MAKABUHAY

Tinospora rumphii Boerl

Against

MALARIA
Related Literature:
Makabuhay as it is called in the Philippines has a long history of medicinal use
in India. Makabuhay has long been used in Ayurveda medicine (traditional medicine
in India) for thousands of years. Ayurvedic practitioners in India used Makabuhay
to promote longevity, prevent diseases and to treat various illnesses from arthritis
to treatment of cancer.
In the Philippines, Makabuhay plant extract is traditionally combined with coconut
oil to treat rheumatism and arthritis, abdominal pains (kabag), scabies, skin ulcers
and others.
Makabuhay can be found in wild forests and can be identified by its heart shaped
leaves. Makabuhay is a shrub whose aerial roots climb other trees usually neem or
mango trees. Makabuhay plant has succulent bark that is creamy white to grey in
colour; it has deep clefts spotted with lenticels. It has a sweet-acidic-bitter taste.
Makabuhay has yellow flowers, growing in lax racemes from nodes on old wood.
Makabuhay bears fruits that are drupes, turning red as it ripens.
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals
caused by parasitic protozoans (a type of unicellular microorganism) of the
genus Plasmodium. Commonly, the disease is transmitted by a bite from an infected
female Anophelesmosquito, which introduces the organisms from its saliva into a
person's circulatory system. In the blood, the parasites travel to the liver to
mature and reproduce. Malaria causes symptoms that typically
include fever and headache, which in severe cases can progress to coma or death.

Properties
- Considered febrifuge, vulnerary, tonic, antimalarial, parasiticide, and insecticidal.
- Studies suggest cardiotonic, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial,
antidiabetic, antiproliferative, hypolipidemic properties.
Parts utilized
Stems and leaves.
Uses
Edibility
The basis of a popular preparation used as cordial, tonic, or ingredient in
cocktails.
Folkloric
Decoction of leaves and stems used for malaria and fever and as a tonic (40 gms
to pint of boiling water).
Scabies: Crush fresh stem and apply juice over the affected.
Tropical ulcers and wound healing: Decoction of the stem as wash, or crush stem,
soak in oil for 12 hours and apply oil extract on affected areas.
Pounded stem, mixed with coconut oil, has been used for a variety of rheumatic
and arthritic complaints; also for abdominal colic.
Used for athlete's foot.
Used for fertility regulation.
Preparation with coconut oil use as cure for rheumatism; also for flatulence
(kabag) in children.
Decoction or powder form of plant used as febrifuge. Decoction of stem used as
vulnerary for itches, ordinary and cancerous wounds.
Aqueous extract used for treatment of stomach trouble, indigestion, and
diarrhea.
Rheumatism and flatulence: mixture of the vine with oil. Cut 100 gms of the vine
in small pieces, mix with 3 ounces of coconut oil. Place in bottle and "cook" under
the sun for 5-7 days.
For stomach ulcers: stem is pounded inside a plastic bag, water is added, strained,
and drank once daily. Also, stems are dried, thinly sliced, decocted, then drank.
Used by nursing mothers to assist in weaning infants off breast-feeding. The
bitter juice of the stem is applied to the nipple area causing the infant's aversion
to breastfeeding and facilitating transfer to breast feeding.
Internally, used as tonic and antimalarial; externally, as parasiticide.
In Malaysia, extract taken orally to treat hyperglycemia.

Others
As pesticide (rice blackbugs, rice green leafhoppers, rice stem borers) using
pounded chopped vines stirred in one liter of water and sprayed on seedlings
before transplanting or soaking the seedlings overnight before transplanting.
Makabuhay, with madre de cacao and hot red pepper extract in water sprayed on
rice plants at weekly intervals.
New applications
Being studied for it possible stimulant effect on the immune system. Anecdotal
benefits for a variety of HIV-related complaints.
Caution: Should not be used by pregnant women, patients with cardiac disorders.
Recent uses and preparations
Used Preparation of ointment: Wash and chop 1/2 glass of stem. Saut chopped
stem on low fire for about five minutes in one glass of coconut oil. Remove the
stems then add half a glass of grated white candlewax. When the wax is melted,
pour
into clean bottle and label. Use the ointment over the whole body, save the face
area, for three consecutive nights.
Bibliography:
http://www.stuartxchange.org/Makabuhay.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria
http://www.medicalhealthguide.com/articles/makabuhay.htm