Malunggay (Moringa Oleifera)

Malunggay (Moringa Oleifera), is a popular plant

known for nutritional value as well as a herbal
medicine. Malunggay is a plant that grows in the
tropical climates such as the Philippines, India and
Africa.

Health Benefits
Malunggay (Moringa Oleifera) has been used as herbal medicine in many cultures for hundreds of
years, Malunggay is known as a very nutritious plant where it is used to combat malnutrition in third
world countries especially for infants and nursing mothers. Malunggay, combat malnutrition, used to
combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers vitamins A, B and C, calcium, iron
and protein Malunggay - Anti infectious: Antibacterial; Anti Fungal, . It is found that malunggay or
Moringa Oleifera leaves contain a compound"pterygospermin" that is known in medical science as
having antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti fungal properties. Malunggay - Anti Cancer Malunggay or
Moringa has been shown in studies to have an anti-tumor capacity. There are many studies that have
shown this chemical and compounds derived thereof to have anti-cancer and chemoprotective
capabilities. This chemoprotective aspect is critical for those who are battling cancer; this helps
strengthen cells so that they can tolerate chemotherapy. Malunggay is also considered in the
treatment of prostate cancer and skin cancer.

Ampalaya Bitter Melon(Momordica charantia)
Ampalaya Bitter Melon(Momordica charantia) also
known as Bitter Melon is a tropical and subtropical
vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in the
Amazon, Carribean, South east Asia such as
Philippines for its edible fruit. Ampalaya or bitter
melon also known as bitter gourd as the name implies
has a bitter taste due to the presence of
momordicin, and is believed to be among the most
bitter of all vegetables.

Health Benefits

Ampalaya (Bitter Melon) or its scientific name, Momordica charantia has been a folkloric cure for
generations but has now been proven to be an effective herbal medicine for many aliments. Ampalaya
leaves and fruits are excellent sources of Vitamin B, iron, calcium, and phosphorus. It is also rich in
beta carotene. Ampalaya is used as herbal treatment for diabetes, HIV, coughs, skin diseases,
sterility in women, parasiticide, antipyretic and as purgative among others.






Guava (Psidium cujavus Linn)
Bayabas or guava is a fruit bearing shrub or small
tree that grows in the tropical climate like Mexico,
Peru and the Philippines.




Health Benefits
Bayabas is widely used in the Philippines as herbal medicine and is recognized by the Philippine
Department of Health for its antiseptic property. Bayabas or guava fruit is known for being rich in
vitamin C and vitamin A. Bayabas leaves and fruits contain eugenol, tannin, saponins, amydalin,
phenolic acids, malic acid, ash, aldehydes, catequinic components and flavonoids.

Bayabas or guava is used in herbal medicine as antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic,
antioxidant hepatoprotective, anti-allergy, antimicrobial, anti-plasmodial, anti-cough, antidiabetic,
and antigenotoxic.


Guyabano/Soursop (Annona muricata Linn)
Guyabano tree, or soursop in English (Scientific Name : Anona muricata
Linn.) is a small tree, usually about 5 to 7 meters high. Guyabano is a
fruit bearing tree, broadleaf, flowering, and evergreen that is native
to Central America, the Caribbean and South America. Guyabano can
be found in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela. Guyabano
or Soursop are also native in sub-Saharan African countries. Guyabano
or Soursop is adaptable to tropical climate and are currently cultivated
for its fruit in most Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia,
Indonesia and Philippines.


Health Benefits
Guyabano or soursop is also known to possess medicinal properties that include cancer fighting
activity. It has been reported that a clinical study done on rats induced with diabetes mellitus then
fed with guyabano (Annona Muricata Linn) extracts showed positive effects of lowering the blood
sugar levels in animals.


Dayap (Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle)
Dayap is a small tree or shrub, 2 to 4 meters high,
smooth throughout, branching with slender, solitary,
sharp spines 1 centimeter or less. Leaves are oblong-
ovate to elliptic-ovate, 4 to 6 centimeters long. Petioles
are 1 to 1.5 centimeters long, and narrowly winged.
Racemes are short and axillary, bearing few flowers
which are white and fragrant. Petals are 4, oblong, 10
to 12 millimeters long. The fruit is almost spherical, 3
to 5 centimeters in diameter, yellow, thin-skinned, 10-
celled or more.

Health Benefits
Dayap has been used as Antifungal: Study on showed the plant to be very rich in monoterpenes, with
limonene its major compound. The three extracts showed fungicidal inhibiting action to Phaeoramularia
angolensis and presents an alternative to chemical fungicides used for Citrus fruit crops.
Antiproliferative / Anti-cancer: vitro effects of several concentrations of lime juice (CLJ) showed
significant inhibition of proliferation of human breast carcinoma cell line and assumes that protein
components of the CLJ extract may have anti-proliferative effects on tumor cell lines. Antimicrobial:
the antibacterial effects of two plants extracts showed Citrus aurantifolia showing promising broad
spectrum antibacterial effects on human pathogens. Antimicrobial: Antimicrobial study of bitter leaf
(V. amygdalina) extract and lime (Citrus aurantifolia) juice against five organisms concluded both are
potential antimicrobial agents. Antiaflatoxigenic: The essential oils of we medicinal plants were studied
for its inhibition of the toxigenic fungus Aspergillus parasiticus.

Lagundi (Vitex negundo Linn.)
Lagundi is an erect, branched tree or shrub, 2 to 5 meters high. Leaves
are usually 5-foliate, rarely with 3 leaflets only, and palmately arranged.
Leaflets are lanceolate, entire, 4 to 10 centimeters long, slightly hairy
beneath, and pointed at both ends, the middle leaflets being larger than
the others, and distinctly stalked. Flowers are numerous, blue to lavender,
6 to 7 millimeters long, borne in terminal inflorescences (panicles) 10 to
20 centimeters long. Calyx is hairy, and 5-toothed. Corolla is densely
hairy in the throat, and the middle lobe of the lower lip is longest. Fruit
is a succulent drupe, globose, black when ripe, about 4 millimeters in
diameter.

Health Benefits
Lagundi has been proven to be an effective analgesic and antitussive (prepared as a pleasant tasting
cough syrup) and has been considered as a replacement for dextromethorphan in the public health
system.

Duhat (Syzygium cumini Skeels)
Duhat s a smooth tree about 8 to 15 meters high with white
branchlets and reddish young shoots. Leaves are opposite, shiny
and leathery, oblong-ovate to elliptic or obovate-elliptic, 6 to 12
centimeters long, the tip being broad and shortly pointed. Panicles
are borne mostly from the branchlets below the leaves, often
being axillary or terminal, about 4 to 6 centimeters long. Flowers
are small, numerous, scented, pink or nearly white, in clusters,
without stalks, borne in crowded fascicles on the ends of the
branchlets. Calyx is funnel-shaped, about 4 millimeters long, and
4-toothed. Fruit is oval to elliptic, 1.5 to 3.5 centimeters long,
dark purple or nearly black, luscious, fleshy and edible with a
sweet astringent taste; containing a single large seed.

Health Benefits
Duhat has been considered as good astringent, carminative, stomachic, diuretic, anti-diabetic, anti-
diarrheal. Anti-Diabetes: Animal study of aqueous extract from SC bark showed stimulation of
development of insulin positive cells from the pancreatic duct epithelial cells. Anti-Diabetic / a-
glucosidase showed inhibition of a-glucosidase as a possible mechanism for its anti-diabetic
effect. Phytochemicals: Investigation on a Tropical Plant, Phytochemical screening of extracts of
Syzygium cumini seed revealed alkaloids, amino acids, phytosterols, saponins, steroids, tannins and
triterpenoids. These phytochemicals probably explain the plants medicinal properties. Anti-
inflammatory The study on SC extracts established the anti-inflammatory activity of the SC seed.

Langka(Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.)
Langka is a smooth tree reaching a height of 8 to 15 meters. Leaves
are alternate, leathery, elliptic-oblong to obovate, entire or
sometimes 3-lobed, 7 to 15 centimeters long, the apex and base
both pointed. Female heads are embraced by spathaceous,
deciduous, stipular sheaths, 5 to 8 centimeters long. Sepals are two.
Spike is 5 to 15 centimeters long. Fruit is green to greenish-yellow
when ripe, fleshy, hanging on short stalks from the main stem or
from large branches in old trees, oblong with pyramidal projections,
25 to 60 centimeters long. Seeds are numerous, oblong, 2.5 to 4
centimeters long. The testa is thin, coriaceous, surrounded by an
edible luscious pulp.

Health Benefits
Root is considered antiasthmatic. Ripe fruit is sweet, cooling, demulcent, nutritive, laxative,
aphrodisiac. Unripe fruit is acrid, astringent, carminative and tonic. Pulp or flesh surrounding the
seed is aromatic, cooling and tonic. Seeds are sweet, diuretic, aphrodisiac. Bark is considered
sedative.



Sampaloc (Tamarindus indica Linn.)
Sampalok is a large tree 12 to 25 meters high, nearly glabrous.
Leaves are evenly pinnate, 6 to 10 centimeters long, with 20 to
40 leaflets, rather close, oblong, obtuse, 1 to 2 centimeters
long. Racemes are mostly axillary though sometimes panicled,
and reaching a length of 5 to 10 centimeters.
Calyx is about 1 centimeter long, the calyx tube turbinate, the
teeth lanceolate, much imbricated, the lower 2 connate. Petals
are yellowish with pink stripes, obovate-oblong, less than 1
centimeter long. Only the 3 upper petals developed, the 2
lateral ones ovate, the upper hooded, the 2 lower ones reduced
to scales. Stamens monadelphous, only 3 developed, ovary many-
ovuled. Fruits are pods oblong, thickened, 6 to 15 centimeters
long, 2 to 3 centimeters wide, slightly compressed,

Health Benefits
Sampaloc is used for aromatic bath for fevers, puerperism, and convalescence. Fever: Macerate pulp
or ripe fruit in water, sweeten to taste, and drink. Laxative: Pulp is considered a mild laxative
because of the presence of potassium bitartrate. Eat pulp of ripe fruit liberally and follow with
plenty of water. Asthma: Bark; chop and boil a foot-long piece of bark in 3 glasses of water for 10
minutes. Adults, 1 cup after every meal and at bedtime; children, 1/2 cup 4 times daily; babies, 2
tbsps 4 times daily. Decoction of ash: For colic, indigestion; as gargle for sore throats, aphthous
sores. Ash is considered astringent and tonic; used internally as a digestive. Ash preparation: Fry the
bark with common salt in an earthen pot until it turns to powdered white ash; a heaping teaspoon of
the ash to half-cup of boiling water; cool and drink for colic and indigestion. Poultice or lotion from
bark applied to ulcers, boils, and rashes. Poultice of leaves to inflammatory swellings of ankles and
joints.

Santol (Sandoricum koetjape Merr.)
Santol is a tree growing up to 20 meters high, with softly hairy
young branches and leaves. Leaves are groups of 3 leaflets, elliptic
to oblong-ovate, 10 to 25 centimeter long, with pointed tips and
round bases. Flowers are numerous, somewhat fascicled, about 1
centimeter long, in greenish or yellowish clusters. Fruits are
rounded and somewhat flattened, 4 to 6 centimeters, yellowish-
orange when ripe with a thick pericarp. Seeds are large,
surrounded by a translucent or pale, sweet tasting edible pulp.

Health Benefits
Roots is aromatic, carminative, antispasmodic, astringent, stomachic, and tonic. Fruit considered
astringent.