Plants used in healing practices of the Applai tribe in Tadian, Mt. Province

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the medicinal plants used by the Applai tribe. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: 1. What illnesses are common among the Applai Tribe? Hypothesis: The illnesses that are common among the Applai Tribe are colds, cough and diarrhea. 2. What are the plants utilized by the local healers of the Applai tribe? Hypothesis: the plants utilized by the local healers of the Applai Tribe are banana (baat, sword agave (maguey) and wire grass (sang sangitan). 3. What are the parts of the plants commonly utilized in treating the illness? Hypothesis: The parts of the plants commonly utilized in healing the illnesses are the whole plant, stem or the leaves. 4. What are the methods by which the plants are prepared and applied? Hypothesis: The methods by which the plants are prepared and applied are decoction and oral administration by drinking. 5. What Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material can be developed to enhance awareness to herbal medicine among the members of the Applai Tribe? The descriptive method of research was used in this study. This research covered the medical plants used by the Applai Tribe. The data gathered were examined carefully.The following are the major findings of the study. 1.The people of the Applai tribe are commonly infected with cough, colds, painful urination, diarrhea, tooth ache, skin abscess, fever, scabies, and Tinea flava.2. All of the 20 local healers utilize mango (mangga), banana (baat), pomelo (suwa) and indian cherry (dael). The least used is maguey which only corresponds to 5%. 3.The most utilized part of the medicinal plants in healing illnesses are the leaves which corresponds to 60 %. The least utilized is using the whole plant and the stem which corresponds to 5 %. 4.Nine plants (45 %) are prepared through decoction while one plant only (5 %) is prepared through infusion, cutting into halves or rubbing. 5.Forty five percent (45 %) of the medicinal plants were orally administered through drinking taken as herbal teas. The other medicinal plants were orally administered through eating (15 %) and topically used through poultice (20 %), plaster (20 %), bathing (15 %), steam bath which is only 10%. The least is using the extract which is only 5 %. Based on the findings, the following are the conclusions of the study. 1.The common illnesses that affect the people are cough, common colds, Urinary Tract Infection, diarrhea, tooth ache, skin abscess, fever, scabies and Tinea flava. 2.Medicinal plants are used by local healers to alleviate the common illnesses. 3.The most common part of medicinal plants used are the leaves. 4.Decoction is the most common method of preparation of the twenty (20) medicinal plants. 5.Oral intake is the common method of administration of these medicinal plants. Based on the findings the following proposals are offered: 1.There has to be a more thorough study on the common illnesses among the Applai tribe to further elaborate on the illnesses. 2.Cultivation of medicinal plants among the people of the Applai tribe has to be encouraged to boost the use of medicinal plants. 3.A phytochemical analysis to isolate and characterize the bioactive components of these plants has to also be encouraged to further identify if these plants are really safe and effective for consumption. 4.There has to be a follow up study focusing on effectiveness of preparation and application of the medicinal plants. 5.The local healers with the Barangay officials have to conduct information dissemination on the use of medicinal plants to acknowledge its importance to the community. 6.The local healers and the community have to be encouraged to use the manual on medicinal plants produced in this study for their guidance.