Folk Medical uses of Lunas Lunasia Amara Blanco by the Manobo people, traditional healers and residents of Agusan del Sur, Philippines.

This paper presents a folkloric survey of the traditional uses and preparations of Lunasia amara (Blanco). Interviews among the snowball-sampled key informants composed of a resident, a traditional healer and a Manobo healer from each of the sampled areas in the province of Agusan del Sur, Philippines. Results show that the plant is sourced for its medicinal value either from the tree ('lunas-kahoy') and/or the vine ('lunas-bagon'). The bark of the tree or the vine is used as anti-inflammatory (for wounds, bites, skin diseases, fever, ulcer, nausea, heartburn and gastroenteritis); antimotility (diarrhea); antihistamines (for skin allergies and itchiness); antiparasitic (for malaria); antibacterial (for skin diseases and stomach troubles); antitoxin (for food poison, poisoning, tetanus, snake and insect venom); and antiviral (for rabies, chikungunya and dengue). Key informants typically infused the bark with coconut oil and/or tinctured with a local wine ('Kulafu') being affordable and convenient to use. The application of the plant preparations was either by rubbing the infusion to the affected areas or drinking the infusion or tincture if the problem is internal. The current study is in concurrence with those reported ethnomedical applications of the plant done elsewhere indicating that this plant has important pharmacological and chemical properties that should be further investigated.