According to the Philippine Council for Agriculture Resource and Development (PCARRD), here are some information on how to use the medicinal plants:
Collect leaves and branches of the medicinal plant when it is near to bloom.
Harvest flowers before or after the opening of flowers.
Carefully choose fruits and seeds that are right age at the time.
The branches, bark and roots must be a few of the parent plants.
Summer season is the best time to harvest medicinal plants.
To avoid the removal of the natural effects of medicine, carefully wash the leaves, stems, fruits, bark, branches, seeds, and roots and then gently wipe the remaining water from the medicinal plants.
Cut into smaller pieces before drying the herbal plants.
Tools which are made from clay like clay pots (otherwise known as palayok) are highly recommended by the council in preparing for decoction. This is to prevent chemical reaction from metals.
To decoct herbal plants, cut them into required amount and size. Let them stay in water and boil them within 15 minutes. Use a strainer or a clean cloth to strain the leaves, stems, seeds, fruits, branches properly from the boiled water. Apply the boiled water immediately for medicine. The medicine loses its effectiveness within 24 hours.
The Council has the following list of illnesses that can be treated by the herbal plants:
Arthritis:
Decoction taken from the leaf of yerba Buena or application of heated ginger on the painful area of the body.
Asthma:
Decoction from the leaf of Lagundi.
Athlete's foot / Alipunga:
Application of the leaf of Acapulco.
Buni:
Application of the leaf of Acapulco.
Burns / Paso:
Application of the extracted leaf of Sabila.
Constipation:
Eat one or two pieces of papaya.
Cough / Ubo:
Decoction of lagundi or the leaf of Balanoy.
Diarrhea / Pagtatae:
Decoction of the leaf of guava or the skin of mangosteen; in case dehydrated or the lost body water, drink the juice of coconut or Niyog.
Fainting / Hinimatay: Nausea o Pagkahilo:
Smell the ground leaf of guava.
Hair loss / Lugas ng Buhok:
Extract the leaf of Sabila. Apply it on top of the head and massage the head.
High blood pressure/ Taas ng dugo:
Eat two garlic cloves three times in the afternoon or decoction of the leaf of Sambong.
Hypertension:
Eat two garlic cloves three times in the afternoon or decoction of the leaf of Sambong.
Hysteria/ Histeria:
Smell the ground leaves of guava.
Nausea o Pagkahilo:
Smell the ground leaves of guava.
Rheumatism:
Decoction taken from the leaf of yerba Buena or application of heated ginger on the painful area of the body.
Scabies / Eskabies:
Apply the extracted leaf of Acapulco.
Simple Stomachache / Stomach pain:
Drink a decoction of the leaf of guava or the skin of mangosteen fruit or the leaf of Tsaang Gubat.
Sore gums / Namamagang gilagid:
Decoction of the leaf of guava.
Tinea:
Application of the leaf of Acapulco.
Toothache / Sakit ng ngipin:
Chew the leaf of guava.
Final Reminders:
Please follow the right prescription or dosage.
In case the illness cannot be cured by the herbal medicine, the Council recommend the patient for physician's consultation.
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