para sa mga intresadong malaman ang mga
panhaliling lunas sa pinas, o mas kilala sa
tawag na herbal medicine.
----------------------------------------
The early 90's seemed hopeful for the merging of western and alternative medicine in the Philippines. There was a burgeoning global movement towards alternative therapies, a new-age allure for "natural" remedies; and in the Philippines, the beginnings of herbal medicinal research & development. In 1992, during the term of Juan Flavier as Secretary of Health, a brochure of 10 medicinal plants (akapulko, ampalaya, 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 internet is testament to the exploding global alternative movement, the rush for the green, the herbal and the natural, with cybermarts glutted with the latest in noni juices, virgin oils, new and improved erectile naturaceuticals, new, re-discovered, or recycled treatment modalities, embellished with come-on components of qi, magnets, gems, or herbs in all of its various forms - extracts, powders, capsules, tablets and teas - some profusely laden with testimonials, catering to or preying on the needs of the new-age and the aging urban and burgis markets.
It is uncertain how this global-cyber-alternative-rush will trickle down to benefit the rural poor who has always relied on alternative modalites and healers and wild-crafted herbal plants as mainstay therapies for its sundry of healthcare needs. While it has gained in-roads into the alternative commerce of urban-burgis markets, alas, but its a long way from the impoverished rural dirt roads.
The "rolling stores" with its promise of affordable and accessible herbal medications - together with day-to-day commodities and needs - to the indigenous populace was a short-lived political play, palaver and political fanfare for the expectant "masa" that sputtered and stalled on first gear.
Research and development of herbal medicinal plants and the commercial production of some have not made any measurable benefits to the impoverished rural poor. The commerce and trade remains in the profit-fueled markets of urban and suburban milieu.
There continues the difficult divide between the practitioner of western medicine and the advocates of alternative medicine. For the most part, the "old" medical establishment continues to present an unyielding front, big-city practitioners far removed from the economics and realities of rural life and health care, suspicious and derisive of non-allopathic modalities, denigrating the practice of alternative medicine to the hilots and albularyos.
And, so goes herbal medicinal plants, denigrated to medical bags of albularyos and the hand-me-down use of many of the rural folk.
Alas, such a waste.
The study of Philippine medicinal plants may well provide the crossroad for a merging of allopathic and alternative medicine. The rural areas provide a hexiological environment for the study of herbal therapies and other alternative modalities. Studies in search for scientific validity involves only a handful of the more than 1000 species of plants with medicinal value: Lagundi for cough and asthma; sambong as a diuretic and to prevent kidney stones; tsaang gubat for abdominal pains and as antimotility agent; yerba buena for fever and body aches; niyog-niyogan for ascariasis (antihelminthic); bayabas for wound disinfection (antiseptic); akapulko for skin (antifungal) infections; ulasimang-bato for arthritis and gout; bawang to lower cholesterol; and ampalaya for diabetes mellitus.
There are thousands of herbal plants that folklore has attributed medicinal benefits to. Only a few have claim to some scientific validity. Many continue to thrive in the esoteria of folkloric and rural pharm, part of many alternative rituals and treatment modalities. And for many, in its wild-crafted use, it is the only affordable form of therapy.
A comprehensive and in-depth study of herbal plants should address the needs of the rural folk who use wild-crafted herbs as mainstay therapy for a variety of illnesses, in lieu of unaffordable and consequent intermittent and ineffective use of prescription pharmaceuticals. The study must translate into a comprehensible, practical, and user-friendly compendium of information that can guide the rural folk in their use and preparation of herbal therapies, in a manner sensitive to rural mythologies and folkloric anecdotes. separating the wheat from the chaff, sorting out the useless and the toxic, and providing more specific indications and less arbitrary dosing.The hope is that research and studies will lead to the formulation and manuafacture of herbal medicinal therapies that will be made available and affordable to the rural folk as an alternative to cost-prohibitive prescription pharmaceuticals. But that's shooting for the moon.
For most, rural economics and the mathematics of existence place healthcare low in priority, prevention and health maintenance perpetually unaffordable or non-existent, and traditional treatment usually a last resort or only after having tried various rural alternatve treatment modalities, a few consultations with the albularyo, and often a too long a trial of "tincture of time."
And change is nowhere in sight. For many, it is Mother Earth who provides an easy source of initial therapy, a vast array of wild-crafted herbal medicinal plants - decocted, infused, juiced, tinctured, powdered, pounded and poultice - providing relief in the uncertain mechanisms of tincture of time, placebo, or a possible heretofore unknown pharmacologic effect.
The effort of compilation and providing graphics and photos to the medicinal plants has brought me to conversations with countless rural folk and healers, taken me to the winding footpaths of many countrysides, booting through the thickets and bushes, peeking and intruding into gardens, for that "new" plant or that flower catches the eye. It has been a wonderful and serendipitous journey of learning and discovery. And, I hope you find it likewise, this cyber-journey through the flora and folkflore of Philippine herbal medical plants.
----------------------------
The Philippine medicinal plant entrees now number over 360 and the separate lists of plants have been joined together into a Tagalog list and an English list for those plants with English designations. For some plants, there may be a confusing similarity in common names shared by plants of different species, or different names for the same plant in the same region or tribe, or confusing variations in the common names of the same specie of plant. (See: Plant Names) Of interesting note, is the variety and amusing origins of the common names, which in itself presents as an interest ing etymological study. Herbal Search might be helpful in sorting out in the overlap and similarities of names. Frequent updates are done for photos, folkloric info, and addition of new plants.
listahan ng mga herbal plants:
Abukado
Abutra
Acacia
Adelfa
Agas-moro
Agor
Akapulko
Alagasi
Alagaw
Alambrillo
Alibangbang
Aligbangon
Alikbangon
Alim
Alpasotis
Alugbati
Amarillo
Ambal
Amor-seco
Ampalaya
Ampalayang ligaw
Anabiong
Anonas
Antipolo
Apatot
Araro
Aroma
Asuete
Atis
Bagawak
Baino
Balanoy
Balatong
BalatongAso
BalbasBakiro
Balete
Bali-bali
Balimbing
Baling-uai
Banaba
Banato
BangkaBangkaan
Bangkal
Bani
Bataw
Batino
Bawang
Bayabang
Bayabas
Bignay
Binunga
Bitaog
Botoncillo
Botonesan
Buboi
Bulak-manok
Bulaklak ng paraiso
Bunga
Bunga-bunga
Buntot-tigre
Buri
Caimito
Chico
Creeping Fig
Cypres
Dadayem
Dalandan
Dalanghita
Dalupang
Damong maria
Dandelion
Dapdap
Darak
Dawag
Dayap
Daynon
Dikit-dikit
Dila-dila
Dilang-baka
Dilang-butiki
Dilaw
Diluario
Dita
Dugtong-ahas
Duhat
Duranta
Dusol
Escobilla
Eucalyptusa EucalyptusDegluptaaaaaa
Gabi
Gabi-gabihan
Gabing-uak
Galamai
Gatas-gatas
Gogo
Granada
Granadilla
Gulaman
Gulasiman
Gumamela
Guyabano
Hangod
Harangan
Haras
Hauili
Higus manok
Hilagak
Iba ibaan
Ikmo
Ilang ilang
Ilang ilang gubat
Ipil-ipil
Kabling
Kabling-gubat
Kabling parang
Kabuyaw
Kadios
Kakaw
Kakawati
Kalabasa
Kalachuchi
Kalamansi
Kalantas
Kalingag
Kalios
Kalumbibit
Kalumpang
Kalumpit
Kama-kamatisan
Kamansi
Kamantigi
Ka maria
Kamatis
Kamatsile
Kamia
Kamias
Kamote
Kamoteng Kahoy
Kampanilya
Kamuning
Kanapa
Kandikandilaan
Kangitngit
Kangkong
Kantutan
Kantutay
Kanya pistula
Kaong
Kape
Karot
Kasopangil
Kasuy
Katakataka
Katanda
Katigbi
Katurai
Kauayan
Kauad-kawaran
Kawad kawaran
Kaya-kayapuan
Kiapo
Kindayohan
Kintsay
Kogon
Kolintang-violeta
Kolitis
Komprey
Kondol
Kulantro
Kupang
Labanos
Lagundi
Lamon-babae
Lampakanay
Langka
Lansones
Lantanaaa Lanting
Lauas
Laurel
Licorice
Limonsito
Linga
Lipa
Lipang-aso
Lirio
Litlit
Lubigan
Lubi-lubi
Luiang-usiu
Luya
Luya-luyahan
Magey
Mahogany
Mais
Makabuhay
Makahiya
Makikitot
Makopa
Malaanis
Malatinta
Mala-ulasiman aso
Malayan Splurge
Malbas
Malunggay
Mamalis
Manga
Mangkit-parang
Mangosteen
Mani
Manunggal
Manzanilla
Mayana
Melon-melonan
Mirasol
Mongo
Morera
Mustasa
Mutha
Nami
Narra
Neem
Nipa
Nitong pula
Niyog-niyogan
Niyog
Okra
Oliba
Oregano
Pako
Pakong parang
Pakong tulog
Pakpak -lauin
Pakpak Lawin
Pakuan
Palai
Palo maria
Palong-manok
Paminta
Panapanarahan
Pandakaki puti
Pandan
Pansi-pansi
Pansit-pansitan
Pantug-pantugan
Papaya
Paragis
Paraiso
Parol-parolan
Pasau
Pasau-na-bilog
Pasaw-na-hapay
Patani
Pataning dagat
Patatas
Patola
Patolang bilog
Payang payang
Payang-payang-gubat
Pili
Pi?a
Pipino
Pito-pito
Piyagaw
Poinsettia
Pugo pugo Puso-puso
Pukingan
Pungapung
Puso-puso
Putod
Rambutan
Ramie
Repolyo
Romero
Rosal
Rose
Sabila
Saga
Saging
Sahing
Salago
Salong
Sambong
Sampaguita
Sampaloc
Sampa-sampalukan
Sandikit
Santan
Santol
Sapan
Sauko
Sayote
Sibuyas
Sibuyas tagalog
Sigang dagat
Sila sila
Sili
Siling labuyo
Siling lara
Sineguelas
Sinkamas
Soro soro
Spiral ginger
Subsuban
Sud-sud
Suha
Suliak-daga
Suob kabayo
Tagbak
Tagpong-gubat
Tagulaway
Tagulinaw
Taingang daga
Takip kohol
Talahib
Talampunay
Talisay
Taloangi
Talong
Talong punay
Talong-talongan
Talungud
Tambo
Tan-ag
Tandang aso
Tangan-tangan
Tanglad
Tango
Tantanduk
Tikas
Tintatintahan
Trompang elepante
Trompeta
Tsaang gubat
Tsampakang-puti
Tsampakang pula
Tsitsirika
Tuba
Tubang bakod
Tubo
Tugi
Tuhod manok
Tukod langit
Tungkod pare
Ubi
Ulasiman kalat
Unti-untihan
Upo
Uray
Verbena
Violeta
Wampi
Yerba buena
kung gusto nyong malaman kung anong
ginagamot ng mga iyan, aba sigurado ako
mahaba itong talakayan hahahahaha....
