Health Benefits of Sambong

Rose May Pimentel in Health

Apr 12, 2021 • 2 min Read

Sambong is widely used in the Philippines as herbal medicine. Sambong leaves are known for their “ngai” or Blumea camphor used as herbal medicine to treat kidney stones, wounds and cuts, rheumatism, anti-diarrhea, anti-spasms, coughs and colds and hypertension.

Sambong can be found in many forms such as teas, dried leaves, powders, tablets, capsules, etc.

Here are some of the amazing health benefits of sambong, from Medical Health Guide:

* Sambong roots and leaves are used as an herbal treatment for fevers. Roots and leaves are pounded then dissolved in cold water. Applied with a soft cloth over the nape, forehead, underarms, and other body parts to bring down the body temperature.

* Sambong roots and leaves are used as herbal medicine treatment for rheumatism. Roots and leaves are pounded and applied as poultice on the affected body parts. It may also be boiled and applied as a warm compress onto the affected area.

* Sambong is also used to treat headaches. Leaves are pounded and applied as a poultice over the forehead.

* Sambong tea is also used for colds, coughs, treatment of diarrhea, and stomach spasms.

* Sambong juice is also used for the treatment of cuts and wounds.

* Sambong herbal tea is used as a diuretic for fluid retention and hypertension conditions. It incites the body to urinate thereby removing excess body fluids and sodium. Clinical studies have shown that high levels of sodium in the blood is a major cause of hypertension.

* Sambong delay or averts renal failure. The Philippine National Kidney and Transplant Institute recommends taking sambong herbal medicine for patients with renal problems. Favorable results were noted that it may help to delay or avert dialysis or even kidney transplant.

* Sambong for the dissolution of kidney stones. The Philippine DOH has been promoting sambong herbal tea and tablets as a diuretic and for the dissolution of kidney stones. It has been recently registered in the Bureau of Foods and Drugs as medicine.

* Sambong as Anticancer: Sambong contains methanolic extract that has been found to have therapeutic activity against hepatocellular carcinoma cells. This study suggests a possible therapeutic effect of its extracts (balsamifera) in the treatment of hepatoma cancer patients.

* Sambong as Antibacterial and Antifungi: A phytochemical study indicates that sambong leaves contains the chemicals icthyothereol acetate, cyptomeridiol, lutein, and ß-carotene that has been found to have positive activity against microbes such as A niger, T mentagrophytes, and C albicans. Results also showed activities against P aeruginosa, S aureus, B subtilis, and E coli.

No wonder that this powerful herbal medicine was approved by our DOH as one of the ten alternative medicine in treating a particular disorder.

Stay healthy and safe!

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