The Philippines is blessed with more than 500 medicinal plants, and below is another list of 10 medicinal plants approved by the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) as an alternative medicine in treating particular disorders.If you haven't read the previous list then here's the link: The Philippines 10 Most Promoted Medicinal Plants
Abukado (Persea americana)-Avocado
The tree may be erect and grows up to 10-15 meters high with alternately dark-green leathery leaves. The flowers are small greenish-yellow about 5 – 10 millimeters wide. The pear-shaped fruit with a large central seed, can grows up to 20 centimeters long, and weighs between 100 – 1,000 grams. Avocado typically grown from seeds, but may be propagated by grafting, marcotting and budding.
Avocado fruit is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamins A, B,C and D. For medicinal purposes, the fruit, leaves and seeds are use.
Here are some medicinal uses of avocado:
* The leaves and the bark are used to treat coughs.
* The leaf decoction is good for treating sore throat, diarrhea, dysentery, and hemorrhage.
* The leaves are chewed as a cure for pyorrhea (gum inflammation with discharge of pus)
* The leaf juice has antibiotic activity.
* A warm moist preparation of leaves are applied on wounds.
* Applying heated leaves on the forehead ease nerve pain.
* The leaves and bark regulate menstruation.
* Decoction of powdered seeds effective for toothaches and used to treat osteoarthritis.
* Avocado tea used to treat worms.
* Ripe fruit flesh ease sunburned skin while pulverized seeds good for dandruff.
* Avocado oils good for treating infections, wounds and arthritis.
Atsuete (Bixa orellana Linn) Lipstick plant/ Annatto
Achuete is a shrub that grows to 4-6 meters. The plant with shiny heart-shaped leaves, bears white or pinkish and bright red spiny fruits containing small red seeds. It is best known as the source of the natural pigment annatto, produced from the fruit.
Achuete is cultivated throughout the Philippines. Aside from its culinary uses, achuete also has many medicinal uses where the leaves, barks and seeds are utilized. Here are some:
* For treating burns, fresh leaves boiled in water is effective. Let the water cool down and then soak the affected areas for 10 minutes once a day.
* Seeds’ pulp ease blistering and scarring.
* Moistened fresh seeds are effective in the treatment of red rashes.
* A mixture of the leaves effective as purgative.
* Poultice of leaves used for treating gonorrhea.
* Decoction of leaves ease vomiting and effective for nausea.
* Decoction of leaves regulate menstruation.
* Leaves are antidote for snake bites.
* A mixture of warm coconut oil and is applied on the forehead for headaches.
Atis (Anona squamosa Linn.) Sugar apple
Sugar-apple (also called atis in Tagalog) is a semi-evergreen shrub that grows up 3 to 5 meters high. The leaves are alternate, oblong, 5 to 17 cm long and about 2 to 5 cm wide. The flowers are light green to yellow about 2.5 cm long with three large petals. The fruit is round, large and somewhat heart-shaped, 6–10 cm in diameter and weighs between 100–230 g. When ripe, the fruit is sweet, white to light yellow, with delicious and juicy flesh.
The plant is grown throughout the Philippine. For medical purposes, the leaves, fruits and seeds are used. Here are some of sugar apple’s medicinal uses:
* Leaves are effective in the treatment of skin itches.
* Decoction of salted leaves aid to speed up suppuration.
* Bark decoction is effective in the treatment of diarrhea.
* Leaves or roots offer purgative action.
* Leaf decoction alleviate pain if used for rheumatic baths.
* Crushed fresh leaves applied over nose is effective for treating fainting and hysteria.
* Juice extracted from unripe fruit is good for insect bites.
* Decoction of leaves used in treating dysentery.
* Decoction of the leaves used to treat colds and ease digestive problems
Apatot (Morinda citrifolia) Indian Mulberry
Indian Mulberry is a small tree or an evergreen shrub growing to 5-10 meters high. The leaves are simple, elliptic and oppositely arranged about 15-25 cm long. The flowers are white, scented, tubular about 2-3 cm long. It has yellowish fruit about 2-2.5 cm diameter that has a pungent odor when ripening. Apatot are found along or near seashores, throughout the Philippines. For medicinal uses roots, bark, leaves are utilized.
Medicinal Uses:
* Flowers, fruits, leaves and bark are used to treat eye skin wounds, gums and eyes problems.
* Fresh leaves are used to ease ulcers.
* Heated leaves applied to the chest are best for fever, coughs, stomach pains, constipation, nausea.
* Decoction of charred leaves used to treat diarrhea.
* Fruit pulp used to make a shampoo.
* Decoction of leaves are good tonic drink.
* Juice from leaves used to treat arthritis.
* Juice of over-ripe fruit or leaves are known to combat diabetes.
* Fruit juice effective as a gargle for sore throats.
* Juices of over-ripe fruits used to ease urinary problems.
* The bark or leaves, used to treat muscle and joint pain
Aratiles (Muntingia calabura Linn) Jamaican cherry
Aratiles is a small tree that grows 7-12 meters with spreading branches. It has hairy, sticky, jagged leaves about 8 to 12 cm. long and 1 to 6.5 cm. wide. The flowers are white, small and slightly scented about 2 cm in diameter. The berry fruit is light red, edible, sweet and fleshy about 1.5 cm diameter. The tree is widely distributed in the Philippines. For medicinal purposes, the bark, leaves and flowers are used.
Medicinal uses:
* It is used for treatment of headaches and colds.
* Decoction of flowers used to relieve abdominal cramps.
* Decoction of flowers used for treatment of spasms and a good antiseptic.
Anonas (Anona reticulata Linn) Custard apple
The Custard Apple tree is a small, deciduous, and erect tree that reaches up to 10 meters tall. The leaves are shiny, alternate and oblong that grows up to 20 cm. Flowers are greenish-yellowish in color, fragrant and about 2 to 2.5 cm long. The fruit about 8-16 cm long is brownish-yellow and heart-shaped. All parts of this plant have medicinal values such as:
* The unripe fruit good for relieving diarrhea and dysentery
* Warm leaves is used to treat indigestion.
* The tree bark is used for treating skin diseases.
* The seed bark is astringent.
* Dried and powdered unripe fruit used for diarrhea and dysentery.
* The roots fights against epilepsy.
* Crushed leaves used as poultice is good for ulcers, boils and abscesses.
* Decoction of root bark are placed around the gums to ease toothache.
* The fruit is useful in treating anemia.
Alugbati (Basella rubra Linn) Malabar Nightshade
Alugbati is a succulent, fast-growing, herbaceous vine that grows up to 10 m in length. Its heart-shaped leaves is soft, thick, juicy, tasty grows 5 to 12 cm long. Alugbati grows in settled and cultivated areas, in hedges. Aside from its nutritional value such as: a good source of vitamins A, B, and C, excellent source of calcium and iron, Alugbati also has some medicinal uses.
* Roots are used as rubefacient (reddens the skin).
* Pulped leaves poultice used to ease swelling.
* Sap used to diminish acne eruptions inflammation.
* Decoction of leaves alleviate digestive discomfort due to loose bowel movement.
* Pulped leaves used for treatment of boils to accelerate suppuration.
Ayapana (Eupatorium triplinerve Vahl) White snakeroot
Ayapana is a small, erect, perennial herb that reaches 30 to 60 cm. in height.Leaves are smooth, barely elliptic, opposite, distantly toothed that grows 20 to 30 cm high. The 6-13 mm flowering heads bear as much as 20 pinkish flowers about 6 to 7 millimeters long. Ayapana is widely distributed in the Philippines. When used for medicinal purposes, leaves, flowers, and the whole plant itself are utilized.
* Used for treating digestive problems such as stomachaches, gastric ulcers and bowel disorders.
* Effective for relieving colds, coughs, sore throat, bronchitis and other lung problems.
* Used for cuts, scrapes and wounds.
Adelfa (Nerium indicum Mill.) South Sea Rose
Adelfa is a small, smooth, evergreen trees that grows up to 4 meters high. The leaves are simple, opposite with numerous horizontal nerves, about 10-15 cm long. 10-15 cm long. The fruit is cylindrical in shape, paired with deep stripy patterns about 15 to 20 centimeters long. The fruit bears many seeds that are generally flat with a clump of fine, shining, white, silky hairs. Adelfa is widespread in the Philippines. For medicinal uses, the bark and leaves are used.
* Decoction of leaves use as poultice effective against snake bites.
* Paste made from roots used externally for hemorrhoids, chancres and ulcer.
* Roots and bark applied externally used for eczema, scabies and other skin diseases.
* The root is effective in stopping inflammation.
* The leaves and flowers used for cough, malaria, dysmenorrheal and internally used for abortion.
* The whole plant is believed to have anti-cancer properties.
Amarillo (Tagetes erecta L.) Marigold
Amarillo is an erect, rough, erect, smooth- branched, smelling annual plant growing to about a meter in height. Leaves are deeply pinnatifid ( leaves that have central axis with parts branching off it) about 4 to 11 cm long. The fruit does not open (akene), linear about 6 to 7 mm long.
Amarillo tree is ornamentally cultivated throughout most of the Philippines. The flower is used for medicinal purposes. Below are some of its medicinal uses:
* Decoction of flowers applied externally is effective against colds, eczema, mumps, rheumatism and sore eyes.
* It is used to ease irregular menstruation, abdominal pains connected with menstrual period.
* It is used to cure anemia.
* Alleviates rheumatic muscular and bone pain.
* Taken internally, used for treating constipation, indigestion and dysentery.
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I never knew that those fruits (atis, avocado, and other fruits) are medicinal as well. We have so many of those apatot sa tabi ng baybayin sa Donsol. Nakakamiss tuloy!
ReplyDeleteI tried growing avocado here, it grew naman but when I transferred it into a pot during the Winter, namatay.. Mahal kasi avocadito dito eh.
DeleteI think you should also include ashitaba as it's one of the super food that is booming right now from Japan. :)
ReplyDeletei love avocado! One reason its a must in our refrigerator is because of its nutrients and fiber! xx
ReplyDeleteI've heard about avocado having a good effect with people on high-colesterol levels. And it's delish when on a shake!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know na my 500 medicinal plants pala ang mayroon sa pilipinas. Ang galing...
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that abukado has a lot of medicinal benefits aside from health benefits.
ReplyDeletewow! another post worth bookmarking papaleng. i will share this to my mom.
ReplyDeleteI think almost all fruits have health and medicinal benefits that people just ignore. We have to go back to basics.
ReplyDeleterare na yatang makita ang atsuete ngayong panahon. yan yata ang piunaghahalo sa pagkain for food coloring. .
ReplyDeleterare na yatang makita yung atsuete ngayong panahon. naalalal ko yan ang piunang hahalo sa pagkain for food coloring. .
ReplyDeleteWe have atsuete in our yard. We used the leaves every time we have a cough. We just heat the leaves then put it on the back of our body for one hour, then the leaves absorb all the bad sweats that causes cough/back ache.
ReplyDeleteI miss the aratiles and atis :) i remember that name apatot, i didn't know that is a fruit. I wish I can have all this medicinal plant in our backyard
ReplyDeleteI remember our neighbor has a long tree of aratiles and love that fruit :-) I miss eating Atis as well :-) Informative as always Papaleng
ReplyDeletethis is great post Papaleng, very informative and helpful, all interesting as always! i want to print this and my mom should read this. thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteI've learned some of the facts about medicinal plants from my mom. :)
ReplyDeleteWow! I never knew most of these are medicinal too. Very interesting! :)
ReplyDeleteWe used to make do with whatever is available in our backyard when we were younger. Less expense but greater advantage.
ReplyDeleteIt's different nowadays though. With the advancements of modern technology and the like, men tend to rely heavily on over the counter drugs. Kung kelan taghirap, saka pa nakakalimutan ang bisa at halaga ng mga medicinal plants na eto which is mostly found in our own backyards. Thanks for these informative and refreshing post, Papaleng.
As an entrepreneur who distributes herbal products, I strongly support the use of alternative/natural medicines such as these. :)
ReplyDeleteAs an entrepreneur who distributes herbal products, I strongly support the use of alternative/natural medicines such as those. :)
ReplyDeleteI think going back to the basic is important. There are so many GMO products, which I believe contributes to whatever sickness we have at present.
ReplyDeleteIt's my first time to know what the English term for atsuete is.. and I never knew that aratilis could actually be used as a medicine..
ReplyDelete