Ati-ati (Coleus)
At around 2.30 p.m. today, I saw Nana's parents going to the Herb Garden in the school. I went out from the room to see what they were doing there. Nana's daddy told me that she was again not feeling well. Both he and his wife took her to the hospital and the doctor had given her some medication. They were trying to get a herb called Ati-ati (Coleus) from the garden to help reduce her fever and also another called halia bara for her congested lungs.
Thank goodness I went out as halia bara (Officinale Var Rubrumis) is not suitable to be used for a child as it is sharp and also hot. I think the person who gave them this herbal remedy did not consider that Nana is only one year old. As for the Coleus plant, it had died and I have yet to get a replacement for it. However, I plucked some setawar or sedingin (Kelanchoe pinnata) leaves instead and gave it to them as it is equally effective in reducing the heat from fever. I told the mother to wash the leaves thoroughly, soften them by crushing them a bit and then apply to the forehead of the child. I also told her to apply bedak sejuk (rice powder) to reduce the fever as it has a cooling effect.
Oregano or Lemuju
As for the bronchitis, I plucked some lemuju or oregano leaves (Coleus aromaticus Benth) for her. They can hold the leaves and let her smell them as that would help. They can also take three leaves and boil them with a bit of rock sugar or honey and let her drink it. That would help.
See it pays to learn about the medicinal uses of plants. That is why I have noted time and again to the teachers and staff in the school to not simply take any herb from the herb garden before asking me, my assistant or a couple of the teachers who have knowledge of herbs. If wrongly taken or used, the herbs might do more harm than good.
(Setawar kampung/Sedingin) Kelanchoe pinnata
Here is some information about the Ati-ati plant:
You can get this plant in different colours and because of that it is often planted as a decorative plant in homes.
Medicinal uses:
The leaves are used to treat coughs for adults. One needs to pound a few leaves and then mix them with water. After that sieve the water and it is to be drunk twice a day.
It is also a traditional cure for reducing fever. One needs to get a few leaves, crush them and then apply to the forehead to reduce fever.
http://bayuu.blogdrive.com/comments?id
http://www.stuartxchange.org/Oregano.html=26
No comments:
Post a Comment