The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines Part 40

In Mauritius the fruit is used for dysentery, and the flowers, together with an equal quant.i.ty of those of _Spilanthes Acmella_, are made into a decoction and prescribed for dropsy.

Botanical Description.--The banana plant with its huge waving leaves and succulent stem is universally familiar. The flower stalk rises through the center developing a drooping spike, the flowers in short rows in the axils of its large purplish bracts. According to Blanco there are 57 varieties of this plant in the Philippines, the following being the most common edible varieties: _bungulang_, _lakatan_, _letondang_, _obispo_, _higo_, _morado_, _butuan_, _bentikohol_, _saba_, _tampuhing_.

Habitat.--Common everywhere in the islands.

ZINGIBERACEae.

Ginger Family.

_Zingiber officinale_, L. (_Amomum zingiber_, L. and Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--_Ajengibre_, _Jengibre_, Sp.; _Luya_, Tag.; _Laya_, Bic.; _Ginger_, Eng.

Uses.--The rhizome is used princ.i.p.ally as a condiment in the Philippines. Its flavor is extremely agreeable, much appreciated in Europe by the English who are the greatest consumers of the condiment. In the Philippines a decoction is made of ginger and brown sugar, called _tahu_ by the Chinese who drink it regularly as we do coffee in the early hours of the morning. It is an excellent drink, aromatic, tonic, stomachic and stimulant, and would probably be highly useful as well as economical as a part of the ration of European and native troops in the field. Hot _tahu_ or _tahu_ is an active diuretic; and during the last epidemic of cholera in Manila some physicians used it with very satisfactory results.

Ginger is a good carminative and is official in the pharmacopoeias of Europe, America and India. It is used with good effect in flatulent colic, atonic diseases of the intestines so common in the Philippines and in chronic rheumatism.

The tincture is given in doses of 2-4 grams. The official infusion 30-60 grams.

The rhizome contains a volatile oil [10] (25 per cent.), a pale yellow liquid, specific gravity 0.878, the odor like that of the rhizome but lacking its strong and piquant taste. Its reaction is not acid; it dissolves slowly in alcohol. The burning taste is due to a resin that produces protocatechuic acid when melted with pota.s.sa.

Botanical Description.--The only part employed is the rhizome, well known all over the islands and found in all their pharmacies and shops.

Several stems rise 2-3 directly from the peculiar, branched rhizome; long-lanceolate, ac.u.minate, entire, glabrous, alternate leaves diverge stiffly from the sides of the stem; petiole proper very short, its broader extension ensheathing the stem; general appearance of a single stem is much like that of the Solomon's seal so familiar in the U. S.

_Curc.u.ma longa_, L.

Nom. Vulg.--_Dilaw_, Tag.; _Dulaw_, _Kalawaga_, _Kinamboy_, Vis.; _Angay_, Pam.; _Turmeric Plant_, Eng.

Uses.--The yellow rhizome called by some _azafran_ (saffron), is used as a condiment; its odor is remotely suggestive of vanilla. The Philippine herb-doctors give it internally for haemoptysis, externally as a plaster or in infusion for acute dermat.i.tis. The juice is prescribed in doses of 30-60 grams in bronchial catarrh. In India they inhale the fumes of burning turmeric paper for coryza, and with good effect according to the testimony of Dr. Waring.

The drug is official in the Pharmacopoeia of India. It is carminative, stimulant and probably antiseptic. Its decoction is used as an eye-wash in catarrhal and purulent conjunctivitis. The Mohammedans of Deccan use it for jaundice upon the theory that the yellow color of the skin in that disease is an indication for a remedy of the same color. The juice is also used in many parts of India to stain the face, nails and other parts of the body.

The tincture is prepared by macerating 30 grams of bruised rhizome in 200 cc. alcohol for seven days, then filtering. Turmeric paper is prepared by impregnating unsized paper with this tincture, and then drying. Both tincture and paper are used to test for alkalies.

The rhizomes contain a pigment called curc.u.min, an essential oil and faecula. Curc.u.min (C_14_H_14_O_4_) is crystalline, yellow by direct light and blue by reflected light; it was studied by Jackson and Menke.

In the Philippines it is used extensively as a diaph.o.r.etic and emmenagogue and in icterus, intestinal colic and dysmenorrhoea; externally for skin diseases, contusions and atonic ulcers.

Gubler regards it as a diffusible stimulant. Its use is more extensive in England than in France and Spain; in India it forms an ingredient of _curry_, called _cari_ in Manila. Curc.u.min is eliminated by the urine, which it colors yellow, and if at the same time an alkali be taken by the patient, especially a salt of calcium, the urine becomes red and may communicate this stain to the clothes. This fact should be borne in mind to avoid embarra.s.sing mistakes in diagnosis or prognosis. Dose of powder, 2-5 grams.

Botanical Description.--Leaves 2-4 long, rising in bush-like bunches directly from the rhizome, broad-lanceolate, ac.u.minate, gradually tapering down the long petioles; numerous prominent nerves give a ribbed appearance to the blade. Rhizome cylindrical, irregular, bright yellow within.

_Elettaria Cardamomum_, White.

Nom. Vulg.--_Langkuas_, _Langkawas_, Vis.; _Cardamon_, Eng.

Uses.--This plant, though official in several pharmacopoeias, is not used as a medicine in the Philippines, probably on account of its scarcity here. The seeds are used as a condiment; they are stimulant and carminative and yield good results in atonic dyspepsia, nervous depression and spasmodic or flatulent affections of the intestine. The dose of the powdered seeds is from 0.60-1.50 grams in pill form; the tincture is, however, more convenient and is given in doses of from 4 to 8 grams.

Botanical Description.--A plant with a scaly rhizome and advent.i.tious roots from which spring the stems, some of which bear leaves and others flowers. The leaves are alternate, in pairs; extended, lanceolate blade, with a short petiole. Branches bearing flowers, short, flexible and scaly. The flowers spring from the sheaths of the leaves. Calyx tubular, 3-toothed; second calyx with limb divided into 3 unequal lobules. Stamens 3. Ovary inferior, 3 many-ovuled compartments. Style simple. Stigma rounded. Fruit an oblong, ovoid capsule, 3-celled, trivalvate. Seeds blackish, alb.u.minous.

Habitat.--Visayan Islands.

AMARYLLIDACEae.

Amaryllis Family.

_Crinum Asiatic.u.m, L._ (_C. giganteum_, Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--_Bakong_, Tag.

Uses.--The decoction of the leaves is used in the Philippines as an expectorant. The plant is official in the Pharmacopoeia of India as an emetic and in small doses is nauseant and diaph.o.r.etic. As an emetic the dose of the fresh juice of the root is 8-16 grams every 10 minutes till vomiting occurs. Dr. W. O'Shaughnessy, writing from Bengal, states that this is the only indigenous and abundant emetic plant of which he has experience, which acts without producing griping, purging, or other unpleasant symptoms. In a communication to Dr. Waring he remarks that it is a good emetic and diaph.o.r.etic whenever ipecacuanha is not at hand but that it should be regarded not so much as a subst.i.tute for that article as a resource in case of need.

The leaf juice is used in India to drop into the ears for disease of these organs.

One of the infinite remedies used by the Filipinos under the name of "contrapoisons," without specifying or knowing what poison, is the powdered root of _Crinum_, given internally with a little water. They also use the leaves locally for the itch, bruising them and rubbing the affected parts energetically with them. I may note here in pa.s.sing, what I have written before: that the Filipinos have from time immemorial been familiar with the sarcopt of scabies (Kahaw) which they pick out with a needle or spine of some fish or vegetable.

Botanical Description.--A plant with globose, scaly root. Leaves keeled or ridged. Flowers white, on a flattened stalk, on a spathe of 2 leaflets and several dry threads enclosing 4 flowerets. Corolla funnel-form, tube long and triangular; limb cut in 6 horizontal lanceolate lobes. Stamens 6, shorter than corolla. Anthers long. Stigma with 3 points. Seed vessel inferior, 3-celled, each cell containing a seed.

_Habitat._--Very common on the seash.o.r.e and in groves of mangrove trees. Blooms in July.

LILIACEae.

Lily Family.

_Aloes Barbadensis_, Mill. (_A. humilis_, Blanco; _A. vera_, L.; _A. vulgaris_, Banck.; _A. Indica_, Royl.)

Nom. Vulg.--_Sabila_, Tag.; _Dilang boaya_, Vis.; _Aloes_, Eng.