Medicinal Plant: Kalamansi

Also known as chinese orange.A smooth and slightly spiny plant, growing to a height of 3 to 5 meters. Fruit is yellow when ripe, nearly spherical, 2 to 3.5 cm diameter, 6 to 7 celled, and thin-skinned. Th skin or peel to yellowish green or yellow, loosely adhering to the flesh. The flesh contains a few light orange seeds.

This Kalamansi is native to the Philippines.

This is rich in vitamin C which increases the body's resistance to disease, aids the healing of wounds and prevents damage to the eyes.Vitamin C is also helpful in maintaining the health of the teeth and other bones of the body. It prevents decay and loosening of the teeth, dental caries, toothache, bleeding of the gums and fragility of bones. It is good for cough, colds and sore just drink warm kalamansi juice.

Medicinal Plant: Kalamansi

The rind of the Kalamansi fruit also has medicinal properties. It contains a volatile oil which is used in medicine for improving digestion and highly beneficial in the treatment of digestive disorders. Great value in constipation, when it is taken first thing in the morning in a glass of warm water. The fruit pulp is also beneficial in lowering blood cholesterol

The citric acid in limes has an alkaline reaction in the system which can relieve peptic ulcers.

Lime juice diluted in warm water was proven valuable in cystitis. It gives relief to burning sensation and also stops bleeding in cystitis.

The potent anti-viral properties in lime can kill cholera bacilli within a very short period of time. Drink one part juice and one part water regularly.

Lemon peels when rub on dry or scaly skin can restore softness and add moisture to the skin.

Medicinal Plant: Garlic

Medicinal Plant: Garlic (Allium sativum)

Bawang or Garlic (Allium sativum). Garlic has been a medicine in many cultures for thousands of years. This herb is one of the most widely used herbal medicines in the Philippines.Its medicinal properties have been proven during World War II when it was used to treat wounds and infections of soldiers. Garlic’s antibacterial compound known as allicin, prevented the wounds from being infected and developing into gangrene by extracting the juice of bawang or garlic and applying to the wounds.

Bawang or garlic is know as nature's antibiotic. Its juices inhibit the growth of fungi and viruses thus, prevent viral, yeast, and infections. This medicinal herb showed some positive results in the treatment of AIDS. Several clinical tests that followed and published studies have shown the efficacy of garlic in lowering cholesterol in the blood and is beneficial to the circulatory system of the body. Today, as more research is done on garlic, more medicinal and therapeutic properties become more evident. As of the present time, lowering of the blood pressure, reduction of platelet aggregation, and the boosting of fibrinolytic activities are among the list of herbal functions of garlic, which is supported by medical findings. Although more clinical studies are needed to support the contention stronger, marked improvements in benign breast diseases have been traced to make progress because of the regular intake of supplements, of which the primary ingredient is garlic.

The department of Heath has endoresed garlic as one of the top ten Philippine herbs with therapeutic value.

Garlic is rich in antioxidants, which help destroy free radicals -- particles that can damage cell membranes, interact with genetic material, and possibly contribute to the aging process as well as the development of a number of conditions, including heart disease and cancer. Free radicals occur naturally in the body, but environmental toxins (including ultraviolet light, radiation, cigarette smoke, and air pollution) can also increase the number of these damaging particles. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause over time.

Health Benefits of Bawang-Garlic:

• Good for the heart

• Helps lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL)

• Aids in lowering blood pressure

• Remedy for arteriosclerosis

• May help prevent certain types of cancer

• Boosts immune system to fight infection

• With antioxidant & antibacterial properties

• Cough and cold remedy

• Relives sore throat

• Aids in the treatment of tuberculosis

• Helps relieve rheumatism pain

• Relief of toothaches

• Kills skin fungus i.e. athlete’s foot

• With anticoagulant properties

- Cancer (colorectal malignancies & gastric cancer)

- Bledding cases (surgeries & dental activities)

Preparation of Bawang-Garlic:

• For disinfecting wound, crush and juice the garlic bulb and apply. You may cover the afflicted area with a gauze and bandage.

• For sore throat, peal the skin and chew for several minutes. Swallow the juice.

• For toothaches, crush then bite garlic.

• For athlete’s foot, soak feet in salty water then apply garlic juice. Do this 3X day for a week.

• Cloves of garlic may be crushed and applied to affected areas to reduce the pain caused by arthritis, toothache, headache, and rheumatism.

• Decoction of the bawang bulbs and leaves are used as treatment for fever.

• For nasal congestion, steam and inhale: vinegar, chopped garlic, and water.

- Juice extracted from garlic bulbs can be used as tick and mosquito repellant when applied to skin.

Medicinal Plant: Drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.)

Names: Malunggay, horseradish tree, drumstick tree, and dool in some regions.

Medicinal Plant: Drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.)

This medicinal plant, the malunggay plant, which belongs to the Moringaceae family, can grow as high as nine meters.It is rich in vitamins A, B & C, minerals such as iron and amino acids.

The leaves of this herbal plant proved to be a good source of calcium, iron, ascorbic acid and phosphorus. The other parts of this herbal plant such as the seeds, the young pods, and the flowers have been established to benefit individuals as far as anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, circulatory stimulations. Malunggay can be used to lower blood pressure, aid in pains caused by rheumatism, headaches and migraines, as well as its being an anti-tumor plant. Malunggay is also used for purgative and anti-fungal purposes,

How to use (JC Kurian, 2010):

• The bark of the root promotes the flow of urine.
• A hot decoction of the bark is used to foment inflamed parts
• The juice of the root-bark is used in earaches.
• A few drops of the juice of the root-bark are placed in the cavity to relieve toothache.
• The bark of the stem is used as a cardiac stimulant in asthma, cough and other respiratory disorders.
• The young leaves are cooked and eaten to fight scurvy.
• The poultice of the leaves is applied in wounds and swellings
• The juice of the leaves, mixed with honey is used for the treatment of eye diseases.
• Oil extracted from the seeds is locally applied for painful gout and rheumatic joi

Philippine Medicinal Plant: Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa)

Name: Banaba, Queen Carpe Myrtle, Pide of India

Banaba has been used in Filipino folkloric he

rbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes for centuries.it grows all over the Philippines. Thie medicinal plant: Banaba has also been used to cure diabetes in Ayurvedic medicine for a long time.

Medicinal Plant: Banaba

It contains an active ingredient, corosolic acid is a potent compound that has insulin like effect to lower glucose in the body and is effective in treating diabetes. Banaba is rapidly becoming known as a natural plant insulin, and what makes it ideal is that, the herbal preparation may also be taken orally, without any risk of adverse side effects.

Medicinal Uses of Banaba

• Diabetes

• Fights obesity

• Helps regulate blood pressure

• Good for the kidneys

• Aids the digestive system

• Helps ease urination

Banaba Preparation & Use:

Almost all parts of this medicinal plant can be used: Fresh leaves, dried leaves, flowers, ripe fruit, root and bark of Banaba can all be used.

• Wash the leaves in running water (if fresh). Cut into smaller pieces if desired.

• Boil Banaba (one cup Banaba to cup of water) for 30 minutes. Drink like tea.