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Herbs
 Lavender Field |
What's an Herb?: An herb is a plant or part of a plant used for its flavor, scent, or potential therapeutic properties. Includes flowers, leaves, bark, fruit, seeds, stems, and roots. Herbs are used as native herbal medicine products and as dietary supplements that people take to improve their health. Medicinal Herbs have been used for a long time for claimed health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts and fresh or dried plants. However, some herbs can cause health problems, some alternative herbal remedies are not effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking. Medicinal Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal, as alternative herbal remedies, or in some cases even spiritual usage. A medicinal herb may be a shrub or other woody plant, whereas a culinary herb is a non-woody plant, typically using the leaves. Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs. General usage differs between culinary herbs and medicinal herbs. Herbal Medicine, Heals Naturally and Maintains good health! Allows us to live Long and Prosper! We are one with Flora. Throughout time humans and the animal kingdom have relied on the healing power of herbs. We used them in several ways: we have ingested them, rubbed them on our bodies, bathed in them, even used them in our cooking to flavor our foods. |
Herbal Remedies and Medicinal Cures for Diseases, Ailments & Illnesses that afflict Humans and Animals
Aloe Vera •
Astragalus •
Bankoro •
Bilberry •
Bitter Gourd (Ampalaya) •
Bitter Orange •
Black Cohosh •
Cat's Claw •
Chamomile •
Chasteberry •
Coconut •
Cranberry •
Dandelion •
Echinacea •
Ephedra •
European Elder Tree •
Evening Primrose •
Fenugreek •
Feverfew •
Flaxseed •
Garlic •
Ginger •
Ginkgo •
Ginseng (Asian) •
Golden Seal •
Grape Seed •
Green Tea •
Hawthorn •
Hoodia •
Horse Chestnut •
Kava •
Lavender •
Licorice •
Malunggay Moringa Oleifera •
Milk Thistle •
Mistletoe •
Passion Flower •
Peppermint Oil •
Red Clover •
Ringworm Bush (Akapulko) – Cassia alata •
Saw Palmetto •
St. John's Wort •
Tawa Tawa •
Turmeric •
Valerian •
Yohimbe •
accept the bitter to get better
 Swallowtail butterfly and Bumblebee on a Milk thistle |  Elder Berries | |
|  Dandelion  Astragalus | |
 Aloe Vera Plants growing amongst rocks |
 Field of Echinacea Flowers |
Why should I use herbal products?
The decision to use herbs to improve your health is, as with all health decisions, a personal one. There are, however, many good reasons to consider herbal products to complement your own health care methods. One of the best reason, however, may be the fact that herbs and herbal products, continue to provide real health benefits while maintaining a remarkable safety profile. Readily available natural substances were the first medicines used by humans. Primitive and ancient civilizations as well as contemporary cultures throughout the world have always relied on herbs to provide the benefits that have been observed with their use. In fact, the World Health Organization has estimated that 80 percent of the world's population continues to use traditional therapies, a major part of which are derived from plants, as their primary health care tools. In our own time and culture, most herbs are available in the form of "herbal supplements." These products are found in the form of teas, tablets, capsules, liquid extracts, and others. We now have ready access to products that bring the herbal traditions from all over the world in a variety of convenient forms. In addition, scientific inquiries continue to develop our knowledge of the benefits of plants, and often validate the observations made over the past centuries.
Are herbs safe?
Although allergies and reactions have been recorded for a few herbs that are widely used in foods and supplements, such individual concerns are also seen with many foods, and do not diminish the safety profile of the many herbs that are generally recognized as safe. On the other hand, and as everyone knows, there are any number of plants that are highly toxic, even deadly.
Akapulko
An erect, shrubby legume reaching 6 ft tall, Akapulko grows throughout the Philippines. It has dark green leaves and yellow-orange flowers, producing as much as 50 to 60 small, triangular seeds. For medicinal purposes, leaves, flowers and seeds are used.
Aloe Vera
The medicinal herb Aloe Vera as an alternative herbal remedy for burns, diabetes and osteoarthritis - aloe, burn plant, lily of the desert, elephant's gall : Latin Names--Aloe vera, Aloe barbadensis. >> Read On....
Bitter Gourd (Ampalaya) – Momordica charantia
Well-known for its bitter edible fruit, Ampalaya is a herbaceous, climbing vine growing up to five meters. The plant have heart-shaped leaves and bear green oblong-shaped fruits. Leaves, fruits and roots are used in treating several health disorders. Medicinal Uses >>>
Astragalus
The medicinal herb Astragalus as an alternative herbal remedy to enhance the immune system - Native to China, astragalus has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. A whole medical system that originated in China. It is based on the concept that disease results from disruption in the flow of qi and imbalance in the forces of yin and yang. Practices such as herbs, meditation, massage, and acupuncture seek to aid healing by restoring the yin-yang balance and the flow of qi.. In the United States, the herb gained popularity in the 1980s.Common Name--astragalus, bei qi (In traditional Chinese medicine, the vital energy or life force proposed to regulate a person's spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical health and to be influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang.), huang qi, ogi, hwanggi, milk vetchLatin Name--Astragalus membranaceus, Astragalus mongholicus >> Read On....
Bilberry
The medicinal herb Bilberry as an alternative herbal remedy for scurvy, diarrhea, menstrual cramps - Bilberry is a relative of the blueberry, and its fruit is commonly used to make pies and jams. Bilberry grows in North America, Europe, and northern Asia.Common Names--European blueberry, whortleberry, huckleberry >>More
Bitter Orange
The medicinal herb Bitter Orange as an alternative herbal remedy for nausea, indigestion - The bitter orange tree is native to eastern Africa and tropical Asia. Today, it is grown throughout the Mediterranean region and elsewhere, including California and Florida. Bitter orange oil is used in foods, cosmetics, and aromatherapy products. Bitter orange oil from the tree's leaves is called petitgrain, and oil from the flowers is called neroli.Common Names--bitter orange, Seville orange, sour orange, Zhi shi >>More
Blumea camphora (Sambong) – Blumea balsamifera
Sambong is a tall, erect, shrub that grows in grasslands, open fields, waste areas. This strongly aromatic herb with elongated leaves, and yellow flowers can reach 4 meters tall at maturity. Leaves are used to treat certain medical conditions.
Medicinal uses:
Decoction of leaves is effective against fever, kidney problems and cystitis. Leaves is used as poultice for abscesses. Concoction of leaves is used for sore throat, rheumatic pains, stomach pains, and dysentery. Fresh juice made from leaves is applied to wounds and cuts. As expectorant, Sambong tea is used for colds.
Black Cohosh
The medicinal herb Black Cohosh as an alternative herbal remedy for rheumatism, arthritis - Black cohosh is a plant native to North America.Common Names--black cohosh, black snakeroot, macrotys, bugbane, bugwort, rattleroot, rattleweed
Latin Names--Actaea racemosa, Cimicifuga racemosa >> Read On....
Chamomile
The medicinal herb Chamomile as an alternative herbal remedy - Two types of chamomile are used for health conditions: German chamomile and Roman chamomile. While the two kinds are thought to have similar effects on the body, the German variety is more commonly used in the United States and is the focus of this fact sheet.Common Names--chamomile, German chamomile
Latin Names--Matricaria recutita, Chamomilla recutita >> Read On....
Cat's Claw
The medicinal herb Cat's Claw as an alternative herbal remedy for viral infections - Cat's claw grows wild in many countries of Central and South America, especially in the Amazon rainforest. CAT'S CLAW is a thick, long, slow growing woody vine that grows between 400 and 800 meters above sea level in the rain forests. This vine gets its name from the small, sharp thorns, two at the base of each pair of leaves, which looks like a cat's claw. These claws enable the vine to attach itself around trees climbing to a height of 100 feet or higher. The root (which can grow to the size of a watermelon) and the inside of the bark are the parts of the plant used in alternative herbal remedies. Because demand for this herb has increased greatly in the past few years, the Peruvian government now forbids harvesting the roots of the plant. Since the same compounds are present in the bark as the root, the plant is now harvested 3 feet above the ground. This preserves the plant so that it can be harvested again a few years later.Common Names--cat's claw, uña de gato
Latin Names--Uncaria tomentosa, Uncaria guianensis >> Read On....
Chasteberry
The medicinal herb Chasteberry as an alternative herbal remedy for menstrual cramps - Chasteberry is the fruit of the chaste tree, a small shrub-like tree native to Central Asia and the Mediterranean region. The name is thought to come from a belief that the plant promoted chastity--it is reported that monks in the Middle Ages used chasteberry to decrease sexual desire.Common Names--chasteberry, chaste-tree berry, vitex, monk's pepper
Latin Name--Vitex agnus-castus >> Read On....
Chinese Honeysuckle (Niyog-niyogan) - Quisqualis indica
Niog-niogan is a perennial climbing shrub growing to about 2.5-8 meters at maturity. It has egg-shaped leaves, aromatic flowers that may come in white to purple orange in color. The oval-shaped fruit can reach 30-35 mm long when ripe. For medicinal purposes leaves, seeds and roots are used.
Medicinal Uses:
Dried seeds, when eaten, act as deworming agents. Roasted seeds help control diarrhea and fever. Boiled leaves used to check difficulty in urinating Fruit decoction of fruit, taken as mouthwash, is effective against nephritis. Juice made from leaves are used in the treatment of ulcers, boils, and fever-induced headache. Decoctions of roots aids in reducing pain due to rheumatism. Pounded leaves are used externally for skin diseases. >>> Read ON
Cranberry
The medicinal herb Cranberry as an alternative herbal remedy for urinary disorders, diabetes - Cranberries are the fruit of a native plant of North America. These red berries are used in foods and in herbal products. American cranberry bush often develops fall colors of yellow, orange, red, and purple. In spring, it bears wide, flat flower clusters. These lacy flowers have an outer ring of large white florets with many smaller white florets in the center. The clusters of rounded fruit that follow turn from green to yellow-orange to brilliant red in the fall and often hang on the plant through the winter.Common Names--cranberry, American cranberry, bog cranberry
Latin Name--Vaccinium macrocarpon >> Read On....
Dandelion
The medicinal herb Dandelion as an alternative herbal remedy for liver diseases, kidney diseases - Dandelion greens are edible and a rich source of vitamin A.Common Names--lion's tooth, blowball... >> Read On....
Echinacea
The medicinal herb Echinacea as an alternative herbal remedy to stimulate the immune system - There are nine known species of echinacea, all of which are native to the United States and southern Canada. The most commonly used, Echinacea purpurea, is believed to be the most potent.Common Names--echinacea, purple coneflower, coneflower, American coneflower
Latin Names--Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida >> Read On....
Ephedra
The medicinal herb Ephedra as an alternative herbal remedy for asthma, wheezing, nasal congestion - Ephedra is an evergreen shrub-like plant native to Central Asia and Mongolia. The principal active ingredient, ephedrine, is a compound that can powerfully stimulate the nervous system and heart.Common Names--ephedra, Chinese ephedra, ma huang >> Read On....
European Elder
The medicinal herb European Elder as an alternative herbal remedy for skin conditions - European elder is a tree native to Europe and parts of Asia and Africa, and it also grows in the United States. There are several different types of elder, such as American elder, but European elder is the type most often used as a supplement.Common Names--European elder, black elder, elder, elderberry, elder flower, sambucus >> Read On....
Evening Primrose
The medicinal herb Evening Primrose as an alternative herbal remedy for rheumatoid arthritis - Evening primrose is a plant native to North America, but it grows in Europe and parts of the Southern hemisphere as well. It has yellow flowers that bloom in the evening. Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid. Essential fatty acids are required by the body for growth and development, and must be obtained from the diet.Common Names--evening primrose oil, EPO >> Read On....
Fenugreek
The medicinal herb Fenugreek as an alternative herbal remedy for menopausal symptoms and digestive problems. - The first recorded use of fenugreek is described on an ancient Egyptian papyrus dated to 1500 B.C. Fenugreek seed is commonly used in cooking. Fenugreek has an ancient history of both culinary and medicinal use. It has traditionally been used as an appetite stimulant, and recent research indicates a role in natural steroid production, the hormones that drive the growth process. In addition, Trigonella helps to support healthy digestive systems, as well as to maintain healthy levels of glucose and cholesterol in the blood. Common Names--fenugreek, fenugreek seed >> Read On....
Feverfew
The herb Feverfew as an alternative herbal remedy for fevers, headaches, stomach aches, toothaches and insect bites. - Originally a plant native to the Balkan mountains of Eastern Europe, feverfew now grows throughout Europe, North America, and South America.Common Names--feverfew, bachelor's buttons, featherfew >> Read On....
Five-leaved Chaste Tree (Lagundi) - Vitex negundo
Lagundi is a small erect tree that can reach 3meter at maturity. The plant has evergreen leaves, blue flowers about 6-7 mm that develop into fruits about 4mm in diameter. Leaves, seeds, bark and roots are used for the treatment of various illnesses. >> Read On....
Flaxseed
The medicinal herb Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil as an alternative herbal remedy - Flaxseed is the seed of the flax plant, which is believed to have originated in Egypt. It grows throughout Canada and the northwestern United States. Flaxseed oil comes from flaxseeds.Common Names--flaxseed, linseed >> Read On....
Garlic
The medicinal herb Garlic as an alternative herbal remedy for high cholesterol, heart disease, and high blood pressure. - Garlic is the edible bulb from a plant in the lily family. It has been used as both a medicine and a spice for thousands of years. >> Read On....
Fukien tea tree (Tsaang Gubat): - Ehretia microphylla Lam
Grown throughout the Philippines, Tsaang Gubat is a shrub growing to about 5 m tall. Leaves grow in clusters with rough jagged edge towards the tip. The plant bears white flowers that developed into a fleshy, yellow-orange fruits when ripe. Leaves are used for medicinal purposes. >> Read On....
Ginger
The medicinal herb Ginger as an alternative herbal remedy - Ginger is a tropical plant that has green-purple flowers and an aromatic underground stem (called a rhizome). It is commonly used for cooking and medicinal purposes.Picture of Ginger Root >> Read On....
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Ginkgo
The medicinal herb Ginkgo as an alternative herbal remedy - The ginkgo tree is one of the oldest types of trees in the world. Ginkgos are medium-large deciduous trees, normally reaching a height of 20–35 m (66-115 feet), with some specimens in China being over 50 m (164 feet). A combination of resistance to disease, insect-resistant wood and the ability to form aerial roots and sprouts makes ginkgos very long-lived, with some specimens claimed to be more than 2,500 years old: A 3,000 year-old ginkgo has been reported in Shandong province in China.Common Names--ginkgo, ginkgo biloba, fossil tree, maidenhair tree, Japanese silver apricot, baiguo, bai guo ye, kew tree, yinhsing (yin-hsing)>>more
Ginseng
The medicinal herb Ginseng (Asian) as an alternative herbal remedy - Asian ginseng is native to China and Korea and has been used in various systems of medicine for many centuries. Asian ginseng is one of several types of true ginseng (another is American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius). An herb called Siberian ginseng or eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosCommon Names--Asian ginseng, ginseng, Chinese ginseng, Korean ginseng, Asiatic ginseng >>>More
Golden Seal
The medicinal herb Goldenseal as an alternative herbal remedy - Goldenseal is a plant that grows wild in parts of the United States but has become endangered by over harvesting. With natural supplies dwindling, goldenseal is now grown commercially across the United States, especially in the Blue Ridge Mountains.Common Names--goldenseal, yellow root >> Read On....
Grape Seed
The medicinal herb Grape Seed Extract as an alternative herbal remedy - The grape seeds used to produce this extract are generally obtained from wine manufacturers.Picture of Grapes What Grape seed extract Is Used For Grape seed extract is used as an herbal remedy for conditions related to the heart and blood vessels, such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and poor circulation. >> Read On....
Green Tea
The medicinal herb Green Tea as an alternative herbal remedy - All types of tea (green, black, and oolong) are produced from the Camellia sinensis plant using different methods. Fresh leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant are steamed to produce green tea.Common Names--green tea, Chinese tea, Japanese tea Latin Names--Camellia sinensis >> Read On....
Guava (Bayabas) - Psidium guajava
The guava is a perennial shrub growing to about 25 ft. tall at maturity. It has oval to oblong leaves and bears white flowers, developing into green fruits that turns yellow in color when ripe. A common backyard plant, Bayabas is grown throughout the Philippines. The edible fruit is a good source of Vitamin C. The leaves are used for treating certain health problems.
Medicinal Uses:
As cleaning agent, decoction of fresh leaves prevents infection in wounds. Also, decoction of leaves is effective for diarrhea and skin ulcers. Boiled fresh leaves are good ingredients for aromatic baths. Chewing fresh leaves help control gum swelling. Placing tightly roll leaves into the nasal tract can stop nosebleeds.
Hawthorn
The medicinal herb Hawthorn as an alternative herbal remedy - Hawthorn is a spiny, flowering shrub or small tree of the rose family. The species of hawthorn discussed here are native to northern European regions and grow throughout the world.Common Names--hawthorn, English hawthorn, harthorne, haw, hawthorne Latin Names--Crataegus laevigata (also known as Crataegus oxyacantha), Crataegus monogyna >> Read On....
Hoodia
The medicinal herb Hoodia as an alternative herbal remedy - Hoodia is a flowering, cactus-like plant native to the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. Its harvest is protected by conservation laws.Common Names--hoodia, Kalahari cactus, Xhoba
Latin Names--Hoodia gordonii >> Read On....
Horse Chestnut
The medicinal herb Horse Chestnut as an alternative herbal remedy - Horse chestnut trees are native to the Balkan Peninsula (for example, Greece and Bulgaria), but grow throughout the northern hemisphere. Although horse chestnut is sometimes called buckeye, it should not be confused with the Ohio or California buckeye trees, which are related but not the same species.Common Names--horse chestnut, buckeye, Spanish chestnut
Latin Names--Aesculus hippocastanum >> Read On....
Kava
The medicinal herb Kava as an alternative herbal remedy - Kava is native to the islands of the South Pacific and is a member of the pepper family.Common Names--kava kava, awa, kava pepper Latin Names--Piper methysticum >> Read On....
Lavender
The medicinal herb Lavender as an alternative herbal remedy - Lavender is native to the Mediterranean region. It was used in ancient Egypt as part of the process for mummifying bodies. Lavender's use as a bath additive originated in Persia, Greece, and Rome. The herb's name comes from the Latin lavare, which means "to wash."Common Names--lavender, English lavender, garden lavender
Latin Names--Lavandula angustifolia >> Read On....
Licorice
The medicinal herb Licorice Root as an alternative herbal remedy - Most licorice is grown in Greece, Turkey, and Asia. Licorice contains a compound called glycyrrhizin (or glycyrrhizic acid).Common Names--licorice root, licorice, liquorice, sweet root, gan zao (Chinese licorice)
Latin Name--Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Chinese licorice) >> Read On....
Malunggay Moringa Oleifera
Malungay Moringa Oleifera contains more than 92 nutrients and 46 types of antioxidants. Moringa is said to cure about three hundred diseases and almost have all the vitamins found in fruits and vegetables
Milk Thistle
The medicinal herb Milk Thistle as an alternative herbal remedy - Milk thistle is a plant that is native to the Mediterranean region. It has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for a variety of ailments, especially liver problems.Common Names--milk thistle, Mary thistle, holy thistle. Milk thistle is sometimes called silymarin, which is actually a mixture of the herb's active components, including silybinin (also called silibinin or silybin).
Latin Name--Silybum marianum >> Read On....
Mint (Yerba Buena) - Clinopodium douglasii
Yerba Buena is a perennial plant of the mint family that grows up to 1 meter long. Leaves are elliptic in shape, and produces small, hairy whitish, or purplish flowers. In the Philippines, Yerba Buena is grown in high elevated areas. As medicinal plant, the parts used are leaves and stem.
Medical Uses:
Promotes good health, if taken as tea. Sniffing crushed fresh leaves is effective for dizziness. Leaves soak in a glass of water is used as mouthwash. Decoction of leaves is used for migraine, headaches, fevers, toothaches, stomach aches, muscles and joint pains, and dysmenorrhea. Pounded or crushed leaves is used to treat insect bites.
Mistletoe
The medicinal herb Mistletoe as an alternative herbal remedy - European mistletoe is a semiparasitic plant that grows on several types of trees in temperate regions worldwide. Where the term "mistletoe" is used in this fact sheet, it refers to European mistletoe. (European mistletoe is different from American mistletoe, which is used as a holiday decoration.)Common Names--European mistletoe, mistletoe
Latin Name--Viscum album L >> Read On....
Peppermint Oil
The medicinal herb Peppermint Oil as an alternative herbal remedy - The herb Peppermint is often used to flavor foods, and the leaves can be used fresh or dried in teas.Common Names--peppermint oil
Latin Names--Mentha x piperita >> Read On....
Purslane
Purslane plant, a common weed to most gardeners, is also known as Portulaca oleracea or a pig weed. Unbeknownst to many, purslane has more beneficial Omega 3 fatty acids than many fish oils. It is also full of vitamin A among most leafy vegetable.
Rosemary
Apart from culinary and medicinal purpose rosemary shoots, flowers and leaves are used in ceremonies such as weddings and festivals for decorating banquet halls as incense to ward off bad influences.
Red Clover
The medicinal herb Red Clover as an alternative herbal remedy - Like peas and beans, red clover belongs to the family of plants called legumes. Red clover contains phytoestrogens--compounds similar to the female hormone estrogen. Trifolium pratense (red clover) has anti-inflammatory, diuretic and antispasmodic properties and is also well known as a cleansing herb for skin complaints, including eczema and psoriasis. Its ability to improve lymph functioning and reduce lymphatic swellings helps to purify and detox the system.
Red clover has been cultivated since ancient times, primarily to provide a favorite grazing food for animals. But, like many other herbs, red clover was also a valued medicine. Although it has been used for many purposes worldwide, the one condition most consistently associated with red clover is cancer. Chinese physicians and Russian folk healers also used it to treat respiratory problems. In the nineteenth century, red clover became popular among herbalists as an "alterative" or "blood purifier." This medical term, long since defunct, refers to an ancient belief that toxins in the blood are the root cause of many illnesses. Cancer, eczema, and the eruptions of venereal disease were all seen as manifestations of toxic buildup. Red clover was considered one of the best herbs to "purify" the blood. For this reason, it is included in many of the famous treatments for cancer.Common Names--red clover, cow clover, meadow clover, wild clover
Latin Name--Trifolium pratense >> Read On....
Ringworm Bush (Akapulko) – Cassia alata
An erect, shrubby legume reaching 6 ft tall, Akapulko grows throughout the Philippines. It has dark green leaves and yellow-orange flowers, producing as much as 50 to 60 small, triangular seeds. For medicinal purposes, leaves, flowers and seeds are used.
Medicinal Uses:
Decoction of leaves and flowers is very effective in easing asthma, cough and bronchitis. The seeds are effective in expelling intestinal parasites. Juice from leaves aids in controlling fungal infections like; eczema, athlete’s foot, ringworm, scabies, and herpes. Pounded leaves reduce injury-related swellings, treat insect bites, and ease rheumatism. Leaves and flowers concoction used as mouthwash in treating stomatitis. Juice from leaves ease fetid discharges. The leaves stain is an effective purgative.
Saw Palmetto
The medicinal herb Saw Palmetto as an alternative herbal remedy - Saw palmetto grows in the southern United States.Common Names--saw palmetto, American dwarf palm tree, cabbage palm
Latin Names--Serenoa repens, Sabal serrulata
What Saw Palmetto Is Used For Saw palmetto is used mainly for urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate gland (also called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH).
Saw palmetto is also used for other conditions, including chronic pelvic pain, bladder disorders, decreased sex drive, hair loss, and hormone imbalances. >>>>Read More....
Shiny Bush (Pansit-pansitan) - Peperomia pellucida
Pansit-pansitan is a small, fleshy herb (about 40 cm tall), which grows in yards, nooks and other damp areas. The plant have green, heart-shaped leaves, fleshy stems that produce tiny flowers on a spike. The small, oblong-shaped fruits turn to black when ripe. Parts uses are leaves and stems.
Medical Uses:
Fresh juice made from stem and leaves controls eye inflammation. Crushed whole plant as warm poultice, is effective for pimples, boils, and wound. Concoction of leaves used in treating fevers, headaches, sore throats, coughs, common colds, and diarrheas. Boiled leaves and stems is used for gout, arthritis, rheumatic pains, and conjunctivitis. The mixture is also effective in controlling high blood pressure. Juice made from leaves and stem, taken externally, is a good facial wash for skin problems.
St. John's Wort
The medicinal herb St. John's Wort as an alternative herbal remedy for mental disorders and nerve pain. - St. John's wort is a plant with yellow flowers.Common Names--St. John's wort, hypericum, Klamath weed, goat weed
Latin Name--Hypericum perforatum -- Read More >>>
18 March 2014: St John's wort blights contraceptive - Women on hormonal contraceptives such as the pill are being warned that they could fall pregnant if they take the herbal remedy St John's wort.
Tawa tawa - Alternative Cure for Dengue Fever
Gatas-gatas is usually very abundant throughout the Philippines in waste places, open grasslands, etc. It is pantropic in distribution.
The plant is an annual, hairy herb, usually much - branched from the base - these branches being simple or forked and ascending or spreading - up to 40 centimeters long, and often reddish or purplish. The leaves are opposite, distichous, elliptic-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 1 to 2.5 centimeters long, toothed at the margin, and usually botched with purple in the middle. The involucres are very much numerous, greenish or purplish, about 1 millimeter long, and borne on dense, axillary, stalkless or short-stalked clusters or crowded cymes. The capsules are broadly ovoid, about 1.5 millimeters long or less, hairy, and three-angled. Read ON....
Turmeric
The medicinal herb Turmeric as an alternative herbal remedy to regulate menstruation - Known for its warm, bitter taste and golden color, turmeric is commonly used in fabric dyes and foods such as curry powders, mustards, and cheeses. It should not be confused with Javanese turmeric.Common Names--turmeric, turmeric root, Indian saffron...>>..Read more about the herb Turmeric
Valerian
The medicinal herb Valerian as an alternative herbal remedy for headaches and depression - Valerian is a plant native to Europe and Asia; it is also found in North America.Common Names--valerian, all-heal, garden heliotrope
Latin Names--Valeriana officinalis >> Read On....
Yohimbe
- The medicinal herb Yohimbe as an alternative herbal remedy for erectile dysfunction.
- The yohimbe tree is a tall evergreen that is native to western Africa. The bark of the tree contains a chemical called yohimbine. The amount of yohimbine in dietary supplements may vary; some yohimbe products have been found to contain very little yohimbine. However, a standardized form of yohimbine--yohimbine hydrochloride--is available as a prescription medicine that has been studied and used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
- Common Names--yohimbe, yohimbe bark
- Latin Names--Pausinystalia yohimbe
- Read On....
News about Herbal Remedies
- Researchers at Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy look at liver cancer and the remedies, natural and synthetic, that can prevent and treat it. The abstract sets up the need for this research: Full Story
- Nov. 27, 2014: Bitter Food but Good Medicine from Cucumber Genetics — High-tech genomics and traditional Chinese medicine come together as researchers identify the genes responsible for the intense bitter taste of wild cucumbers. Taming this bitterness made cucumber, ... full story
- 10/25/2014: By exposing skin cells to a particular combination of cell programming molecules, scientists managed to convert them into brain cells that behave like native cells. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284377.php
- 10/14/2014: Acupuncture did not provide any benefit in patients older than 50 years with moderate or severe chronic knee pain, according to a new research study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
- Woman hospitalised by Chinese herbal remedy. August 28, 2014 : A Melbourne woman who took a traditional Chinese herbal remedy of dried plants and scorpions ended up in hospital in life-threatening condition, prompting warnings from medical experts.
- The woman visited her herbal practitioner with back pain and was given the mixture to be used as a painkiller and to improve circulation, the medical journal Emergency Medicine Australasia reports.
- She was told to boil the mixture for 45 minutes but drank it after only 30 minutes and quickly felt tingling in her face, followed by nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain, according to the medical research, published in the journal on Thursday
- Herbal medicine through an evolutionary lens. March 5, 2013: There is often scepticism surrounding traditional herbal treatments, partly due to scarcity in large-scale evidence of efficacy of traditional medicine. A team of researchers from Kew, the University of Reading, Imperial College and RBG Edinburgh, in collaboration with colleagues from Nepal and New Zealand, have conducted a phylogenetic study that provides support for herbal remedies.
- The researchers constructed a genus-level family tree representing 20,000 plant species found in three disparate regions (Nepal, New Zealand, and the Cape of South Africa), in order to compare medicinal plants used in these geographic areas. They found that plants traditionally used to treat similar health conditions came from the same plant clusters across the three floras. These shared phylogenetic patterns in traditional herbal medicine were interpreted as independent discovery of efficacy in these plant groups. This was supported by the finding that many plants used to produce drugs come from these clusters highlighted by traditional knowledge, suggesting that plant bioactivity underlies traditional medicine worldwide.
- President of Gambia Says Special Herbs Cured Dozens of Patients with HIV, AIDS October 14, 2012: Representing the seventh round of cases successfully treated since 2007, 68 people were recently discharged from Gambia’s Presidential Alternative Medical Treatment Programme (PAMTP) after reportedly being cured of either HIV or AIDS. Reports indicate that the confidential blend of boiled herbs developed by Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has once again proven efficacious, illustrating not only that Western medicine is greatly lacking in its ability to effectively treat these epidemic conditions, but also that nature has once again trumped the laboratory when it comes to true healing.
- Herbal Remedies for Lichen Planus. July 15, 2011: Lichen planus is a disease caused by abnormal functioning of the immune system. Patients suffering from this disease experience skin itching and swelling. They also suffer from ulcers in the mouth. The authors of this research reviewed various studies on the beneficial effects of different herbs in alleviating the symptoms of oral lichen planus. “There are many types of herbs that can help the lesions of oral lichen planus effectively and safely, as well as keep them from returning,” according to the researchers.
- concerns sparked drive to outlaw products Thursday 30 December 2010: Hundreds of herbal medicinal products will be banned from sale in Britain next year under what campaigners say is a "discriminatory and disproportionate" European law. With four months to go before the EU-wide ban is implemented, thousands of patients face the loss of herbal remedies that have been used in the UK for decades. From 1 May 2011, traditional herbal medicinal products must be licensed or prescribed by a registered herbal practitioner to comply with an EU directive passed in 2004. The directive was introduced in response to rising concern over adverse effects caused by herbal medicines.
Here are the the ten (10) medicinal plants that the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) through its "Traditional Health Program" have endorsed. All ten (10) herbs have been thoroughly tested and have been clinically proven to have medicinal value in the relief and treatment of various aliments:
1. Akapulko (Cassia alata) - also known as "bayabas-bayabasan" and "ringworm bush" in English, this herbal medicine is used to treat ringworms and skin fungal infections.
2. Ampalaya (Momordica charantia) - known as "bitter gourd" or "bitter melon" in English, it most known as a treatment of diabetes (diabetes mellitus), for the non-insulin dependent patients.
3. Bawang (Allium sativum) - popularly known as "garlic", it mainly reduces cholesterol in the blood and hence, helps control blood pressure.
4. Bayabas (Psidium guajava) - "guava" in English. 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.
5. Lagundi (Vitex negundo) - known in English as the "5-leaved chaste tree". It's main use is for the relief of coughs and asthma.
6. Niyog-niyogan (Quisqualis indica L.) - is a vine known as "Chinese honey suckle". It is effective in the elimination of intestinal worms, particularly the Ascaris and Trichina. Only the dried matured seeds are medicinal -crack and ingest the dried seeds two hours after eating (5 to 7 seeds for children & 8 to 10 seeds for adults). If one dose does not eliminate the worms, wait a week before repeating the dose.
7. Sambong (Blumea balsamifera)- English name: Blumea camphora. A diuretic that helps in the excretion of urinary stones. It can also be used as an edema.
8. Tsaang Gubat (Ehretia microphylla Lam.) - Prepared like tea, this herbal medicine is effective in treating intestinal motility and also used as a mouth wash since the leaves of this shrub has high fluoride content.
9. Ulasimang Bato | Pansit-Pansitan (Peperomia pellucida) - It is effective in fighting arthritis and gout. The leaves can be eaten fresh (about a cupful) as salad or like tea. For the decoction, boil a cup of clean chopped leaves in 2 cups of water. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain, let cool and drink a cup after meals (3 times day).
10. Yerba Buena (Clinopodium douglasii) - commonly known as Peppermint, this vine is used as an analgesic to relive body aches and pain. It can be taken internally as a decoction or externally by