C O L L E C T I O N
Therapeutic efficacy varies during different times or seasons of the year. The constituent and active principles vary quantitatively at different seasons of the year and the majority of plant materials are usually best collected during the dry season, when the herbs are at peak maturity and concentration. Dry as quickly as possible, away from bright sunlight, to preserve the ingredients and prevent oxidation.
Roots and rhizomes: Best collected October to February, when the plants are more vigorously storing food in their underground organs.
Leaves: The most opportune time is when the plant is about to bloom.
Flowers: Buds are preferred, best collected in the morning after the morning dew has evaporated; flowers, just before or shortly after opening. Dry the herbal materials as quickly as possible.
Bark materials and stems: Generally, best gathered in summer time. When the climate is warm and humid, the bark of any plant usually contains richer nutritive substances including the medicinal metabolites. Preferably, barks and stems should be removed only from fully grown plants. Do not remove all the bark or a band of surrounding bark.
Fruits and seeds: Fully ripened fruits and mature seeds are preferred. Collection of pod fruits is done in the morning to avoid unnecessary opening up of the fruit wall to the detriment of losing the seeds. Turn the fleshy fruit frequently for even drying.
Whole plant: When the whole plant is desired, it is advisable to harvest the plant at the time when the flowers are all in bloom. Old and withering plants are less effective when used as a source of drugs.
Habitat
Information about the whereabouts of the plants, especially the rare ones, can facilitate the search for them. It saves both time and energy. Low altitudes probably range from sea level to about 300 meters; medium altitudes from about 310 meters to about 1000 meters; and high altitude from about 1000 meters and up.
Storage
Many medicinal plants are seasonal, some not easily accessible, available only in deep forests or mountain peaks. Such restrictions necessitate ways and devices to store them for future use. Dirt and other foreign substances should be removed. If washing is needed, it should be done quickly to minimize deterioration and loss of active substances. As a rule, all parts of the plant collected should be dried as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary waste of the drug materials through natural processes of denaturation, decay and fungal attacks. Some commonly used storage methods used buy the Chinese are as follows:
Sun-drying method: Spread the herbs over the dry beaches, patio or benches that are under the direct scorch of the sun until the materials turn dry and brownish.
Shade-drying method: Some plant materials are preferably dried under shade at room temperature by wind action- because of heat-labile substances that they contain. As such, free circulation of air is important. Drying processes should be shortened, if higher drug contents are to be sought for. Floral and fruit materials should be dried by this method.
Heat-drying method: Some materials may be placed over an oven and dried under the intense heat released or under regulated soft heat. Plants that contain high sugar and starch are best preserved by this method. In places where the rain falls throughout the year, this method is strongly recommended.
Other Special Methods: Succulent materials are usually washed first in boiling water or steam-cooked in a container before actually drying it. For spiny and hairy materials, remove the unwanted appendages. Some plant materials (ex. succulent materials) may require cutting or sectioning before drying. In general, the moisture content of the dried plant materials should be less than 10% before storage. Moisture content higher than 10% usually leads to growth of microorganisms and pest infestation with consequent drug deterioration.
The dried plant materials should be placed in plastic containers or tightly covered bottles; brown colored bottles are preferred as they minimize deterioration due to sunlight. Dry charcoal (separated from the medicinal plant) may be placed inside the bottles to absorb moisture. The storage place should be dry, well-ventilated, and spacious, lest fungi and insects may invade rampantly. Drug materials (dry ones) after proper processing can be kept in large open wooden shelves. The humidity of the storehouse should then be as low as possible. Materials rich in volatile oils are advised to be kept in airtight containers. Otherwise, their efficacy will decrease as time passes by. If all factors are favorable, the prepared drugs can be used even after years of storage.
Preservation and Conservation
Know how to preserve and conserve plant sources. Complete depletion of all medicinal plants founds in an area should be avoided. Once collected, all the materials should be processed at once for long storage. Well planned activity in the collection of plant materials will always prove to be economical and advantageous in the long run. Cultivation of these medicinal plants should be tried in places where conditions favor because cultivated plants contain higher percentages of the medicinal principles desired.
PREPARATION
Decoctions
(De)
Decoctions are aqueous preparations of plant parts boiled in water for 15- 20 minutes until the water volume is halved. To prepare, break the plant parts into small pieces before soaking in a given amount of water in an earthenware container (palayok). Metal pans should be enameled; avoid plastic or aluminum containers. Use 500 cc (1 pt) of water for every 30 gm (1 oz) of dried herb. Cover the container and boil for 10-20 minutes, until water volume is halved; strain, cool and refrigerate. Decoctions usually keep for 2-3 days.
Infusions
(In)
As in preparing tea, infusions use dried or fresh herbs. Pour hot water into plant material and allow to stand while tightly covered, stand for 10 min; strain; drink hot or iced and cold. Infusions usually prepared fresh for the day's use.
Pills (Honey Pills)
(B)
Pills can be made by mixing thoroughly the dry and powdered drug with equal quantity of honey cooked to bright red syrup. The moment the mixture starts to cool off, it can be rolled to desired tubular strands and cut into small pieces. Air dry the pieces of pills in a clean place and bottle them neatly. If honey is not available, a concentrated syrup of cane sugar can be substituted.
Powder
(Pw)
The commonest and easiest way of preparing the drug materials. With a mortar and pestle, the well-dried plant materials are crushed and ground well-dried plant materials into a fine uniform powder; store in clean bottles. Powdered drugs should be as fine as possible so as to ensure faster solubility.
Alcoholic Decoction (Tinctures)
(T)
Place the botanical extracts or plant materials (powdered, fresh or dried) in 40% to 60% proof alcohol (some use 70-80% proof lambanog), one part herb to 5 parts distilled spirits and keep in an airtight container (25 gms of material in 600 cc of spirits). Stir or shake the mixture at least once a day, infusing for a period of 4 to weeks. Alcohol extracts and preserves the essential ingredients for the longest possible time. Strain and store in an airtight dark glass jar. Dosages are usually 5-20 drops, added to water or taken directly.
To facilitate the process, boil the alcohol solution in a water bath until it boilsboils; pour the boiling solution into the container together with the plant extracts or materials; tightly seal. Use the decoction two weeks after the storage. The residue can be used to prepare ointments.
Tablets
Powder the drug material thoroughly. If tablets of small size with high drug concentration is desired, a portion of the dried drug material may be decocted into a thick concentrated solution and them mixed with the other powdered material. In making the tablet, a sufficient amount of starch or rice paste is added to the mixture and is forcefully mixed and kneaded by hands. Make small globular tablets out of the kneaded paste-like material. If excessive eater has been placed in the mixture, allow the mixture to stand first in a cool, well-ventilated place, until the right paste-like consistency is attained. Improvised tablet-making devises (i.e., molds) may be constructed from wood or metal.
Syrup
Applicable for children and infants, prepare a simple syrup by dissolving 850 gms of cane sugar in 450 mL of boiling water. Wait for all the sugar to dissolve, then apply more heat, filter with degreasing cotton, then add more water up to 1000 mL. Place the drug material in water and boil, remove the residual solids afterwards (generally, every mL of the decoction fluid contains 1 gm of the concentrated drug). Add the decoction fluid to the syrup in a 1:1 proportion. If the syrup is not to be added, the decoction should be treated with sufficient amount of fungicide, like benzoic acid, for long storage.
Ointment:
Prepare the necessary drug materials, place inside a glass jar or other suitable container, add oil (peanut oil, bean oil, tea oil, coconut oil, etc.) up to 2 to 3 finger width higher than the level of the powdered drug in the glass jar. Suspend for 5 to 7 days. Then, cook in an iron casserole until drug material chars. Remove the drug residue or dross and extract the oil. This time, the fire should be increased mixing thoroughly while increasing the heat, until smoke forms on the oil surface, and until globules of oil, which is place in water, does not form separated globules anymore. Reduce the heat and add litharge, mixing thoroughly while continuously adding until all of it dissolves. Remove the casserole from fire and let stand to cool, then add camphor or other aromatic substances. Lastly, pour the prepared drug material in cold water, suspend for overnight or longer. Place the mass separated from the liquid on a piece of parchment or cloth. An ointment plaster is thus produced. Observe care in cooking procedure and guard against burning or fire. A close-type of oven (or hooded) is preferable.
An alternative way: Make 1 pt of infusion or decoction, strain and set liquid aside. Pour 3 oz of oil into a pan, add 3 oz of lard fat, a drop of tincture of benzoin for every oz of base, and add the liquid. Simmer until the water has evaporated. To stiffen the mixture, slowly add beeswax or cocoa butter.
Poultice or Paste
(Pt)
Grind, crush or pound the plant material (dried or preferably fresh) with a little oil, water, molasses or honey. Spread on a square of warm cloth or banana trunk, and applied to the skin. The crushed plant can also be boiled for a few minutes to achieve a pulp. The material is applied directly to the affected areas. They are usually more potent than compresses.
Compresses
An infusion or decoction is used to soak a warm cloth (linen or muslin) or banana trunk and placed on the affected area. They are usually milder than poultices.
Juice
(J)
Pound fresh plant materials and filter through a fine piece of cloth or just squeeze the plant parts to extract the juice.
APPLICATION OF THE HERBAL MEDICINES
Oral
1. Drenching (Dr) - administration of liquid or semi-liquid preparation through the mouth; may use bamboo tube, soft drink bottle, syringe sans needle, or medicine dropper.
2. Force feeding (Ff) - application of solid preparation through the mouth.
Topical
3. Fomentation (Fo)- warm, moist substance (wet cloth) applied to affected parts of the body.
4. Compress (C)- dry substance applied to affected parts of the body.
5. Smudge (S)- direct application of herbal preparation on affected parts of the body.
INTESTINAL PARASITISM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
URINARY SYSTEM
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
OPHTHALMIC SYSTEM
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM
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