Part Four in a series of articles about the Philippines’ common medicinal plants.
Caimito — Chrysophyllum cainito Linn.– Star Apple
The star apple tree is erect, growing to about 8-30 m tall, with and a dense, broad crown. The alternate, slightly leathery evergreen leaves are elliptic about 2 to 6 in (5-15 cm) long. The flowers are purplish-white, small and bunched in the axils of leaves. The shiny and purplish or light-green skinned fruit is large and rounded, about 6 to 10 cm in diameter. The flesh is fibrous, sweet, and pleasant tasting.
For its medicinal purposes, the seeds, leaves, bark, fruit are utilize. Below are some of star apple’s medicinal usage:
* Decoction of the bark is use to relieve Dysentery
* The ripe fruit is good for easing up inflammation in laryngitis and pneumonia.
* The slightly unripe fruits are eaten to relieve intestinal problems.
* A decoction of the bark is drunk as a stimulant.
* The bark latex used on abscesses
* Decoction of bark used in the treatment of dysentery, diarrhea, gonorrhea, and hemorrhages.
* The bitter, pulverized seed used as tonic, for fevers and diarrhea.
* As a decoction is gargled to relieve angina.
* A decoction of the leaves, is taken as a pectoral.
* The medicinal tea made out of the leaves is used diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
Chico–Achras sapota Linn.–Chiku Tree, Sapodilla
The chico tree is an upright, very branched, slow growing evergreen tree, growing up to 8 meters tall. The leaves are oblong, are medium green and glossy, 3 to 4-1/2 inches long and 1 to 1-1/2 inches wide. Flowers are small. hairy outside, about 3/8 inch in diameter. They are borne on slender stalks in the axil of the leaves. The fruit is brown, large, fleshy, ellipsoid, 5-10 cm in diameter. It contains black, hard, glossy seeds.For medicinal purposes: Bark, seeds, fruit are utilized.
Medicinal Uses:
* Decoction of the bark or leaves good for relieving diarrhea, dysentery, fever coughs and colds.
* A tea made with the green fruit and the flowers is drunk to relieve pulmonary ailments
* Crushed seeds help expel bladder and kidney stones.
* Seeds when ground with water, acts as diuretic.
* Seed kernel oil used as dressing for falling hair.
* Seed infusion used as an eyewash.
* Decoction of leaves used for treating wounds, hemorrhage, and ulcers.
* A paste made from the seeds is a good antidote for venomous stings and bites
* A tea made with sapodilla and chayote leaves is thought to be good in lowering blood pressure.
* The latex can be used as a filling for tooth cavities.
Curly dock –Rumex crispus –Yellow Dock, Rumex
Curly dock, sometimes referred as “poor man’s ginseng”, is a small, erect and scarcely branched plant reaching to about 30 to 90 cm in height. It has branched stem, on average growing up to 3 feet high. The leaves are crisped at their edges vary in shapes. The upper leaves are narrowly oblong about 7 to 15cm long while the lower leaves bears elongated shape grows from 2 to 30 cm long. The yellowish roots are 8 to 12 inches long, about 1/2 inch thick.
Medicinal uses:
* Decoction of roots relieved fevers.
* Fresh bruised roots applied externally is effective against skin rushes, eczema, boils, skin cuts, wounds, dermatitis burns, and bleeding hemorrhoids.
* Yellow dock is effective in the treatment of tapeworms and roundworms.
* Used as treatment for liver problems, internal bleedings, gall bladders disorder and arthritis.
* Decoction of roots used in the treatment of psoriasis, jaundice, constipation.
* Alleviate acute inflammation of nasal passages.
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