Sambong

What Is Sambong

Scientific Names: Blumea balsamifera L. DC

Also knows as:

Alibum,Lakad-bulan, Alimon, Lalakdan. Sambong (Tag.), Dalapot, Sob-sob, Gabuen. Subusub, Blumea camphor(Engl.), Kambibon, Ngai camphor (Engl.).

Sambong is used as herbal medicine and is a shrub that grows wild in the tropical climate countries such as Philippines, India, Africa and found even in eastern Himalayas. Sambong is widely used in the Philippines as herbal medicine. Sambong leaves are known for its ngai or Blumea camphor that is used as herbal medicine to treat kidney stones, wounds and cuts, rheumatism, anti-diarrhea, anti spasms, colds and coughs and hypertension. The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) has develop the technology for a sambong herbal medicine tablet.

Sambong is an aromatic shrub, that grows from 1 to 4 meters in height. It is considered as a weed in some countries and is difficult to eradicate. Sambong has yellow flowering heads that is 6 mm long. Sambong leaves are green obloid that spreads in a pyramidial pattern. Sambong bears fruits that are ribbed and hairy on top. Sambong fruit has 1 seed.

Sambong, Traditional Herbal Medicine - Health Benefits

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  Sambong roots and leaves are used as herbal treatment for fevers, sambong leaves and roots are pounded then dissolved in cold water. Applied with a soft cloth over the nape, forehead, uderarms and other body parts to bring down the body temperature.
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  Sambong roots and leaves are also used as herbal medicine treatment for rheumatism. Sambong roots and leaves are pounded and applied as poultice on the affected body part. Sambong roots and leaves may also be boiled and are applied as warm compress onto affected area
• Sambong is also used to treat headache, sambong leaves are pounded and applied as a poultice over the forehead.
• Sambong tea are also used as herbal medicine for colds and coughs.
• Sambong tea are also used for herbal treatment of diarrhea and stomach spasms.
• Sambong juice are also used for treatment of cuts and wounds.

Sambong, Herbal Medicine Preparation

Sambong tea preparation:

• gather fresh smabong leaves, cut in small pieces
• wash with fresh water
• boil 50 grams of sambong leaves to a liter of water
• let it seep for 10 minutes
• remove from heat
• drink while warm 4 glasses a day for best results.

Sambong poultice

• gather fresh leaves and roots
• wash with fresh clean water
• pound in a mortar
• grounded leaves may be applied or a juice extract may be used

Sambong Capsules and tablets

Powdered Sambong leaves are available in 250 mg tablets at the DOH's Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) Tel # (632)727-6199.

Sambong, Scientific Studies - Medical Uses

         Sambong as diuretic for hypertension and fluid retension. Sambong herbal tea is used as a diureticfor fluid retension and hydpertension conditions. Sambong herbal tea 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 sambong may help to delay or avert dialysis or even kidney transplant.

Samobng of rthe Dissolution of Kidney Stones. The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) has been promoting Sambong herbal tea and tablets as a diuretic and for the dissolution of kidney stones. Sambong 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. A study of sambong (balsamifera) extract inhibits the activity in rat and human hepatocellular carcinoma cells without cytotoxicity. This study suggest a possible therapeutic effect of sambong extracts (balsamifera) in the treatement of hepatoma cancerpatients.

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