Philippine Medicinal Plant: Cucumber

10 Medicinal Plant Uses of Cucumber  or Cucumis sativus also known as Pipino.

                                               Medicinal Plant Uses: Cucumber

1. A good source of vitamin B. it is also good as antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties

2. Cucumber are 95% water keeping the body hydrated while helping the body eliminates toxins.

3. The cucumber skin can be used for skin irritations and sunburns. Due to the large amount of ascorbic acid in cucumbers when they are placed under the eyes for 20 minutes they can decrease water retention and thus reduce puffiness overall. The cooling effect of cucumber is a natural and gentle way to soothe your skin and speed up the healing process.

4. Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinols, pinoresinols, and secoisolaric iresinol known to reduce risk of several cancer types and cardiovascular diseases.

5. Cucumber relieves bad breath. take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds, the phytochemicals will kill the bacteria in your mouth.

6. Cucumber helps reduce hangover and headaches. eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed. cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes.

Medicinal Plant: Cucumber

7. Cucumber aids in weight loss and digestion. the high water content and dietary fiber in cucumber are very effective in ridding the body of toxins from digestive system, aiding digestion.

8. Cures diabetes, reduce cholesterol and controls blood pressure. cucumber contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin which has been found to be beneficial to diabetic patients. compound called sterols in cucumber may help reduce cholesterol levels. cucumbers contain a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber.

9. Promotes joint health, relieves gout and arthritis. Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which is known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. They are also rich in vitamin A, B1, B6, C & D, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. When mixed with carrot juice, they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels

10. Improves complexion. when cucumber juice is mixed with a few drops of fresh lemon juice and applied as a facial mask it has the ability to leave your skin glowing by fading scars and pigmentation.

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Philippine Medicinal Plant: Pili

      This is a large tree reaches a height of about 35m and is a meter or more in diameter.  The leaves are alternate, pinnate and about 30cm long with usually tree pairs of opposite leaflets and a terminal leaflets. The leaflets are ovate-oblong, 12-20 cm long and 3-7 cm wide, smooth and shiny on both sides, pointed at the apex and rounded or obtusely pointed at the base.

Medicinal value:

- The "saheng" (oleoresin) is used as a stimulant (is a drug that increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and produces a sense of euphoria of the feeling of being more awake); a rubefacient (an external skin application causing redness of the skin, as a medical application); and an antirheumatic when applied externally.

- Poultices of brea (soft resin) are used externally for swelling of the legs.
- Oleoresin (mixture of oil & resin), prepared in the form of ointment, is applied on indolent ulcers.


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