconut
Description: In most Pacific islanders, is called the
tree of life for its versatility of use. 30 m. high
Almost every part of the Coconut /buko tree has
good use as seen in many domestic, commercial
and industrial applications.
Spacing: 8 meters

Medicinal Uses:
Immune System Booster
Aids the digestive system
Antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal actions

Prevents Heart disease

Aids weight loss
Antioxidant and anti-cancer
 Scientific Name: Moringa oleifera
Common Name: Malunggay
Description: Malunggay (Moringa Oleifera), is a
popular plant known for high nutritional value as
well as an herbal medicine. Malunggay is a plant
that grows in the tropical climates such as the
Philippines. The Malunggay plant can grow to as
high as 9 meters

Medicinal Uses:
Scalp problems. Malunggay leaves pounded
and combined with coconut oil is used to treat
scalp problems and to promote hair growth.

Relaxant, Malunggay soup is used to lower high blood pressure Source of calcium, Eye problems
Boosts fertility,Anti-inflammatory and Recommend for diabetes patients
 Scientific Name: Carica papaya
Common Name: Papaya
Description: The papaya is a large, tree-like plant,
with a
single stem growing from 5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft)
tall,
with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top
of the
trunk. The lower trunk is
conspicuously scarred where
leaves and fruit were borne. The leaves are large,
50–70 cm (20–28 in) in diameter,
deeplypalmately lobed, with seven lobes.
Spacing 1.5 meters

Anti-aging , Dengue fever Medicinal Uses:

Improves and preserves good vision Wound Healing
Constipation and dyspepsia
Anti oxidant
Prevents atherosclerosis and heart disease and Weight loss
 Scientific Name: Musa sapientum
Common Name: Saging
Description: commonly known as ‘Banana or
Saging’ is widely used folk medicine for the
treatment of various ailments including diarrhea,
wounds, stomach ulcer, diabetes, heart burn,
inflammation and others. Saging is normally used
for human consumption providing nutrients
Saging can grow up to 7 meters in height that
has about 8 - 12 spirally arranged leaves that are
up to 2.7 meters long and 0.6 meter wide.

Medicinal Uses:
The fruit has a mild laxative property . Peel: antifungal and antibiotic
Flowers is used to treat dysentery, ulcers
and bronchitis. Cooked, flowers are considered a good food for diabetics.
Banana sap has astringent qualities.
 Scientific Name: Nerium oleander
Common Name: Adelfa
Description: Oleander grows to 2–6 m with erect
stems that splay outward as they mature; first-
year stems have a glaucous bloom, while mature
stems have a grayish bark. is a shrub or small tree
in the dogbane family Apocynaceae toxic in all
its parts. It is often cultivated as an ornamental
plant. Spacing 1.2 meters.
Medical Uses: Its

· An oil prepared from the root bark is used in the treatment of leprosy and skin
diseases of a scaly nature
· The whole plant is said it have anticancer properties

Other Uses: The pounded leaves and bark are used as an insecticide
 Scientific Name: Capsicum frutescens
Common Name: Tabasco Pepper/Siling Labuyo
Description: Capsicum frutescens is a much-
branched, erect, perennial plant growing from 1
- 2 metres tall. Spacing 0.3 – 0.5 meters apart
Medical Uses:
A very good analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-
cancer
Siling labuyo contains a powerful phyto-
chemical - capsaicin

Stimulates the sexual appetite

Traditionally used for toothache, arthritis, and rheumatism.
Can increase blood flow
Relieves heavy menstrual bleeding
Decongestant
Antibiotic properties