Herbal Medicine: Bixa Orellana

ATSUWETE (Bixa orellana)

• Scientific Name: Bixa orellana L.

• Other Names: Achíti (Ilk), Achoéte (Tag.), Asúti (Tag.), Asuíte (Ilk), Achóte (Tag.), Atsiute (Sbl.), Achuete (Tag., Sbl., Bik., P. Bis., Ilk.), Chanang (Sul.), Annatto (Engl.), Apatut (Gad.), Asóti (Ibn.), Chótes (S.L. Bis.), Janang (Sul.), Sótis (C. Bis.)

• Parts Used: Leaves and seeds

• Indications and Directions for Use:

  • Headache/Bruises: Apply leaves to forehead and temples.
  • Food Coloring: Use seeds.

• Constituents:

  • Rind: Ethereal oil (0.05%), resin (1-1.65%), tannins, cellulose
  • Pulp: Volatile substance (20-28%), orlean/annatto (4.0-5.5%), sucrose (3.5-5.2%), ethereal oil, trace of unknown alkaloid, saponin, tannin.
  • Seed: Bixin and bixol (oil-yielding)
  • Seed coat: Wax, ethereal oil
  • Kernel: Fatty oil (8-11%) with properties similar to Raphanus sativus L., palmitin, phytosterol, vitamin A.

BALANOY (Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum americanum, Ocimum citriodorum)

• Scientific Names: Ocimum basilicum L. (Fam. Labiatae), Ocimum americanum Blanco, Ocimum citriodorum Blanco

• Part Used: Herb

• Indications and Directions for Use:

  • Cough: Take herb infusion or decoction as tea.
  • Gas pain (tympanism): Take herb decoction as tea.
  • Insect bites/ringworm: Apply crushed leaf juice to affected areas.
  • Skin ulcers: Use herb decoction as wash.
  • Toothache: Apply crushed leaf juice to cotton and insert into tooth cavity.

• Constituents: Volatile oil (1.5%), ocimene, pinene, terpin hydrate, cineole, methyl chavicol, linalool, anethole, eugenol

BALATONG ASO (Cassia occidentalis)

• Scientific Name: Cassia occidentalis L. (Fam. Leguminosae)
• Other Names: Andadási (Ilk), Katangan-áso (Tag), Suka (Ig), Sumting (S.L. Bis), Tambalisa (Tag), Tigniman (Tag), Coffee Senna (Engl), Coffeeweed (Engl), Duda (C. Bis), Gulinggam (Sul), Kabal-kabálan (Tag)
• Parts Used: Seeds and leaves
• Indications and Directions for Use:
  • Asthma/Gas pain (tympanism): Take infusion of roasted seeds as tea.
  • Toothache: Apply poultice of bruised leaves to cheek.
  • Skin diseases: Apply leaves soaked in oil to affected areas.
• Constituents:
  • Seeds: Fatty matter (olein and margarin) (4.9%), tannic acid (0.9%), sugar (2.1%), gum (2.0%), starch (28.8%), cellulose (2.0%), calcium sulfate and phosphate, chrysophanic acid (0.9%), malic acid, sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, silica, achrosine (coloring matter) (13.58%).
  • Leaves: Cathartin (coloring matter), toxalbumin
  • Stem: N-methylmorpholine (alkaloid)

BANABA (Lagerstroemia speciosa)

• Scientific Name: Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers. (Fam. Lythraceae)
• Other Names: Nabulong (Neg.), Pamalauagon (S.L.Bis), Pamaraugan (S.L.Bis), Parasabukung (Sub.), Tabangau (Ibn., Neg.), Tauagnau (Ibn.) Agaro (Sbl), Bugaram (S.L.Bis), Duguam (S.L.Bis), Kauilan (P.Bis), Makablos (Pang.), Mitla (Pamp)
• Part Used: Leaves, fruits, and bark
• Indications and Directions for Use:
  • Diabetes mellitus: Take decoction of leaves, bark, or dried fruit as tea.
  • Diuretic: Take decoction of leaves.
• Constituents: Tannins, glucoside, amino acid

BANATO (Mallotus philippensis)

• Scientific Name: Mallotus philippinensis (Lam.) Muell-Arg. (Fam. Euphorbiaceae)

• Other Names: Apuyot (Sul), Buas (Ilk), Darandang (Tag), Kamala (Engl), Panagisen (Ibn), Panagisian (Ibn.,Klg.,Neg.), Pangaplasin (Ilk), Pikal (Sbl), Rottlera manilensis Klotz. ex Pax & Hoffm., Rottlera philippinensis Rottlera (Engl.), Sala (Tag.,Bis.), Tafu (Ibn.), Tagusala (P Bis.), Tutula (Tagb.)

• Parts Used: Leaves and seeds

• Indications and Directions for Use: External fungal infections: Pound leaves or seeds and apply to affected areas.

• Constituents: Rottlerin (47-80% reddish-yellow resin), fixed oil (5.83-24%), citric acid, mallotoxin, kamalin.

BANI (Pongamia pinnata)

• Scientific Name: Pongamia pinnata (L.) Merr. (Fam. Leguminosae)
• Other Names: Numerous ( Bagnei (Ibn), Balikbalik (Tag), Balok (Tag), Balok-balok (Tag., Bik), Balotbalot (Tag), Balu-balu (Sul). Balu-balu (Yak), Baluk-baluk (C.Bis), Balut-balut (Mag), Banit (Tag), etc.)
• Parts Used: Seeds, roots, and bark
• Indications and Directions for Use: Coughs, Gastric disorders (tympanism, dyspepsia, diarrhea), Hemorrhoids, skin diseases
• Constituents: Fixed oil (27-36.4%), crystalline bitter principle

BATINO (Alstonia macrophylla)

• Scientific Name: Alstonia macrophylla G. Don. (Fam. Apocynaceae)
• Other Names: Barakir (Bag.), Basikálang (Ting., Ibn.), Basikárang (llk.), Batikalág (Pang.), Busisi (Ibn.), Dalakan (Ilk.), Itang-itang (P. Bis.), Koanan (P. Bis.), Kuyau-kuyal, (Bik.), etc.
• Part Used: Fresh leaves
• Indications and Directions for Use: Sprains, bruises, contusions: Crush leaves, mix with a little coconut oil, warm and apply to affected areas.
• Constituents: Total alkaloids (0.99%), macrophylline, macralstonine, macralstonidine, villastonine, monomeric indole alkaloids, dimethoxy alstophylline.