Indigenous Philippine Remedies

Reprinted from the Asian Journal
(Second installment) | December 7, 2007

Tawa-tawa: cure for dengue fever


by Edgar A.Gamboa,MD,FACS

The native treatments that I witnessed (or received) growing up in Cebu, whether administered by albularyo or manghihilot, fascinate me because they must have somehow worked, otherwise why would people return for treatment? Viewed now from the perspective of modern science, many of the indigenous or antique therapeutics look more like placebos. But they were readily available, arguably effective, and definitely affordable or, for the most part, free.

The term albularyo derived from the Spanish herbolario (herbalist). Albularyos are general practice healers who take care of common illnesses such as fever, cough, cold, diarrhea, etc. using medicinal herbs, which rural area folks commonly stock in their medicine cabinets. Albularyos also take care of people believed to be afflicted by supernatural illness or witchcraft. Thus their medical repertoire, in addition to herbs, includes chants, prayers, icons and religious articles.

The manghihilot is a more specialized medicine man or woman, focusing on musculoskeletal problems, much like chiropractors. They use massage techniques utilizing oil and salves to cure panuhot (strained muscle or air trapped in body cavities) or lisa (sprained joint). Some of the modern manghihilots have incorporated reflexology and acupuncture mapping into their practice.

In addition to the albularyo and the manghihilot, other native healers include midwives (mananabang in Bisaya, magpapaanak in Tagalog), the mangluluop, manghihila, mangtatawas, mediko, faith healers, etc. Medikos or medicos supplement native therapeutics with Western pharmacology. Filipino faith healers have, in some cases, achieved international fame (or notoriety) and, in some ways, are the pioneers of medical tourism.

There are about two dozen scientifically recognized medical herbs and plants in the Philippines. Boiled ginger to soothe sore throat is fairly well known. In fact, the concoction is now commercially available in powdered form or ginger tea (salabat).

A mixture of sampalok or sambag (tamarind), luy-a (ginger), and calamansi or lemoncito (citrus) works well for cough. Avocado, guava, and star apple (kaimito) leaves are the local version of Lomotil or Loperamide (Imodium). My mother used to heat rice grains until they turned brown, then added water to make an anti-diarrhea drink.

My sister Daisy, when pregnant with her first child, was advised by my aunt, who bore eleven healthy children, to boil thirteen kinds of roots and drink the bitter brew to ensure an uncomplicated delivery. She faithfully followed the time-tested advice but got so sick with the brew’s aftertaste that she no longer cared if she had a difficult labor. Those were the days before epidural anesthesia became common practice.

Talking about nasty medicines, cod liver oil in the form of Scott’s Emulsion was a popular source of multivitamins A and D, calcium, phosphorus and omega 3. I cringed every time my turn came to swallow two full tablespoons of the awful syrup. I'm amused to learn that Scott’s Emulsion is still available in some drugstores in the United States, and remains popular in Mexico, Central and South America, Asia, Africa, etc. My sympathy goes to those kids whose daily dose of vitamins emanate from that nasty brown bottle.

Raw eggs (with the attendant risk of Salmonella infection) blended in milk or Tru-Orange was not as nasty as Scott’s was but why did people think the frothy potion was helpful for hangovers? Was there credible research that showed that the eggnog mix protected alcoholics from developing liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension?

Lately, the popularity of Tawa-Tawa usage for Dengue fever is supported by government health agencies. Research has reportedly confirmed the common plant's antiviral and antibacterial properties. Tawa-Tawa is believed to help sustain platelets and counter hemorrhagic dengue. Two dozen plants boiled in seven glasses of water, from a report I've read, is the current recommended dosage

Gumamela or Hibiscus, also boiled in water, may be applied as poultice to inflamed wounds or abscesses. Some claim the flower has varied uses for cough, fever, hypertension, urinary tract infection, etc. But have you heard of inhaling adobo to get rid of your cold? Not sure about that one. Inhaling Vicks Vaporub dropped in steaming hot water may work, however. You can maximize the effects of such treatment by capturing vaporized oil with a large tent-like cape or blanket draped over your head.

Boiled guava leaves, particularly leaf sprouts, make excellent salve for new mothers, as effective as TUCKS Witchazel pads. Its topical application extends to those who suffer from inflamed hemorrhoids. Before Hibiclens and Bacitracin became commercially available, warm water blended with guava leaf extracts were used to cleanse nuka (Staphylococcal skin infection) so prevalent in children.

Kamunggay leaves commonly used for vegetable soup are also traditionally utilized to stop local bleeding. The leaves may not be as effective as Surgicel or Avitene but are cheap and readily available.

Soapsuds enema is practically out of style except for cleansing the bowels preparatory to endoscopy. I recall it being used for a variety of undiagnosed illnesses, manifesting as fever, cough, or abdominal pain. Being at the receiving end of an enema was one of the worst part of getting sick.

As beneficiaries or practitioners of modern Western medicine, we may tend to dismiss many of these primitive therapies as ineffective or unscientific. Yet, we may recall that back in the 5th century BC, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, wrote about a bitter powder extracted from the bark of the willow tree that relieved pain and reduced fever. Knowledge about the analgesic willow tree survived through the centuries.

In 1853, the French chemist Charles Frederic Gerhardt synthesized acetylsalicylic acid and in 1859, von Gilm purified it. In 1897, Felix Hoffmann, a chemist at Friedrich Bayer and Co., refined the process so that he could administer aspirin tablets to his father who suffered from severe arthritis. The rest, as they say, is history.