Biologically-Based Therapies

The Herbal Garden: Herbalism in your Backyard by Alberto, Gabuya, Jubas, Lacamento, Leonida, Magdato, Orbuda, Pangilinan According to William Osler, "Medicine is a science of uncertainty and an art of probability." Herbal medicine, over the years, is a living testament to that. In many parts of the world, including the Philippines, herbal medicine is practiced. It remains widely popular due to its large availability, cultural significance, and the people's growing preference for natural products. In this blog, we will explore and feature the benefits of herbal medicines commonly found in a typical local Filipino backyard such as laurel (bay leaf), serpentina (Indian snakeroot), sambong, pansit-pansitan, tawa-tawa, and papaya leaves, as well as share some personal experiences and medicinal recipes which can be prepared at home. Laurel Figure 1.  Laurel plant highlighting its leaves ( “laurel,” 2021 ) . Marj's family uses both the leaves and the roots of laurel as herb...

Coughing It Out With Herbal Medicine           Nature’s best.      Two words encapsulating herbal medicine to those who believe in the beauty of natural healing and efficacy of alternative medicine. It has both stood the test of times and paradigm shifts ushered by science and technology. You might ask why, but the correct question would be – how?       Generation after generation, indigenous and contemporary knowledge on herbal medicine is being passed down, celebrated, and enriched. With our country being home to a whopping 1,500 documented medicinal plants along with 250,000 traditional medicine practitioners, herbal medicine undoubtedly remains as one of Filipinos’ most go-to medicine – then and now (Dapar et al.,2020). We now ask -- why?      Is it because it is effective or merely due to its cost-effectivity? Why don’t you be the judge of that as you go over the remainder of this article? As you explor...