Local Philippine Medicinal plants

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Even before the coming of Western pharmaceuticals and modern drug stores,

numerous indigenous medicinal plants are already bringing cure to early Filipinos.

Medicinal plants contain powerful ingredients which can address a wide range of

ail-ments. From their raw or cooked form, Philippine medicinal plants came to be

availa-ble in capsules, teas, tinctures, and other items like lotions and oils. Even Western

companies have come to recognize the curative potency of our local flora.

The early 90's seemed hopeful for the merging of western and alternative

medi-cine in the Philippines. There was a burgeoning global movement towards alternative

therapies, a new-age allure for "natural" remedies; and in the Philippines, the

begin-nings of herbal medicinal research & development. In 1992, during the term of Juan

Flavier as Secretary of Health, a brochure of 10 medicinal plants (akapulko,

ampa-laya, bawang, bayabas, lagundi, niyog-niyogan, pansit-pansitan, sambong,

tsaang-gubat, yerba buena) for common health problems was published and commercial

production was pursued. In 1997, the TAMA (Traditional and Alternative Medicine

Act) was passed, providing a legitimizing boost to the alternative medicine movement

in the Philippines.

The abundance of medicinal plants demonstrates how well-endowed our

coun-try’s nature is. The medicinal wonders of many of our local plants had been known to

our ancestors for centuries. And with further studies, there is no question that we can

enhance the curative powers of these gifts of nature. Truly, the country is a Garden of

Eden for plants with healing and therapeutic properties.

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Abang-abang

Leea manillensis Walp.

RED LEEA

Abang-abang is a smooth or nearly smooth shrub or small tree, 3 to 5 me-ters in height. Leaves are three or four

times pinnately compound, 50 to 80 centimeters long. Leaflets are elliptic-ovate to oblong lanceolate, 6 to 15 cen-timeters long, toothed at the margins, pointed at the tip and rounded or somewhat pointed at the base. Flowers are borne on large cymes, up to 50 cen-timeters in diameter, five-parted and about 3 millimeters long, a few opening at a time, the stalks and calyx are red, the petals, pale yellow. Fruit is dark red, depressed-globose and about 8 millime-ters in diamter. Decoction of roots, branches and leaves used for wound

h e a l i n g .

In Thailand, root used for diarrhea and hallucination. In southern Western Ghats, leaf juice of the plant is mixed with coconut milk, given three times daily for treatment of dysentery with blood discharge. In a study of the po-tential antihypertensive activity of Bra-zilian plants, Leea rubra was one of five

Lagolo

Acrostichum

au-reum Linn.

GOLDEN

LEATHER

FERN

Lagolo is a coarse fern growing to a height of 2 meters. Rootstocks are stout, woody and scaly. Stipes are clus-tered, stout and glabrous, 30 to 50 cm long. Fronds are leathery, pinnate, 50 to 200 cm long. Leaflets are 20 to 50 cm long, 4 to 6 cm wide. Terminal part of the frond has fertile pinnae covered with brownish sporangia. Fertile upper pinnae are smaller than the lower sterile ones. Phytochemical studies have yield-ed beta-sitosterol, alkaloid, flavonoids, phenolics, catechins, saponins, tan-nins. Study of 16 listed Bangladeshi plants, screened against human gastric, colon, and breast cancer cell lines,

Acrostichum aureus showed the most

po-tent selective cytotoxicity.

Kalios

Streblus asper Lour.

SANDPAPER TREE

Kalios is a rigid and densely branched tree, 4 to 15 meters high. Leaves are oblong-ovate to subrhomboid, 4 to 12 cm long, very rough on both sides, with finely toothed margins, the tip blunt or tapering to a point, the base narrowed. Male flowers are in roundish heads, 4 to 7 mm in diameter, short-peduncled, greenish-yellow or nearly white. Female flowers are peduncled, usually in pairs, green, the sepals accrescent and nearly

10 mm l o n g , pale yellow, the pericarp soft and fleshy. Seed is ovoid, 5 to 6 mm long. Consid-ered astringent, antiseptic, antifilarial, cardiotonic, soothing, antiaging. Root is considered antipyretic, antidys-enteric, analgesic and sedative. Extract studies of root bark on frog heart showed positive ionotropic effect. Ex-tract of stem bark revelaed macrofilari-cidal activity. Ethanol extract of leaves and sticks shown to inhibit growth of Strep mutans. Strep mutans is strongly associated with dental caries. Study sug-gests a potential for S asper extract as a natural product for controlling dental caries. Polyphenolic fractions found to have insecticidal activity. Study using osteosarcoma cells in an in vitro model, s h o w e d Streblus asper root extract exerted cell death to osteo-sarcoma cells. Study also showed antiox-idant

com-pounds such as caffeic acid in the root extracts which may act as a carcinogenic inhibitor. Study of volatile oil of S. asper from fresh leaves yielded phytol, a-farnesene, trans-farnesyl acetate, caryo-phyllene and trans-trans-a-farnesene. The volatile oil showed significant anti-cancer activity from cytotoxicity screen-ing tests. with mouse lymphocytic leuke-mia cells.

Medicinal Plants

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Talahib

Saccharum spontaneum Linn.

WILD SUGARCANE

Talahib is a coarse, erect, perennial grass, with stout underground rootstock growing to a height of 1 to 3.5 meters.

Leaves are harsh and linear, 0.5 to 1 meter long; 6 to 15 mm wide. Pannicles are white and erect, measuring 15-30 cm long, with slender and whorled branches, the joints covered with soft white hair.Spikelets are about 3.5 mm long, much shorter than the copious, long, white hairs at the base. In the Philippines decoction of the roots used

a s a d i u r e t i c .

Decoction of roots used for fever. Warmed poultice of the stem pulp ap-plied to painful areas in the leg and in cases suffering from beri beri. In Pakistan, used as laxative, phthisis, burning sensations and disease of the

b l o o d .

In Ayurveda, used for dyspepsia, piles, sexual weakness, respiratory problems a n d g y n e c o l o g i c a l t r o u b l e s . In Bengal, roots used as galactagogue

a n d d i u r e t i c .

In India, fresh juice of stems used to treat mental illness and mental disturb-a n c e s b y t h e v disturb-a i d h i y disturb-a r s . In Siddha, the whole plant is used for diseases of vatam and pittam, vomiting

and various abdominal disorders, men-tal diseases, dyspnea, anemia and obesi-ty. In Uttar Pradesh, paste prepared from equal quantities of fresh roots of Cynodon dactylon and Saccharum spo-nataneum is given with cow's milk and sugar for leucorrhea, early morning for one month. Screening yielded the pres-ence of quinines, alkaloids, tannins, carbohydrates, protein, coumarin, phe-nol, steroid and glycosides. Study in rats showed reduction in motor activity, more pronounced in the ethanol and aqueous extracts. The aqueous extracts showed mild antipsychotic activity. The psychopharmacologic effects were at-tributed to the alklaloids, tannins, ster-oids and glycosides.

Botolan

Securinega virosa Roxb. ex Willd.

COMMON BUSHWEED

Botolan is a small, deciduous, smooth, large, graceful shrub. Leaves are ex-tremely varia-ble in shape, elliptic-ovate, obovate or o r b i c u l a r , 2.5 to 10 centimeters in length, rather glau-cous be-neath, and r o u n d e d , obtuse or pointed at the tip. Flow-ers are usual-ly borne on axillary fasci-cles. Fruit is mostly small,

black or white, dry, and about 3 to 5 millimeters in diameter. Study investi-gating the antidiarrheal activity of meth-anolic extracts of leaves,

stem bark and root bark of Securinega virosa on a castor oil-induced diarrheal model showed the leaves and root bark extract to possess pharmacological activ-ity against diarrhea. Study of methanol extract showed significant and dose-dependent reduction of the onset and prolonged the duration of sleep. It also produced significant and dose-dependent motor coordination deficit in mice. Results suggest the root bark extract contains biologically active prin-ciples that are sedative.

"

The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients

in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention

of disease." -Thomas Edison, Inventor

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Kabal

Fagraea racemosa Jack

FALSE COFFEE TREE

Kabal is a tree growing about 6 meters or more in height. Leaves are opposite, very leathery, oblong ovate or ovate, 15 to 33 centimeters in length, 8 to 18

cen-timeters in width, rounded or some-what heart-shaped at the base, and pointed at the tip. Stipules form a cup around the stem on which the leaves are borne. Flowers are borne in clusters on terminal inflorescences which are often 20 to 30 centimeters in length. Corolla is white, funnel-shaped, about 2.5 to 3 centimeters in diameter, with 5 promient lobes. Fruit is a broadly ovoid or rounded berry, about 1 centimeter in diameter, containing many seeds and borne in good sized bunches. Study of stem bark isolated a new terpene alka-loid, fagraeoside, along with secologa-noside. Fagraeoside inhibited the pro-duction of PGE2 (prostaglandin E2) in murine fibroblasts. It also showed low to moderate activity in anti -acetylcholinesterase screening.

Susong-kalabau

Artabotrys suaveolens Blume

Susong-kalabau is a large, rambling and woody climber with hooked shaped inflorescences. Leaves are simple, alter-nate, leathery, shining, smooth, oblong, 5 to 12 centimeters long, with very short petioles. Flowers are clustered at the forked ends of the main stalk, with a thick calyx which is united at the base, with oval-shaped segments. Petals are narrowly linear, 2 centimeters long. Fruit are glossy green, with carpels con-nected by short stalks to the center of the fruit. Each fruit (carpel) contains a single seed. Bark tests indicate strong a l k a l o i d c o n c e n t r a t i o n s . Two alkaloids have been isolated from

the bark of the stems and roots: a phe-nolic alkaloid, suaveoline and a non-phenolic bitter alkaloid, artabotrine. Decoction of bark and roots used as emmenagogue, and for women after parturition.

Molave

Vitex parviflora Juss.

SMALL-FLOWER CHASTE TREE

Phytochemical studies have yielded

flavonoids, triterpenoids, lignans

and iridoids. Decoction or infusion

of wood considered a remedy for

poisons, as it induces vomiting.

Study yielded six new iridoid

gluco-sides together with two known

iri-doids, agnuside and negundoside,

from the ethyl acetate extractive of

the leaves of V altissima.

Com-pounds 2 - 4 showed potent

antioxi-dant activity by free radical

scaveng-ing and DPPH radical scavengscaveng-ing

methods.

C o n s i d

-ered

car-minative,

anthelmin-tic,

diges-tive.

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ESCOLARIAN BOTANIST

DO YOU KNOW THAT…

“many drugs commonly used today are of herbal origin”

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Mala-ulasiman-aso

Oldenlandia corymbosa (Linn)

FLAT TOP MILE

Malaulasiman is a slender, erect or spreading, branched, annual herb, 20 to 50 cm in length. Leaves are stalkless,

linear-oblanceolate to linear-oblong, and 1.5 to 3 cm long. Flowers occur in axillary, peduncled, 2- to 5-flowered umbels, with slender peduncles which are 5 to 10 mm long; the pedicels are half as long or less; and solitary flowers are often intermixed. Corolla is small and white. Capsules are shaped like a top, about 2 mm long, and do not pro-trude beyond the short, acuminate, ca-lyx-lobes. Study on the effect of meth-anolic extract of HC against paraceta-mol overdose-induced liver damage in Wistar rats showed significant hepato-protective effects evidenced by de-creased enzme activities and an almost normal histological architecture. Study of A paniculata and Hedyotis corymbosa, both known for their hepatoprotective and fever-reducing abilities, showed inhibitory activity in the ring stage of the parasite without invivo toxicity, with increased invivo potency when used in combination and with curcu-min.

Makabuhay

Tinospora rumphii Boerl.

HEAVENLY ELIXIR

Makabuhay is a climbing, dioecious vine reaching a height of 4 to 10 me-ters. Stems are up to 1 centimeter thick and somewhat fleshy, with scattered protuberances. Leaves are thin, ovate, 6-12 centimeters long, and 7 to 6-12 ccenti-meters wide, with pointed and truncate or somewhat heart-shaped based,

smooth and shining. Petioles are 3.5 to 6 centimeters long. Racemes are solitary or in pairs arising from axils of fallen leaves, pale green, slender, 10 to 20 cen-timeters long. Flowers are pale green and short pedicelled. Fruit 8 millime-ters long, in long clusmillime-ters. Plant con-tains a bitter principle, colombine (2.22%); traces of an alkaloid; and a glucoside. Also contains a amorphous bitter principle, picroretine and traces

o f b e r b e r i n e .

A study showed that the bitter extract of the stem does not contain an alka-loid. Leaves yielded picroretine, traces of an alkaloid, and a substance similar to glyzirrhizin. Bitter principle is gluco-sidal in nature. Study reported two alka-loids, tinosporine and tinosporidine. (Later studies failed to confirm these.) Study yielded two new diterpenes along with known compounds tinotufolin D and vitexilactone. Being studied for it possible stimulant effect on the im-mune system. Anecdotal benefits for a v a r i e t y o f H I V r e l a t e d c o m -plaints. Study on the extract of Tino-spora cordifolia roots for 6 weeks result-ed in a significant rresult-eduction of blood and urine glucose and lipids in serum and tissues in alloxan diabetic rats. Chloroform extract of air-dried leaves yielded a new clerodane diterpene, B2, and known diterpenes B1, tinotufolin D (B5) and vitexilactone (B3). B2 was found to have antifungal activity against

Aspergillus niger and T. mentagrophytes,

and antibacterial activity against P.

aeru-ginosa and Bacillus subtilis.

Medicinal Plants:Stems and Woo

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Labuag/Sapinit

Hibiscus surattensis Linn.

WILD SOUR

Labuag is a weak-stemmed trailing plant covered with soft hairs and scattered prickles. Leaves are rounded, toothed, and deeply and palmately 3- or 5-lobed. Flowers are yellow with a dark red cen-ter. Capsules are

hairy and ovoid. S e e d s a r e downy. In a study of the fatty acid composition of seed oils of seven Hibiscus species of malvaceae, all con-tained 13-17% oil. Linoleic acid

pre-dominated in the component fatty acids of all oils, followed by palmitic acid and oleic acid. A lotion or ointment of the stem and leaf as treatment for penile irritation; including venereal sores and urethritis. Infusion used as injection into the urethra and vagina for gonor-rhea and other urethral inflammations.

Lamon-babae

Lycopodium cernuum L.

TRUE CLUB MOSS

Lamon-babe is a prostrate plant, with stout and creeping stems, 30 to 100 cm long and with small bristly leaves throughout. Primary branches are rigid-ly erect, 20 to 60 cm long, much branched in the upper portion; the low-er branches are divided and short, spreading or ascending, pendulous to-wards the tips. Leaves are inserted all around the stems and branches, crowd-ed, narrowly linear-subulate, 2 to 3 mm long. Spikes (cone-like fruiting bodies) are numerous, solitary, and sessile on the tips of the branchlets, 5 to 15 mm long.

In vitro anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of Lycopodium cernuum (Linn) All frac-tions of LC extracts demonstrated anti-microbial activity suggesting the plant contains compounds with therapeutic activity. Pharmacologically active com-pounds such as alkaloids and serratene triterpenes have been found in L cernu-um which may be responsible for its antimicrobial effect. 5 fractions from the hexane fraction (100% hexane) yielded the highest activity. Study

sug-gests the plant is a potential source of an antibacterial agent for the treatment of H. pylori. Fractionation of ethanol extract of L cernuum for Candida albicans secreted aspartic proteases (SAP) inhibi-tion resulted in six new and four known serratene triterpenes and an apigenin-glucopyranoside. Two compounds, lycernuic acid C and and apigenin-4'-O (2',6' '-di-O-p-coumaroyl)-beta-D-glycopyranoside, showed inhibitory ef-fects against C albicans secreted aspartic proteases.

Kamantigi

Impatiens balsamina Linn.

TOUCH-ME-NOT

Kamantigi is an annual, erect, succu-lent, branched herb, 1 meter high or less. Leaves are smooth, somewhat gla-brous or pubescent, 3 to 5 centimeters long, narrowly lanceolate or oblanceo-late, pointed at both ends, deeply ser-rate, alternate, the petioles with basal glands as seen under a magnifying glass. Flowers are axillary, showy, 2 to 3 centi-meters long, usually pink, but forms with white, red, purple, or variegated petals are also found in cultivation. The sepal spur is long and slender. The sta-mens are 5, filaments short, broad, an-thers uniting. The ovary is 5-celled, the stigma, 5-toothed, the ovules many. Fruits are loculicidal capsules, pubes-cent and explosive when ripe. Study

isolated a final and activie component, 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, which showed an intensive in vitro anti-tumor activity against HepG2 cells. Because of high mineral content, concerns have been raised on regular ingestion of large quantities of the plant, especially those with gout, urolithiasis, and arthritis.

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Climbing bird's nest fern

Microsorum punctatum (L.) Copel

FISHTAIL STRAP-FERN

Climbing bird's-nest fern is a robust ground fern with attractive leaves. Leaves are bright green, elongated, more or less ruffled at the margins and forking in various segments at the apex. Decoction of plant used for coughing fits. Elsewhere, leaf juice used as purga-tive or enema. Leaf juice also used as diuretic and for healing wounds.

Buntot-tigre

Cordyline roxburghiana (Schultes)

Merr.

INDIAN BOWSTRING HEMP

Buntot-tigre is a herbaceous perennial with short stem and a rootstock that is very stout, branching and stoliniferous. Leaves are erect, fleshy, fibrous and flat ( in other varieties cylindrical or con-cave above, rounded dorsally), sub-erect, dagger-shaped, rigid, pale-green with transverse bands of dark green, or dark-green with gray mottles, 0.4 to 1.5 me-ters long, 4 to 7 cm wide. Scape is erect, 30 to 80 cm long. Flowers are pale-colored, numerous, in facsicles of 3 to 6, sweet-scented, 2.5 to 3 cm long, with the perianth segments nearly twice as long as the tube. Fruit is sparingly pro-duced, globose, about 8 mm indiame-ter. Seeds are broadly ovoid and white, with horny albumen.

Study of hydroalcoholic extract of SR for antituor activity against EA carcino-ma exhibited recarcino-markable antitumor activity attributed to its augmentation of endogenous antioxidant mecha-nisms. Study of hydroalcoholilc extract of SR rhizome in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats demonstrated re-markable antidiabetic activity possibly through its modulation of endogenous antioxidant status.

Damong maria

Artemisia vulgaris Linn.

MAIDEN WORT, CHINESE

HONEYSUCKLE,

WORM-WOOD

Plant yields a volatile oil consisting of cineol, thujone, paraffin and aldehyde. Roots contain inulin, tannin, resin and a volatile oil, 0.1 per cent. Study of crude extract yielded alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, ster-ols, tannins and terpenes. Study of di-chlormethane extract of dried-leaves of AV yielded a new sesquiterpene 1, cary-ophyllene oxide, phytyl fatty esters, squalene, stigmasterol and sitosterol. A study isolated twenty known flavonoids, the most abundant were eriodictyol and luteolin. Two flavonoids, eriodictyol and apigenin, induced the transcription of the estrogen receptor gene in trans-genic yeast. Study suggests that the aqueous and chloroform extracts of leaves of Av have anti-hypertensive ac-tions with not significant effecfts on cardiovascular hemodynamics. Study showed A. vulgaris exhibits a combina-tion of anticholinergic and Ca+ antago-nist mechanisms, providing pharma

cologic basis for its folkloric use in

hy-peractive gut and airway disorders, such as abdominal coli, diarrhea and asthma

Tungkod-pare

Baston De San Jose

Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A. Chev.

GOOD LUCK PLANT .

Considered antiseptic, aphrodisiac, depurative, diuretic, mildly cooling, blood refrigerant, febrifuge, laxative, purgative, hemostatic, disperses contu-sions, analgesic, tonic. In Java, young tender leaf shoots are eaten as vegeta-ble.

Roots may be boiled and baked into food, sweet candy or a fermented drink.

In Hawaii, leaves used to preserve breadfruit.

Used as sweetener in Fiji.

Medicinal Plants: Leaves

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Cypres

Cupressus sempervirens

CYPRESS

A large perennial plant that can grow to four meters high, on a single trunk and branching that increases in circumfer-ence with age. Leaves are small and scale-like. Cones and young branches considered anthelmintic, antipyretic, antiseptic, astringent, sudorific, vaso-contrictor, vulnerary. Study has yielded three biflavonoids—amenotoflavone,

cupressuflavone, and podocarpusfla-vone-A. Essential oil extracted from leaves (needles) and twigs. A proantho-cyanidin polymer fraction from CS showed true antiviral activity in vitro against HIV and HTLV IIB.

Dama de noche

Cestrum nocturnum Linn.

NIGHT BLOOMING CESTRUM

Widely cultivated in the Philippines for its sweet-scented flowers that bloom at night. The study isolated two new flavo-noid glycosides and seven steroidal sap-onins. The study reports cytotoxic activ-ities of the compounds against human oral squamous cell carcinoma and nor-mal human gingival fibroblasts. The study isolated two new flavonoid glyco-sides and seven steroidal saponins. The study reports cytotoxic activities of the compounds against human oral squa-mous cell carcinoma and normal hu-man gingival fibroblasts. Study of meth-anol extract of leaves showed strong dose-dependent analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity compared to standard drug. It also showed mild anti-pyretic activity at higher tested dose.

Licorice

Glycyrrhiza glabra

L. LIQUORICE

Licorice is a plant of ancient origin, steeped in history, and has been medici-nally used for more than 4000 years. It is a component of many traditional medical systems. Hippocrates in 400 BC mentioned it as a remedy for ul-cers. Locally, referred to as "anis" be-cause of its similarity in taste with haras (fennel). Study yielded Major bio-active constituent of rhizomes is glycyrrhizin (a triterpenoid saponin), glycyrrhizinic acid, glabin A and B, glycyrrhetol, gla-brolie, isoglabrolide, isoflavones couma-r i n s , t couma-r i t e couma-r p e n e s t e couma-r o l s , e t c . Study yielded a new chacone deriva-tive, neoligban lipid esters and phenol-ic compounds (formononetin, glabrid-in, hemileiocarpglabrid-in, hispaglabridin B, isoliquirtigenin, 4'-O-methylglabridin and paratocarpin B. Study yielded a new chacone derivative, neoligban lipid esters and seven known phenolic com-pounds. Hispaglabridin B, isoliquirti-genin, and paratocarpin B were found to be potent antioxidant agents. Isoliquirtigenin also demonstrated to prevent the incidence of 1,2 -dimethylhydrazine-induced colon and lung tumors in mice when administered at a dose of 300 mg/kg. Aqueous ex-tract of G glabra significantly improved learning and memory of mice and also reversed the amnesia induced by diaze-pam and scopolamine. Its antiinflam-matory and antioxidant properties may be contributing to the memory en-hancement effect through facilitation of the cholinergic-transmission in mouse brain.

Study yielded main components as glycyrrhizin, 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, isoliquiritin, and liquiritigenin were isolated from licorice, and their anti-allergic effects, such as anti-scratching behavior and IgE production-inhibitory activity, were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Antiallergic effects of lico-rice are were attributed to glycyrrhizin, 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, and liquiriti-genin, which can relieve IgE-induced allergic diseases such as dermatitis and asthma. Hexane extract of Gg showed an inhibitory effect on bone resorption of about 40% at dilution of 1:10,000 without being toxic. Study shows Gg affects peroxisome proliferation activat-ed receptors, thereby regulating the ex-pression of genes that play an important role in glucose metabolism.

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Filipino Herbalist invents a Dietary Supplement that can cure Cancer.

Antonio Agustin is a Filipino Herbalist. He made an amazing discovery of a coconut based herbal drink which has cured several severe illnesses.

According to him, he was able to prove that Boston C Triton Herbs is really effective in heal-ing prostate, cancer, bronchial asthma, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus, emphysema, edema, sinusitis, hemorrhoid, rheumatoid arthritis, viral and bacterial infections and psoria-sis. It also hastens the recovery of people who have suffered from stroke and rehabilitate the kidneys of those undergoing dialysis.

This godgiven medicine can cure all illness that science or modern medicine can’t cure. Have faith and try Boston C Triton Herbs, it may be the answer to your prayer of getting well.

“You DON’T have to die of Cancer” A Breakthrough in Cancer Cure

If you are looking for a very potent, safe and effective cure for cancer, this is the answer –

Although it is still classified by BFAD as an Herbal Food Supplement, both biological testing and actual experience show that Boston C herbal Extracts go very well beyond that.

In 2002 and 2003, the U.P. Institute of Biology conducted laboratory test using Bostn C Triton Herbs extracts in different dilutions on lung adenocarcinoma, colon carcinoma, jurkat cell lymphoma, bladder carcinoma, while a prominent Asian Biotechnology Laboratory tested it on lung and cervical cancer cells for presentation to the World Health Organization.

The official results of these scientific laboratory tests clearly revealed and certified that even in its most diluted form, the Boston C Herbal Extracts were still able to kill off more than half the population of cancer cells within 3-5 days, depending on the type of the cancer.

This means that when taken in its undiluted form and on a daily basis for a period of time the herbal concoction will surely free the body of cancer. And since these herbal extracts have an almost zero toxicity level, it can be taken liberally with-out damaging the rest of the body; thus making it the better and safer alternative to an operation, chemotherapy and radiation.

Boston C Triton Herbs is a purified extracts of Nata de Coco and other herbal plants. It is very rich in Vitamin C, which serves as an anti-oxidant; and contains other phythochemicals known for their curative effects.

See their website at http://www.tritonherbs.com/

Antonio Agustin Filipino

Herbalist Cure for Cancer

FEATURE

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Representatives from government, non-government organizations, private and academic sectors gathered in a

roundtable discussion entitled: Strengthening the Science-Based Herbal Industry in the Philippines: Issues,

Chal-lenges and Solutions• organized by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) last February 15,

2012 at the Traders Hotel in Manila.

Existing Initiatives

Dr. Francis Vicente S. Ras, Education and Promotion Ofï¬•cer V of the Philippine Institute for Traditional and

Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) shared the efforts of the Institute in developing herbal products. PITAHC is

a government program set up in 1997 by the Department of Health (DOH) to accelerate the development of

traditional and alternative health care in the country. Today, PITAHC manages four herbal processing plants in

Cagayan, Leyte, Cotabato and Davao which are able to produce marketable herbal products, namely: lagundi

tablet and syrup for cough and asthma, sambong tablet as anti-urolithiasis, tsaang gubat tablet as anti-colic or

anti-spasmodic and herbal soaps from akapulko, cucumber, raddish, kamias, calamansi, guava, carrot and

papa-ya.

Dr. Jaime C. Montoya, Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of

the Department of Science and Technology (PCHRD-DOST) presented the government roadmap for the

devel-opment of science-based herbal products for health and wellness. He said that part of PCHRD™ drug discovery

and development program includes the utilization of natural substances from terrestrial and marine sources that

can be developed up to the pre-clinical stage for common infectious diseases and lifestyle-related disorders.

Dr. Gemiliano D. Aligui, President of Asian Foundation for Tropical Medicine, Inc. discussed two existing

ad-ministrative orders which refer to confidence and public trust on herbal products. The A.O 184 s2004 refers to

guidelines on the registration of traditionally-used herbal products while A.O. 172 s2004 indicates guidelines on

the registration of herbal medicines. The A.O 184 s2004 limits the folkloric use of herbal medicines because this

law requires manufacturers to state in the label any of the following statements applicable: 1) The Traditional

ap-plication/use of this product has not been evaluated by the Philippine Food & Drugs Administration if symptoms persist,

con-sult your doctors, are not allowed for use in pregnant, lactating mothers, and children below 18 years old. On the other

hand, the A.O. 172 s2004 establishes the clinical efficacy of herbal medicine because it subjects the

manufactur-er to report findings of the study from Galenical (Phase I) up to clinical trials (Phase III) of the hmanufactur-erbal drugs prior

to public use. It further states that herbal drugs should be validated by the National Integrated Research

Pro-gram on Medicinal Plants (NIRPROMP) of the PCHRD-DOST or other competent research centers accredited

and approved by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Philippines towards a

Science-Based Herbal Industry:

Initiatives, Challenges, Solutions

Written by Ana Ciaren P. Hipolito

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Identified Challenges

Dr. Rainier B. Villanueva, Founding President of the Chamber of Herbal Industries of the Philippines, Inc.

re-ported the issues and challenges of the natural product industry from the perspective of industry and the private

sector. According to him, the herbal industry is confronting the following challenges: (1) lack of scientific claims

to support product claims; (2) outdated policies of FDA on product registration; (3) no standardization of

natu-ral ingredients; (4) unscrupulous businessmen taking advantage of the popularity of natunatu-ral and organic

prod-ucts by making claims at the expense of the consumers; (5) lack of integrated, inter-agency programs by the

gov-ernment to strengthen the industry like what China, Malaysiaa and India are doing; (6) minimal

implementa-tion of good agricultural practices among the agriculture sector; (7) no clearing house or centralizaimplementa-tion of

gov-ernment-funded R&D studies; and (8) lack of laboratory dedicated to the natural product industry.

Dr. Lourdes B. Cardenas, faculty member of the Plant Biology Division of the University of the Philippines Los

Banos (UPLB) tackled the issues relating to quality of raw materials for use in herbal products. According to her

research, the following are needed to be subjected under quality control in order to address raw material and

processing quality issues: (1) source material which refers to the correct variety, species, chemotype, ecotype, and

part and stage development of the plant to be processed; (2) cultivation of the plant species; (3) post harvest

han-dling; (4) storage (5) residues, heavy metals and microbial contamination; and (6) security of raw materials to

radioactive isotopes.

Ms. Irene M. VillaseÃ±or, faculty member of the Institute of Chemistry of the University of the Philippines

Dili-man identified the following issues on establishing quality parameters for herbal products: (1) patent protection;

(2) data on chemical identity, purity and consistency; (3) information related to absorption, distribution,

metab-olism and elimination of drug metabolites; and (4) chemical standardization.

Proposed Solutions

Stakeholders came up with the following possible interventions to address the identified challenges and improve

existing initiatives: 1) partnership among research institutes and organizations to generate more scientific

evi-dences to substantiate and validate claims of natural products and ingredients; 2) technology transfer for

sustain-able organic farming and propagation; 3) acquisition and use of appropriate equipment and machinery to boost

industry capacities; 4) provision of assistance to institutions in attaining various certifications accepted and

rec-ognized by international market; 5) investments in the development of natural products and ingredients

indus-tries; 6) promotion and distribution of a Philippine products in the foreign market through collaboration

be-tween Filipino and Filipino-foreign entrepreneurs and businessmen; 7) capacity building for experts in the field

of Medicinal Chemistry; and 8) establishment of centralized facilities for R&D studies.

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The Filipino Healers

The Doctor is IN

Dr. Kepweng M.D.

In the hierarchy of healers and specialists in Philippine folk medicine, the albularyomay be referred

to as the "general practitioner," knowledgeable in most of the folkloric modalities, usually especially versed in

t h e u s e o f m e d i c i n a l h e r b s . T h e h i l o t a m b i g u o u s l y r e f e r s b o t h t o

the manghihilot and magpapaanak. Themanghihilot specializes in techniques and treatments applicable to

sprains, fractures and muskuloskeletal conditions. The magpapaanak, besides prenatal visits and delivering

ba-bies, often performs the suob ritual. Some healers limit their practice of folkloric therapies to more specialized

modalities. The mangluluopspecializes in diagnostic techniques, usually referring the patients after diagnosis to

the albularyo, medico, or manghihilot for definitive treatments. The medico is a further specialization, merging

age-old folkloric modalities with ingredients of western medicine - 'prescription' medications, acupuncture, etc.

Most of these healers consider their healing craft as God-given, a calling from a supernatural being, and

conse-quently, their healing practices are profusely infused with prayers and religious rituals, performed through

medi-ation with the Holy Spirit. Usually rural-based, they are also present in the urban and suburban communities,

albeit in small scattered niches, serving burgis alternative needs, the impoverished or the urban-transplanted

rural folk.

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The Albularyo

In the rural areas, by tradition and because of chronic economic constraints, the albularyos are the general

practitioners, the primary dispensers of health care. As with other healers, there is usually a history of a

heal-er in the family-line, their healing a continuum of a "calling," the powheal-er or ability bestowed by a supheal-ernatural

being, often, attributed to the Holy Spirit. Often lacking in formal education, his skills are based on and

honed from hand-me-down practices and lore, with a long period of understudy or apprenticeship with a

fam-ily elder or a local healer. Years of patience and study bring the healer into a familiarity with the lore, rituals

and modalities of diagnosis and healing, the prayers,

bulong and orasyon, and the use of herbal medicinal

plants. Some acquire an expertise in the art of pulse

taking and diagnosis.

Mang Ino, Albularyo: He used to hold weekday clinic hours in a corner of the basement parking area in a market/mall in the San Pablo, Laguna area. His sign translates: Look for Tata Ino if you need a massage for a painful body condition. I also treat fractures, dog bites, diabetes, stones, arthritis, heart problems, and many oth-ers. I also sell herbal medicines. Clinic hours are from 9 AM to 4 PM. I can also do housecalls if you pick me up from this basement.

The Hilot

In the rural areas, a"hilot" ambiguously refers to both the midwife (magpapaanak) and the chiropractic

practi-tioner (manghihilot, masahe).

The Manghihilot

In the alternative context, the hilot is a practitioner (or the practice) of the craft of 'chiropractic' manipulation

and massage for the diagnosis and treatment of musculoligamentous and muskuloskeletal ailments. In contrast

to its western counterpart, the hilot's chiropractic treatment is low on science, high on esotery.

Usually, hilot is a specialization, but in isolated rural areas, many of the albularyos have a familiarity in the use of

this modality.

Most hilots, however, do not have any formal education or training. Other than a breech birth in some that is

believed to destine or dispose one to this healing art, most rural hilots achieve their skills through an indigenous

hand-me-down education.

The chiropractic skill can be imparted to a few chosen villagers deemed by the medico or 'ermitanya' (high

priest-ess) to possess such potential capabilities. These 'ordained' hilots are not versed in the practice of other forms of

alternative therapies and their practice is limited only to bodily complaints amenable to chiropractic

manipula-tions and massage. And while the albularyo's 'hilot' practices are aided by a whole bagful of indigenous tools

(tawas, bulong, lunas, 'empowered' coconut oil, etc), the 'ordained' hilot's tools are meager: an amulet, an

'empowered' cane, or a nazarene-garb entrusted by the teacher and used during the healing sessions and a few

diagnostic rituals.

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Plants Saves Their Life

INSPIRING STORIES

The Meaty Midwesterner

When now-55-year-old Randy Hale was a child in Madison Park, OK, he ate the meat-heavy diet for which the Midwest is well-known. “Everything circled around beef—maybe one day a week we’d have some other meat, like chicken or some pork,” Hale recalls. “In terms of vegetables, I really only grew up eating three, which were corn, fried potatoes, and beans.” Instead of an apple or banana, he would down a spoonful of crunchy sugar right out of the jar when the craving struck for something sweet. As he grew older, Hale saw virtually everyone around him developing similar health problems. “This lifestyle was just passed down from generation to generation,” he

ex-plains. “So growing up, I expected as I aged, I would hurt like they do, I would be on medications like they were. I would have an issue with diabetes or some heart disease.”

Ten years ago, Hale experienced a self-fulfilling prophecy when he visit-ed the doctor and discovervisit-ed that he had developvisit-ed high blood pres-sure, unsafe cholesterol levels, and type 2 diabetes. Although he prom-ised his doctor that he would make changes toward improving his health, he continued to indulge in a fatty, meat-heavy diet—until he

talked to his friend, Steve Ryan, who “pestered [him] about how easy this diet was, this lifestyle change.” Ryan had experi-enced amazing results from going vegan, and encouraged Hale to do the same. When Hale picked up a copy of Neal Bar-nard, MD’s Program for Reversing Diabetes, he wasn’t sure what to expect, but he was willing to give it a shot.

On the 13th_{day of the diet, Hale began experiencing remarkable changes. His blood sugar levels had returned to normal.}

Hale works on a national wildlife refuge, and when he got there that day, he hiked six miles and “felt unbelievable,” in his words. Hale recalls, “Before, I would never, ever have done that, because I was all bent out of shape and heavy [and had] pains in my joints and my ankle. My arthritis was bad from my waist down, my lower back—I would be miserable, whether I was active or not. But on the 13th_{day, my blood sugar dropped, my energy level skyrocketed, and I didn’t hurt, so that}

enabled me to get out and become active.” Astounded, Hale returned to his doctor on the 21st_{day of his vegan diet to find}

that he had already lost more than 14 pounds and no longer needed his diabetes medication.

Hale has been vegan since August 2011, and in addition to losing 44 pounds himself, he has already helped more than 14 people adopt a plant-based diet. Before going vegan, Hale had never tried Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collard greens, beets, turnips, or sweet potatoes, all of which he now consumes voraciously. “It’s like there’s this big heavy dark curtain that was around me when I was growing up, and it limited my vision, so I couldn’t see myself being healthy or not being on medication or being active,” he describes. “[Now] I can see myself being healthy, living to be 95, and maybe being med-ication-free.” He’s also adamant in his belief that anyone can give up meat and dairy, laughing, “It’s not hard to convert from a meat-loving carnivore to a little friendlier vegan. My friends, they would think I’m the last guy to become a vegan.”

“It’s not hard to convert from a meat-loving carnivore to a little friendlier vegan. My friends, they would think I’m the last guy to become a vegan.”

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