Medicinal Plants Utilized by the Traditional Healers and their Patients in Bicol Region, Philippines

Publisher: Bicol University PDF

Abstract

The study determined the healing potential of the medicinal plants used by healers in the Bicol Region, Philippines. Data were gathered from 30 traditional healers and 300 patients. A traditional healer and ten of their patients were selected purposively per municipality from the four remote municipalities of each province in the region. Data were gathered employing interviews and Focus Group Discussions. Ethnobotanical indices such as Frequency index, Fidelity level, and Factor of Informant consensus were used to determine which medicinal plants are effective for a particular ailment and their relative importance. !e study was able to identify 58 medicinal plants belonging to 33 families, which the herbolarios prescribed to their patients or were self-prescribed. !e top three commonly used plant species having the highest frequency indices are Plectranthus amboinicus (oregano) with FI of 47%, Blumea balsamifera (lakadbulan) with FI of 39.1%, and Psidium guajava (bayawas) with FI of 25.8%. High healing potentials were obtained for Sandoricum koetjape (santol) with FL of 82.4%, Momordica charantia (ampalaya) with FL of 80%, and Euphorbia neriifolia (sorog-sorog) with FL of 75%. !ese medicinal plants were preferred by both the healers and their patients to treat coughs and colds. Respiratory disease (cough, colds, and asthma) obtained the highest Fic value of 0.92, among the 12 ailment categories. !e medicinal plants were frequently prepared by decoction and were taken orally, but no standard measurements were observed. !e lack of standardization in preparation can be attributed to the lack of formal training of the traditional healers, hence the need to address it through a training program. !e healing potential of the medicinal plants is seen in the high number of informants who used the plants for treatment. !e results can be used for phytochemical and pharmacological studies.