University of the Philippines Manila has developed a cost-effective painkiller made with Yerba Buena (Mentha x Villosa HudsFam. Lamiaceae).
Cecilia Malamba, director of the university’s Chinese Herbal Medicine Institute, said she has looked at what traditional healers are doing, looking for ways to relieve pain, and found Yerba Buena as an effective alternative.
“We are looking for ways to relieve the pain, and our first suggestion (Was) Yerba Buena (this) came from our traditional healer. Ginagamit DinPo nila’to (they use this too) in pain,” the director told GMA News in an interview.
“And what we do at the lab is to scientifically examine many of the suggestions on what our traditional healers do.
(They are like starting points. There are many other plants screened, but due to the pain, your babuena looks the best.)
According to Maramba, similar pain-relieving ingredients such as mentolactone, betacitosterol and betacitosterol-beta-D-glucosidase were found in plants.
The trials were tested on four types of patients after dental extraction, postnatal birth, enteropathy, terminal surgery, and postnatal delivery after avoidance.
Herbal medicine reduces pain in 10 minutes, and patients say they no longer experience the pain in 30 minutes to an hour. This makes Maramba “equivalent” to paracetamol.
The relief reportedly lasts for up to 13 hours in circumcision, tooth extraction, and relieve moderate to severe postoperative pain from childbirth.
“The patient was pleased with the relief of the pain it was inflicting,” the doctor added.
The study showed no adverse effects compared to over-the-counter painkillers.
Paracetamol, for example, still poses risks. “Live damage, especially with the metabolite napke, or n-acetyl-P-benzoquinone imine, is a toxic byproduct that is produced during the xenobiotic metabolism of paracetamol when ingested at high doses.”
Researchers did not see such effects on Yerba Buena tablets.
“So, the problem with paracetamol, well, some people are allergic to it. With chronic use, it can have liver toxicity.” Pag Mashadon Matagar Jinagamit or Masithin Matagar Dauss na Ginagamit. Paracetamol,” she said.
(If used for too long or if the dose is too high. So, it was not seen in Yerba Buena, especially due to chronic toxicity tests performed.)
Yerba Buena tablets also showed no common side effects such as stomach irritation and liver toxicity associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
“It was safe for the liver and safe for the kidneys. That’s something I don’t like about paracetamol. Other painkillers like your NSAID, ibuprofen and mefenamic acid usually have gastritis or sometimes even ulcers if you use it for a long time,” she said.
Aside from its effectiveness, UP experts have focused on the affordable prices of herbal tablets, as prices are sold between P4 and P7 per tablet.
Natural painkillers were included in the Philippine National Ceremony in 2008, but were removed due to a lack of raw materials for mass production.
However, now we are ready for mass production to protect new technologies and property rights.
With this product, Maramba hopes that the Philippines will be self-sufficient in that it has painkillers and will later help its exports to other countries.
“Makatulong din Sa (the other one helps) If they grow this, the farmers will become part of the cash crop. Generally, we really want something that Filipinos have made, something that will make us self-sufficient too.
Malamba urged investors to consider manufacturing and distribution of products to help Filipinos relieve pain.
“I think there’s one company so far that’s interested in commercializing this. So I’m hoping for Siguro (maybe) next year or hopefully a shorter Na Maging (Be) available na po siya sa market kasi (because I want people to use this NA,” she said.
“If you have any (investors) who want to invest in our new products, think of this Yerba Buena as being manufactured and distributed. I think it will really help Filipinos.” – LA, GMA Integrated News
