Under Republic Act No. 8423, the Department of Health through the Philippine Institute of Traditional Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) endorsed the use of traditional medicine in the Philippines. There are only ten medicinal plants recommended by DOH-PITAHC, after they have been scientifically validated to ensure safety and efficacy. These are the following:
Lagundi (Vitex negundo)
Sambong (Blumea balsamifera L.)
Ampalaya (Momordica charantia L.)
Garlic (Allium sativum)
Guava (Psidium guajava)
Tsaang-gubat (Carmona cetusa)
Yerba buena (Mentha arvensis)
Niyog-niyogan (Quisaualis indica)
Acapulco (Cassia alata)
Ulasimang-bato / Pansit-pansitan (Peperomia pellucida)
Other 69 medicinal plants (promoted by the Department of Health under Department of Health Circular No. 168-A. Series of 1995) are needed to undergo further study for clinical test and trial. These are the following:
Abukado / Avocado (Persea americana)
Abutra (Arcangelista flava)
Alagaw (Premna odorata)
Anis (Foeniculum odorata)
Balanoy (Ocimum basilicum)
Balatong aso (Cassia occidentis)
Balimbing (Averrhoa carambola)
Bani (Pongamia pinnata)
Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa)
Barak (Curcuma longa)
Dalanghita (Citrus nobilis)
Damong maria (Artemmisa vulgaris)
Dayap (Ditrus aurantifolia)
Dilaw (Curcuma longa)
Duhat (Syzgium cumini)
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.)
Gatas-gatas / Tawa-tawa / Asthma Plant (Euphorbia hirta)
Gugo (Entada phaseoloides)
Gulasiman (Portulaca oleracea)
Gumamela (Hibiscus rosasinensis)
Ikmo (Piper betle)
Ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala)
Kabling (Pogostemon cablin)
Kabuyaw (Citrus hystrix)
Kakawate (Gliricidia sepium)
Kalamansi (Citrus macrocarpa)
Kalantas (Toona calantas)
Kalatsutsi (Plumiera acuminata)
Kamakamatisan (Solanum nigrum)
Kamantigi (Impatiens balsamina)
Kamote (Ipomea batatas)
Kamoteng kahoy (Manihot esculenta)
Kamyas (Averrhoea bilimbi)
Kanya pistula (Casia fistula)
Kangkong (Ipomea aquation)
Kasoy (Anarcadium occidentele)
Kaymito (Chrysophyllum caimito)
Kintsay (Apium graveolensis)
Kogon (Imperata cylindrical)
Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lanting (Plantago major)
Linga (Sesamum orientale)
Luya (Zingiber officinale)
Mais (Zee mays)
Makabuhay (Tinospora cordifolia)
Malunggay (Moringa oleifera)
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana)
Mani (Arachis hypogaea)
Mansanilya (Chrysanthemum indicum)
Manga (Mangifera indica)
Mayana (Coleus blumei)
Niyog (Cocos nucifera)
Oregano (Coleus amboinicus)
Palay (Oryza sativa)
Pandan mabango (Pandanus odoratissimus)
Papaya (Carica papaya)
Pili (Canarium ovatum)
Romero (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Sabila (Aloe barbadensis)
Sampalok (Tamarindus indica)
Siling labuyo (Capsicum frutescens)
Sorosoro (Euphorbia nerifoliia)
Suha (Citrus grandis)
Sulasi (Ocimum sanctum)
Suob kabayo (Hyptis suaveolens)
Talumpanay (Datura metel)
Tangan-tangan (Ricinus communis)
Tanglad (Andropogon citrates)
Tubang bakod (Jetropha curcas)
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History and Medicine in the Philippines
NonfiksiBefore the Philippines were colonized by foreign countries, Filipinos have Babaylan who is equally ranked to the status of a chieftain (Datu). The Babaylan guided her people with her knowledge in food, animals, clothing, medicine and other ways of l...
