Lagundi or Vitex negundo is a large Philippine native shrub which has comprised used as a traditional herbal medicine for centuries. It is normally found in tropical, subtropical and also warm temperate areas throughout the world, especially in the Philippines.

Lagundi research conducted by the Philippine Department of Health has advised that the plant has a enumerate of practical uses, and the use of lagundi is actively promoted by the government as a result. Foreign countries, preparations of lagundi are some of the times available at stores which supply herbal medicines, or through practicians of herbal and alternative medicine.

Lagundi is native to the swamps of the Philippines, where it can sometimes grow quite tall. It has a single thick, woody stem like a trunk, and the leaves appear palmately, in the form of five pointed leaves which splay out like the fingers of a hand. The leaves, root, flowers, and seeds of lagundi all appear to have medicinal values.

The use of five leaved chaste tree for medicinal purposes has been known for a long time in China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines and other Asian countries. Today, pharmaceutical companies in Japan are importing wild vitex negundo from Philippines. The root is reported to be tonic, febrifuge, and expectorant. The root is also used in a great variety of diseases: dyspepsia, colic, rheumatism, worms, boils, and leprosy. The flowers are used in diarrhea, cholera, fever, and diseases of the liver, and are also recommended as a cardiac tonic. The seeds make a cooling medicine for skin diseases and leprosy, and for inflammation of the mouth. The leaves are used as a tea for conditions like coughs and asthma.

Preparations of lagundi have been used for a wide variety of complaints traditionally, although scientific research has concentrated on its use for respiratory complaints. Lagundi is generally accepted in the Philippines to be useful for coughs, asthma symptoms, and other respiratory problems, and the Philippine government actively promotes it as an alternative to Western cough medicines. Some doctors also prescribe lagundi to assist in the treatment of asthma, as regular doses appear to reduce the strength of asthma attacks.

As an analgesic, lagundi also appears to have some efficacy. It has been compared to drugs like aspirin in trials which show that lagundi may be useful in the treatment of things like pain after dental extractions. Some people like to take lagundi before going in for extractions, in an attempt to pre-empt the associated pain and discomfort.

Lagundi is prepared by boiling it, steeping it, and then straining it. At home, people make lagundi teas from the leaves, often producing a large amount and bottling the excess to use later. Commercially, lagundi can be purchased in the form of syrup or capsules to make it easier to handle. It is also blended in with cough medicines and other herbal remedies.

As with other herbal medicines, lagundi should not be taken without consulting a doctor, as it may potentially conflict with other medications or it may be contraindicated for a particular condition. If your doctor is resistant to herbal treatments, you may want to seek out a practitioner who supports complementary medicine so that you can get sound advice about whether or not lagundi is safe for you.

USES OF LAGUNDI:

• Asthma
• Cough
• Fever
• dysentery
• Colds & pain in any part of the body
• Skin diseases & wounds- dermatitis, scabies, ulcer, eczema
• Headache
• Rheumatism
• Sprain
• Confusions
• Insect bites
• Aromatic bath for sick patients

PREPARATIONS:

1. Put one glass of dried leaves or as desired in the pot or frying pan.
2. Fry the dried leaves until crisp. Frying prevents molds formation.
3. Crush the fried leaves using mortar and pestle.
4. The remaining fried leaves will be use for the tea.
5. Put one tbsp. of fried crushed leaves in the teabags.
6. Secure the teabags by sewing or staple and put a string.