The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines Part 6

Cinnamon water 125 grams.

Sodium carbonate, crystals 2 grams.

Balsam of gurjun 25 grams.

Syrup of gum 25 grams.

Sulphuric ether 2 grams.

Mix and shake.

Dose.--6-12 large spoonfuls each day, for the declining stage of gonorrhoea.

In Burmah they extract the balsam by the following method: A large hole is cut in the trunk of the tree and a fire is built in this cavity and kept up till the wood of the trunk begins to burn, by which time the oleo resin has collected in abundance in the segments of bamboo placed to receive it. When the exudate diminishes, fire is again placed in the cavity and one tree may tolerate 2, 3 or even 4 of these cavities. The exudate on standing separates into 2 parts; a solid called "guad" which forms the lower layer, and a supernatant liquid which is the balsam. It is dense, viscid and very fluorescent; opaque and gray-green by reflected light. It has an odor similar to that of copaiba, is bitter and aromatic. Its density is 0.964. It is soluble in benzine, in bisulphuret of carbon, chloroform, the essential oils and less so in ether and acetic acid. It becomes turbid and coagulates if it be kept at 100 for some time and it solidifies at 200, while copaiba remains liquid at this temperature.

A specimen of the balsam examined by Fluckiger consisted of 54.44 parts semifluid resin and 45.56 volatile material. Upon distillation it yields an essential oil, of slight odor, straw-colored; formula C_20_H_32_ (Werner). If purified its density is 0.915. It is soluble in amylic alcohol, scarcely so in absolute alcohol. Hydrochloric acid colors it a beautiful blue. The resin remaining after distillation, dissolved in alcohol 0.838 with the addition of ammonia, yields as a precipitate a crystalline acid (gurjunic acid), C_44_H_64_O_8_, soluble in alcohol 0.838, in ether, in benzol and bisulphide of carbon. It melts at 220 (Werner), solidifies at 180 and is decomposed at 260.

Botanical Description.--A very large, handsome tree with leaves about 5' in length, alternate, ovate, broad and lanceolate, entire, glabrous and membranaceous. Petioles very short. Flowers terminal, paniculate, handsome, fragrant. Calyx free, 5 lanceolate sepals, of which 2 are slightly longer than the others. Corolla, 5 yellow oblong petals longer than the sepals. Stamens numerous, attached to the receptacle. Filaments very short. Anthers of 2 divisions each ending in a long beard. Ovary half buried in the receptacle. A single thick style. Three simple stigmas. Seed vessel of 3 cells, seeds in pairs.

Habitat.--In Luzon in the mountains of Tala, Angat and San Mateo; in Mindanao, Paragua, Balabac and Negros. Blooms in June.

MALVACEae.

Mallow Family.

_Sida carpinifolia_, L. (_S. acuta_, Burm.; _S. stipulata_, Cav.; _S. frutescens_, Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--_Wawalisan_, _Eskobanghaba_, _Pamalis_, _Higot-balato_, _Mamalis_, Tag., Vis., Pam.

Uses.--The root is emollient and bitter. The decoction is used as a lotion for ulcers, and internally as a sudorific and tonic-astringent. The physicians of India prescribe the powdered root with milk for fevers and for nervous and urinary diseases. The leaves are used locally in ophthalmia.

The juice of the root is employed as a wash for all kinds of sores and ulcers and the juice of the entire plant is given for spermatorrhoea. After experimenting with the root, the compilers of the Bengal Dispensatory announced their uncertainty as to whether or not it possessed antipyretic properties; however, they p.r.o.nounce it diaph.o.r.etic, an exciter of the appet.i.te and an excellent bitter tonic. In Goa the Portuguese consider it diuretic and use it especially in rheumatic affections.

The root of _S. carpinifolia_ gives a blue color with the salts of iron. It does not precipitate gelatin and contains asparagin.

Botanical Description.--A plant 2-4 high with woody, branching stem, leaves alternate, oblong, pointed, serrate, under surface neither h.o.a.ry nor tomentose as in some other species of _Sida_. Petioles very short, curved near the leaf, 2 stipules near the base. Flowers axillary, solitary. Calyx simple, in 5 parts. Corolla, 5 petals notched obliquely. Stamens numerous, inserted on the end of a column. Anthers globose. Styles 5, mingled with the stamens. Stigmas globose. Cells of the same number as the styles, verticillate, with solitary seeds.

Habitat.--Common in Luzon, Panay, Mindanao, Paragua, Cebu and Balabac.

_Abutilon Indic.u.m_, Don. (_Sida Indica_, L.)

Nom. Vulg.--_Kuakuakohan_, _Giling-gilingan_, Tag.; _Tabing_, _Malis_, _Dulupag_, _Pilis_, Vis.; _Malvas de Castilla_, Sp.-Fil.

Uses.--The trunk bark is slightly bitter, and in decoction is used as a diuretic. An infusion of the leaves and flowers is used as an emollient in place of mallows. The infusion of the root is used for the same effect, as a lotion or injection. I have often had occasion to employ this plant and would never use the _Philippine mallow_ in place of it.

Botanical Description.--A plant 3-4 high, all its parts covered with hairs, simple and tomentose. Leaves heart-shaped, angular, obtuse, unequally serrate, smooth, soft, the lower surface h.o.a.ry and bearing 9 well-marked nerves. Petioles longer than the leaves, with 2 stipules at the base. Flowers yellow, axillary, solitary. Peduncles long, with a node near the end. Calyx, 5 sepals, as in all the Malvaceae. Corolla, 5 petals with a small notch at the end. Stamens very numerous as well as the styles. Both arise from the summit of a very short column and twist in all directions forming a ta.s.sel or tuft. Fruit much higher than the calyx, of 10-20 cells or carpels which are broad, compressed, hairy, the walls united toward the center, each containing 2-3 seeds.

Habitat.--Common in Luzon, Panay, Mindanao and other islands. Blooms in September.

_Urena sinuata_, L. (_U. morifolia_ and _muricata_, DC.; _U. multifida_, Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--_Kulutan_, _Kulutkulutan_, _Molopolo_, Tag., Vis., Pam.

Uses.--The infusion of the root is used internally as an emollient and refrigerant; externally in skin diseases accompanied by smarting and inflammation. The boiled and pounded leaves are used as a poultice in inflammation of the intestines and bladder.

Botanical Description.--A spreading plant 4-6 high, with straight stem, leaves cleft at the base, serrate and hairy; the larger ones have 5-6 lobules which subdivide into smaller ones and bear a small gland in the inferior surface of the midrib. Petioles short. Flowers terminal and racemose. Calyx double, composed of 5 narrow sepals externally, and 5 colored sepals internally alternating with the outer ones. Corolla, 5 petals. Stamens numerous, inserted about a small column. Styles 10, on the end of the column. Stigmas thick, covered with little spheres. Five united carpels, kidney-shaped, bristling with short stiff hairs, containing solitary seeds.

Habitat.--Common in all parts of the Archipelago.

_Hibiscus Abelmoschus, L._

Nom. Vulg.--_Kastuli_, _Kastio_, _Kastiogan_, _Dalupan_, Tag.; _Marik.u.m_, _Duk.u.m_, _Maruk.u.m_, _Marapoto_, Vis.; [2] _Marsh Mallow_, Eng.

Uses.--The bruised seeds emit an odor of musk, and for this reason the plant has received the name _Kastuli_, signifying musk in Sanscrit. They possess antispasmodic and stimulant properties, and the infusion is diuretic. Bonastre [3] a.n.a.lyzed Kastuli seeds as follows:

Water and parenchyma 52.00 Gum 36.00 Alb.u.min 5.60 Fixed oil, resin, crystals and odorous principles 6.40 ------ Total 100.00

The fixed oil is greenish-yellow, fluid, but gradually solidifying in the air. The crystalline material is white, of an agreeable odor, soluble in ether, where it crystallizes in rays, fusible at 35. The odorous principle is a bright green, non-volatile liquid of the odor of musk.

Botanical Description.--A plant 5-6 high, the stem hairy and with few branches. Leaves heart-shaped, cleft at the base, with 5 large pointed lobes, serrate, p.u.b.escent. Petioles long with two awl-shaped stipules at the base, and a large violet spot in the axil. Calyx double; the outer sepals 8-9 in number, awl-shaped; the inner ones are larger and separate unequally when the flower expands. Both sets are deciduous. Corolla very large, yellow. Stamens very numerous, inserted around a column. One pistil. Five stigmas. Ovary very large, downy, ovoid, 5-angled, with 5 compartments, each containing many kidney-shaped seeds with numerous grooves concentric at the hilum.

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

_Hibiscus tiliaceus, L._

Nom. Vulg.--_Balibago_, Tag., Pam.; _Malabago_, Vis.

Uses.--An infusion of the leaves is used as a wash for ulcers and indolent sores. The flowers boiled in milk are used to relieve the pain of earache (Blanco), the warm milk being dropped into the external ca.n.a.l. The powdered bark in dose of 3 grams is emetic(?) (Blanco).

Botanical Description.--A small tree 6-12 high with leaves 4-6' long, alternate, 7-nerved, cleft at the base, abruptly acute, scalloped, p.u.b.escent. Petioles long. Flowers axillary, in panicles of very small flowerets. Calyx double, the outer portion divided into 8-9 teeth, the inner into 5 longer parts. Stamens numerous, inserted about a column. Style 1. Stigmas 5. Ovary of 5 cells, each containing 2 seeds.

Habitat.--Abounds in all parts of the islands.

_Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis, L._