The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines Part 17

Habitat.--Very common in gardens where it is cultivated for its beautiful flowers. Blooms throughout the entire year.

_Ca.s.sia fistula_, L.

Nom. Vulg.--_Canafistula_, Sp.; _Lombayong_, _Ibabaw_, _Baloyong_, Vis.; _Purging Ca.s.sia_, Eng.

Uses.--The pod known in pharmacy under the name of "Canafistula"

contains a blackish, sweet pulp, which is a mild purgative if combined with carminatives, but it produces severe colic if given alone. The urine sometimes takes on a dark color after taking it. The laxative dose is 4-8 grams, the purgative 30-60.

Extract of Ca.s.sia.--

Pulp and seeds of ripe pods 1 kilo.

Water 1 liter.

After mixing the pulp with water the liquid is strained through a woolen cloth; the material which remains in the strainer is washed with a little more cold water which is added to the other liquid and the two are evaporated to the consistency of the extract.

Dose.--15-30 grams.

Dr. Irving states that the root is a very energetic purgative. In Concan the juice of the tender leaves is used in the treatment of impetigo.

Botanical Description.--A tree with trunk about as thick as the human body, with leaves opposite and abruptly pinnate. Leaflets, the lower ones smaller, 5 pairs, ovate, lanceolate, glabrous and rather tough. Common petiole, cleft at the base, lacking glandule. Flowers bright yellow, in long, pendulous racemes. Calyx, 5 ovate sepals. Corolla, 5 unequal petals. Stamens 10, free, 3 longer than the rest. Ovary unilocular, many-ovuled. Pod cylindrical, pointed at the end, woody, black, 1-2 long, with many circular seeds, surrounded by a blackish pulp and separated by part.i.tions.

Habitat.--Common in Luzon and Panay. Blooms in March.

_Ca.s.sia occidentalis_, L.

Nom. Vulg.--_Tighiman_, _Balotangaso_, Tag.; _Tambalisa_, Vis.; _Western Senna_, _Styptic Weed_, Eng.; _Negro Coffee_, Indo-Eng.

Uses.--In Brazil they use an infusion of the root as a tonic and diuretic, 4 grams of the root bark and 180 of boiling water to be taken in one day. In Dahomey the leaves are used as a febrifuge. Thirty grams of fresh leaves are boiled in 300 grams of water till the liquid is reduced to 250 grams. The patient takes this decoction hot the first day of the fever and a profuse perspiration promptly breaks out. As a rule the effect is immediate and the fever does not recur. This treatment of fevers is more common in that country than that by quinine and they claim that it has the advantage over the latter of acting as a stomachic tonic. By adding a small quant.i.ty of the roots to the decoction it is rendered diuretic. The seeds possess the same properties and are used in decoctions of 30 grams to 300 of water. According to De Lanesan the roasted seeds are used in La Reunion in infusion similar to coffee in the treatment of gastralgia and asthma. In some countries they mix them with coffee just as chicory is used in Europe.

Heckel and Schlagdenhauffen have made a very complete study of the plant and we quote the following from their works:

Chemical composition of the seeds.--

Water 8.850 Fats and pigments soluble in petroleum ether 1.600 Fats and pigments soluble in chloroform 1.150 Odorous material and traces of tannin 5.022 Glucose 0.738 Gummy, mucilaginous and pectic matter 15.734 Soluble alb.u.minoids and aleuron 6.536 Cellulose 7.434 Insoluble alb.u.minose 2.216 Lignose 32.727 Fixed salts 17.976 Lost material .017 ------- 100.000

Previous to the studies of the above authors the seeds had been therapeutically tested by Delioux de Savignac and Professor Clouet. Heckel and Schlagdenhauffen have confirmed the febrifuge virtues of the seeds and are uncertain as to the active principle since they found no glucoside or alkaloid in their a.n.a.lysis. The antiperiodic properties are comparable with those of quinine and have even proved effective in some cases in which quinine failed. It seems quite clear that the tannin is the active principle which is the more probable because its anti-periodic virtues are now recognized by all therapeutists.

It is given in maceration or infusion, 2-15 grams of the seeds to 3 or 400 of water to be taken several times a day. The treatment causes no very marked physiological effects. It seems to act as a sedative to the nervous system.

Botanical Description.--An annual plant, .60-1 meter high. Root central with lateral rootlets. Stem straight, ramose. Leaves opposite, abruptly pinnate with a stylet in place of the odd leaflet. Leaflets, 5-6 pairs, the lower ones smaller, ovate, oblong, margins and lower face downy. Common petiole swollen at the base, 2 stipules and 1 glandule. Calyx, 5 unequal sepals. Corolla, 5 nearly equal petals, sulphur yellow, concave, the posterior one further developed. Two verticils of 5 stamens each. Of the 5 stamens superior to the sepals, 2 are fertile, larger and arched; of the other 5 stamens 4 are fertile and small. Pod compressed, linear, smooth, 5' long, containing many compressed, heart-shaped seeds, separated by thin part.i.tions.

Habitat.--Common in Luzon. Blooms in October.

_Ca.s.sia alata_, L.

Nom. Vulg.--_Acapulco_, Sp.-Fil.; _Katanda_, _Gamut sa Buni_, _Sonting_, Tag.; _Sunting, Kansitas_, Vis.; _Pakayomkom-kastila_, Pam.

Uses.--This is one of the most popular Philippine remedies and its usefulness is vouched for by many physicians practicing in many different lands. Its antiherpetic properties are notable and the Tagalo name of the plant, "Gamut sa Buni," means literally "medicine for herpes." The natives use the juice of the leaf applied locally to the affected part. These properties have long been familiar to the Malays and to the Hindoos who in their medical works give the plant the Sanscrit name of "Dadrughna," meaning "to cure herpes." The Pharmacopoeia of Bengal recommends ca.s.sia in the form of an ointment made by mixing the crushed tender leaves with simple ointment. This preparation is, in our opinion, undesirable on account of its liability to become rancid and vaseline should be the excipient used. Another application for herpetic eruptions is the juice of the leaves mixed with an equal quant.i.ty of lemon juice. The Malays use the leaves dried in the sun, adding to them a little water and rubbing them briskly on the affected parts, the vigorous treatment being an important part of the cure.

The decoction of the leaves is a laxative and according to Mr. J. Wood the tincture has an action similar to that of senna. Dr. Pulney Andy of India states that the extract prepared from the tender leaves is a good subst.i.tute for extract of colocynth.

Mr. A. Porte claims to have obtained the best results with an acetic extract of the fresh leaves. The following is his formula:

Fresh leaves of _C. alata_ 100 grams.

Acetic acid diluted in 2/3 water 450 grams.

Macerate 10 or 12 days, filter and express, then filter again and evaporate to the consistency of an extract.

The seeds contain vermifuge principles.

The activity of this plant in herpes is due to the chrysophanic acid contained in it. The more recent the eruption the more certain is the effect.

The following species, all of which grow in the Philippines, contain principles a.n.a.logous to those of the _C. alata_, viz.: _C. sophera_, L. and _C. tora_, L., called in Tagalo _manimanihan_.

Botanical Description.--A shrub, 7-9 high, with a straight, ramose trunk 3-4' in diameter. Leaves 1 1/2-2 long, opposite, abruptly pinnate, a thick stylet taking the place of the odd leaflet. Leaflets 10-13 pairs, the smaller ones 1-2' long. Common petiole with 2 horizontal stipules at the base. Flowers in conspicuous, erect racemes. Calyx, 5 free concave, unequal sepals. Corolla, 5 petals of a beautiful yellow color. Stamens perigynous, 10 in number, 3 upper ones very small and frequently sterile, 3 lower very large. The bilocular anthers open by 2 pores. Ovary many-ovuled with filiform style. Pod long with 2 prominent wings on the sides and many seeds which slightly resemble a cross with blunt ends.

The _C. sophera_, L., is characterized by 10 stamens, all fertile and a smooth, linear, bivalved pod full of seeds separated by false part.i.tions. The _C. tora_, L., bears a quadrangular pod about 15 centimeters long by 2 in diameter.

Habitat.--Grows in all parts of the islands and is universally known by the natives. Blooms in May.

_Tamarindus Indica_, L.

Nom. Vulg.--_Tamarindo_, Sp.; _Sampalok_, Tag., Pam., Bik.; _Sambak_, _Sumalagi_, _Kamalagi_, Vis.; _Tamarind_, Eng.

Uses.--The pulp of the fruit is used to make a sort of sweet preserve and is very popular among the Filipinos. They prepare a refres.h.i.+ng drink from the pulp mixed with sweetened water and believing it to be beneficial to the liver, stomach and blood, they use too much of it. Its excessive use is rather prejudicial to the health, but given in moderation it is very efficient in allaying the thirst of fever patients. The pulp contains weak laxative properties and it is customary to administer it in solution with cream of tartar. Its chemical composition is as follows:

Citric acid 9.40 Tartaric acid 1.55 Malic acid 0.45 Pota.s.sium bitartrate 3.25 Sugar 12.50 Gum 4.70 Vegetable gelatin 6.25 Parenchyma 34.35 Water 27.55

(Vauquelin.)

At the end of any sickness, especially after labor, the first bath given to the convalescent is with a decoction of the leaves of the "sampaloc," to prevent convulsions, the native herb-doctors say.