The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines Part 10

Habitat.--Batangas, Morong, Manila.

_Murraya exotica_, L. (_M. paniculata_, Jack.; _Connarus foetens_, and _C. santaloides_, Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--_Kamuning_, Tag.

Uses.--The leaves are stimulant and astringent, and are used in infusion (15 grams, to water one liter) to treat diarrhea and dysentery. The root and trunk barks are used for the same treatment and they as well as the leaves owe their properties to an essential oil and a bitter principle present in all parts of the plant. Vry has demonstrated the presence of a glucoside which he has named _murrayin_ (C_18_H_22_O_10_); it crystallizes in small, white needles, is slightly bitter, soluble in hot water and alcohol, insoluble in ether, slightly soluble in cold water. It melts at 170, and dissolves in alkaline solutions coloring them green. Boiled in dilute acids it splits into _murrayetin_ and glucose. _Murrayetin_ (C_12_H_12_O_10_) crystallizes in white needles, inodorous, tasteless, slightly soluble in cold water and in ether, soluble in hot water and alcohol. Heat destroys its green color in solutions; alkalies, in the presence of cold, increase it. The leaves and the bark of the plant contain an essential oil.

The foregoing description of this species applies equally well to the following species.

Botanical Description.--A small tree 12 high with leaves alternate, odd-pinnate. Leaflets lanceolate, almost entire, rigid with small dots on each surface. Flowers in axillary, very short, compound racemes. Calyx very small, monophyllous, 5 lanceolate lobules. Corolla much longer than the calyx, 5 lanceolate petals. Stamens 10, joined, but not entirely united at the base; 5 alternate stamens longer than the others. Anthers sessile, regular. Ovary superior, compressed and borne on a disc. Style 1, same length as the stamens. Stigma thick, depressed, apparently 4-angled. Fruit fleshy, ovoid, acute and somewhat curved at the end enclosing a seed with coriaceous, downy testa.

_Murraya Koenigi_, Spreng. (_Bergera Koenigi_, L.; _Connarus_ sp., Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--(?)

Botanical Description.--Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate. Leaflets obliquely ovate, acute, entire and glabrous. The testa of the seed bears no down, and may be divided into two parts. The decoction of the leaves of this species as well as the former is used to allay toothache.

_Citrus acida_, F. (_C. notissima_, Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--_Limon_, Sp.; _Dayap_, Tag.; _Lemon_, Eng.

Uses.--The essence (essential oil) and juice of the fruit are the parts of the plant used in therapeutics. The essence extracted from the rind is yellow, fragrant, slightly bitter; density, 0.856; boiling point 165. The juice which is turbid and pale yellow in color contains 9% citric acid, 3-5% gum and sugar and 2-8/10% inorganic salts. The essence is used to flavor certain pharmaceutical preparations, and is a diffusible stimulant which may be given internally in doses of 3-6 drops on a little sugar. The bitter rind is occasionally used in infusion as a stomachic and stimulant. The juice is most commonly used in lemonade, a cooling drink which, used intemperately in the Philippines, is apt to cause gastro-intestinal trouble, so commonly attributed to "irritation," but really the result of a general atony of the digestive organs. Lemon juice is also used with very good results as a local cleansing application for sore throat, as well as externally on fetid ulcers. In some forms of malarial fever it seems to have given satisfactory results, administered internally.

In many navies lemon juice forms a part of the sea ration as a preventive of scurvy, upon which it exercises a real and noteworthy action. The Danish navy adopted it for this purpose in 1770, the English navy followed, then the French and possibly others. The English call it lime-juice, and its preventive dose is 30-40 grams a day. Its curative dose is 100-150 grams a day. To preserve the lime-juice it was bottled with a layer of oil, which, floating on the surface kept it from contact with the air; but this process gave it a bad taste as did also the addition of sulphate of calcium, and at present the English add, to each liter of juice, 60 grams of alcohol, which preserves it perfectly. Fonssagrives says that the antis...o...b..tic action of lemon juice is due rather to the vegetable juice itself than to the citric acid which it contains.

Botanical Description.--A most familiar tree 11 or more high, trunk with solitary thorns. Leaves ovate, obtuse, acute-toothed, the petiole bearing serrate wings. Calyx 4-6-toothed. Corolla, 4 thick petals. Filaments 10-25 on the receptacle, some joined and bearing 2-3 anthers. Fruit thin-skinned, globular, about 1' in diameter; the rind adheres closely to the pulp.

(This fruit closely resembles, if it is not identical with the lime fruit, _C. Limetta_, or _C. Bergamia_, Risso, though Gray states that the leaf of the latter has a wingless petiole.--J. B. T.)

Habitat.--Common to all parts of the islands.

_Citrus Bigaradia_, Hook. f. (_C. vulgaris_, Risso; _C. aurantium_, Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--_Naranjas del pais_, Sp.; _Kahel_, _Kahil_, Tag.; _Native Orange_, Eng.

Uses.--The rind of the _cagel_ is the so-called bitter orange peel, the best of which comes from Curacao and Barbadoes. It is tonic and is used in decoction and in syrup. The infusion of the leaves, 5-10 grams to the liter, is useful as a sedative and diaph.o.r.etic in hysterical and nervous attacks; the infusion of the flowers is similarly used. When distilled the flowers yield a very sweet essential oil called _neroli_, which is used as a perfume only.

Botanical Description.--A tree 15-20 high, trunk bearing solitary spines. Leaves medium lanceolate, serrate, the apex notched, petioles winged. Flowers usually solitary. Calyx 4-5-toothed. Corolla 4-5 petals. Filaments joined or separate. Anthers about 20. The fruit, a small orange 2' or more in diameter, the peel closely adherent.

The _C. aurantium verum_ or _C. reticulata_ (Blanco) has a yellow pulp and the rind is readily separated from it, a thin net of fibers intervening.

_Citrus dec.u.mana_, L.

Nom. Vulg.--_Suha_, _Lukban_, Tag.; _Toronjas_ Penins.; _Naranjas_, Sp.-Fil.

Uses.--The fruit, which is handsome and large, and the leaves and flowers, are used for the same purposes as those of _C. bigaradia_.

Habitat.--The above species are cultivated in all parts of the islands, and, like the variety _C. aurantium verum_, H. f. (_C. reticulata_, Blanco), commonly called _naranjita_, are among the most abundant of native fruits.

_aegle decandra_, Naves. (_Feronia ternata_, Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--_Malakabuyaw_, Tag.; _Tabog_, Pam., Tag. (A species of Bael-Fruit Tree.)

Uses.--We do not know the medicinal use of this plant in the Philippines. Probably it has none, but we may give those of the species. _R. marmelos_, Cor., the fruit of which is almost identical with that of our species and is called _Bela_ or _Bael_ in India. The fruit of the Malakabuyaw is ovoid and full of a mucilaginous pulp, aromatic and acid, the same as that of the Bael. The uses of the latter are the following: The pulp acts as an astringent, but it would be more correctly called a tonic of the intestinal mucosa, for it has been experimentally proved that, although it checks diarrhoea, it also acts as a laxative in chronic constipation. In both conditions it seems to operate by toning and regulating the functions of the intestine.

Martin, an English physician, was the first to call attention to the properties of Bael, and according to Dr. Green one dose of the pulp of the ripe fruit, prepared with sugar and given every morning, is an efficient remedy in the treatment of the dyspepsia of Europeans in India, especially in the form characterized by constipation and flatulence. The green fruit is a powerful astringent used by the Hindoos for diarrhoea. In cholera epidemics Dr. Bose advises the daily use of an ice made from the pulp of the ripe fruit, the object being the regulation of the functions of the intestine.

The Pharmacopoeia of India contains the following preparations:

_Mixture._--Pulp of the ripe fruit 60 grams.

Water 120 grams.

Sugar 60 grams.

Mix, and if desired add chopped ice. This forms a very agreeable drink which has the aroma of the fruit itself, and may be repeated 2-3 times a day. When the fruit is ripe, this preparation is not only astringent in cases of diarrhoea, but possesses the additional property of increasing the appet.i.te. If the patient's stomach is very weak, the preparation may produce vomiting in which event it is necessary to give it in small doses or to employ the extract.

_Extract of Bael._--Pulp of the ripe fruit is placed in a vessel and sufficient water added to cover it. It is then heated and evaporated to the consistency of a soft extract. The dose is 2-4 grams, 2, 3 or 4 times a day.

_Fluid Extract of Bael._--

Pulp of Bael 500 grams.

Water 3 liters.

Rectified alcohol 60 grams.

The Bael is macerated in a third of the water and at the end of 12 hours the liquid is decanted and another third of water is added; the maceration is repeated and the same process followed till the last third of water is used. Express the residuum, put all the liquid into one vessel, filter and evaporate till reduced to 800 grams, then cool and add the alcohol. Dose, 4-8 grams.

The fluid extract is less active than the freshly prepared solid extract.

According to Dr. G. Bidie, the fruit of the _Feronia elephantum_, Correa (the species that grows in the Philippines), possesses the same properties as Bael. Its leaves are astringent, aromatic and carminative, and the gum with which the trunk of the tree is covered is a good subst.i.tute for gum arabic.

Botanical Description.--A tree 7-8 meters high, the trunk covered with large, solitary spines. Leaves alternate, ternate. Leaflets lanceolate, scalloped and glabrous, the middle one larger than the others. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla, 5 thick petals, linear, much longer than the calyx. Stamens 10. Ovary cylindrical. Style and stigma thick. Fruit oblong, more than 3' long and 2' thick, with a surface irregular with prominences and grooves; 10 or more compartments, each containing several ovoid, compressed seeds, ending with a woolly tuft.

Habitat.--San Mateo, Montalban (Manila); Arayat (La Pampanga).