PHILIPPINE MEDICINAL PLANTS

The folkloric use of plants

has played a vital role in maintaining human health and improving the quality of life for thousands of years

It is said and believed that herbal plants are

efficacious, not poisonous, and all together safe to use.

The high patronage of medicinal plants

can be subjective to cultural and social surroundings, as well as the belief that natural products pose no risk. (Bussmann and Lopez, 2007)

Studies on traditional medicines

are the integral knowledge, skills, and practices based on theories, beliefs and practices endemic to diverse cultures that are used to maintain and improve health, as well as a prophylactic, to diagnose and treat physical and mental illnesses. (WHO, 2003)

The traditional use of medicine is based on the

empirical knowledge that plants contain natural substances that promote health and alleviate or reduce diseases and heal medical conditions

MEDICINAL PLANTS

• botanicals

• herbal plants

• traditional medicines

Botanicals

all plants

Herbal plants

herbs

Traditional medicines

Plants, animals, minerals

- to maintain and improve health as well as alleviating and reducing diseases and heal medical conditions

MEDICINAL PLANTS

• A type of medicine that uses roots, stems, leaves, flowers, or seeds of plants (dried or fresh) to improve health, prevent  disease, and treat illness.

The purported use of plants, folkloric use in origin has been vital in the study of drug discovery.

• This empirical data of the use of plants of folkloric origin is a platform for several clinical studies.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) - __ of the population - Asian and African countries uses herbal  medicine for primary health care.

80%

At least __ medical compounds in the modern pharmacopoeia are derived from plants.

7,000

PHILIPPINES INDIGENOUS GROUPS

ethnomedicinal studies

• rich source of traditional medicines. 

• The diversity of ethnic knowledge, cultural practices, and customs in the Philippines would include health system knowledge.

PHILIPPINES INDIGENOUS GROUPS

• The country has __ and about 140 of which are acknowledged as indigenous (Hirtz, 2003).

• more than 169 living ethnolinguistic groups

MEDICINAL PLANTS

Crude drug, fresh or dried, prepared as a remedy

FOOD/ DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

MP (medicinal plant product) → (active ingredient in plant) extracted → manufactured → Registered with FDA (as a food/dietary supplement) → commercially available

DRUGS

MP → extracted → purified, isolated, characterized → undergo clinical trials → manufactured → Registered with FDA → commercially available

MANUFACTURED/DOSAGE FORMULATIONS

• tablets, 

• capsules, 

• syrups, emulsions, fluidextracts, 

• ointments, 

• other dosage forms

Dosage forms can be observed in

both food/ dietary supplements and drugs

ETHONOFORMULATIONS /MEDICINALS

This is the preparation of medicinal plants

DECOCTIONS

• aqueous preparations of plant parts boiled in water. 

• Medicinal prepared can be a juice, bath or wash

INFUSIONS

• Hot water is poured into dried or fresh plant material and allow to stand while tightly covered.  

• Medicinal prepared can be Tea the tea can also be used as a Bath or wash

EXPRESSION

• to extract or squeeze the juice.

• Product/medicinal: Extract, juice, tea; normally used as a bath or wash

BATH/ WASHES

• decoction, 

• infusions, 

• expression

used to bathe or wash the body

Wash: washing a part of the body

• Douche - for genitalia 

• Instill in eyes or ear

• Shampoo - for hair

• Gargle - for mouth

• Clean parts of the body

  • Can be used for cleaning after circumcision 

  • Can be used for sprains

Bath:  as bathe; pangligo talaga ng whole body

• Water bath: using water 

• Steam bath: suob and tuob; using steam

TRITURATION

For fresh plant part, the use of a mortar and pestle or wood and a container to produce a mush or a pulp.

TRITURATION

Product: Poultice or Paste - used as an Ointment

COMMINUTION

reduction of plant material to smaller pieces by cutting or grinding.

APPLICATION OF HEAT

• DIRECT

• INDIRECT

• ROASTING

DIRECT HEAT

by passing through a flame

INDIRECT HEAT

• It should not come in contact with the fire or heat source

• Heat in a suitable container

ROASTING

• Throwing the plant part in flames until charred, pag sunog na sya 

• Commonly used as a compress

The compress form is spread in

Banana leaves or in cloth and applied to the body.

CHEWED OR EATEN

• Chewed and then expelled and used as a compress

• This is to show the desired effect of the preparation/product when eaten; any plant part

ORNAMENTS (necklace)

Used by Aeta community; weaved/braided leaves to be worn as a necklace for severe coughing

WHIP

Ipapalo sa katawan to expel diseases and illnesses

NIRPROMP HERBAL MEDICINES

Collaboration of University of Philippines – Manila together with other universities and agencies working under DOST (1974

NIRPROMP:

National Integrated Research Program In Medicinal Plants (10 Herbal Medicines Approved by DOH)

NIRPROMP HERBAL MEDICINES

• lagundi

• bawang

• sambong

• tsaang gubat

• akapulko

• ampalaya

• bayabas

• niyog-niyogan

• ulasimang bato

• yerba buena

GUIDEBOOK ON THE PROPER USE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

• By Institute of Herbal Medicine – University of Manila, Philippines

• 100 Medicinal Plants, including the ff:

  • Botanical Name

  • Common Name

  • Medicinal Uses

  • Description

THE BEST 100 PHILIPPINE MEDICINAL PLANTS

• One of the latest book that was published in 2019*

• By Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan and Dr. Isidro Sia, who is part of PITAHC

FOP MEDICINAL PLANT STUDIES

Gel Trial Formulation Of The Crude Ethanolic Extract Of __ (Willd.) Miers. Stem And Evaluation Of Its Anti-Inflammatory, Wound-Healing And Skin Irritation Activities (Castillo, 2016)

Tinospora Cordifolia

FOP MEDICINAL PLANT STUDIES

Platelet-Increasing Effects of __. (Euphorbiaceae) in Ethanol- Induced Thrombocytopenic Rat Models (Apostol, 2012)

Euphorbia hirta Linn

FOP MEDICINAL PLANT STUDIES

GC–MS analysis of bioactive compounds present in different extracts of an endemic plant __ leaves (Casuga, 2016)

Broussonetia luzonica (Blanco) (Moraceae)

QUALITY of medicinal plants to be used should pass

• Ethnomedicinal studies

• Formation of Monographs in various pre clinical studies

• Compendial* standards –  Philippine pharmacopeia

  • cultivation, selection, collection/harvesting

  • It could be included in the future editions of the pharmacopeia 

SAFETY ISSUES

• Medicinal plants are NOT DRUGS

  • They are complementary medicines

• Temporary relief. As a first aid

• See a doctor if symptoms persists

OPPORTUNITIES

• Basis of drug discovery process. 

• Not enough ethnomedicinal studies in the Philippines.

• An urgent need TO DOCUMENT traditional medicines and healing practices of different indigenous cultures TO PRESERVE THE TRADITION AND HERITAGE.