''Blumea balsamifera'' is a flowering plant belonging to the genus '' Blumea'' of the family Asteraceae. It is also known as Ngai camphor and sambong (also sembung).

Description

In the Philippines, where it is most commonly known as sambong, ''Blumea balsamifera'' is used in traditional herbal medicine for the

common cold The common cold or the cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract that primarily affects the respiratory mucosa of the nose, throat, sinuses, and larynx. Signs and symptoms may appear fewer than two days after exposu ...

and as a diuretic. It is also used for infected wounds, respiratory infections, and stomach pains in

Thai Thai or THAI may refer to: * Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia ** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand ** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand *** Thai script *** Thai (Unicode block ...

and Chinese folk medicine. The genus ''Blumea'' is found in the tropical and sub-tropical zones of Asia, especially the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. ''Blumea balsamifera'' is one of its species that is used in Southeast Asia. A weed, this plant is a ruderal species that often grows on disturbed land,Sambong listing at Stuart X Change list of Medicinal plants
Accessed December 25, 2009. and in grasslands. It has been described physically as:

Use in the Philippines

In most of the Philippines, ''B. balsamifera'' is called ''sambong'' (pronounced with pure vowels as sahm-BOHNG) in the

Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Tagal ...

language, but in Visayas it is known as ''bukadkad'' or ''gabon'', and in Ilocos it is sometimes called ''subusob'', ''subsub'', or ''sobsob''. - Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of Philippines Official government website. Accessed December 25, 2009.Philippine Herbal Medicine website
Accessed December 25, 2009. Its primary uses are as a diuretic (or "water pill") and to treat symptoms of the

.Bernardo M. Villegas, "Business and Society: High-value crops", '' Manila Bulletin'', November 29, 2009, found a
Manila Bulletin
. Accessed December 25, 2009. As a diuretic, sambong is an herb used to treat urolithiasis (urinary tract or kidney stones) and urinary tract infections, and thus reduces

high blood pressure Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high bl ...

. Sambong works as an expectorant, an anti-diarrheal and an anti-spasmotic, all of which treat some

symptom Signs and symptoms are the observed or detectable signs, and experienced symptoms of an illness, injury, or condition. A sign for example may be a higher or lower temperature than normal, raised or lowered blood pressure or an abnormality showin ...

s of the common cold. It is also sometimes used as an astringent for wounds. It is approved by the Philippine Department of Health, Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care, and by the Bureau of Plant Industries of the Department of Agriculture. ''No'' claim has been made by any responsible practitioner that it would

cure A cure is a substance or procedure that ends a medical condition, such as a medication, a surgical operation, a change in lifestyle or even a philosophical mindset that helps end a person's sufferings; or the state of being healed, or cured. The ...

the common cold or

kidney disease Kidney disease, or renal disease, technically referred to as nephropathy, is damage to or disease of a kidney. Nephritis is an inflammatory kidney disease and has several types according to the location of the inflammation. Inflammation can ...

, and it has "No Approved Therapeutic Claims". Rather the only legitimate claim is that it relieves symptoms. The active ingredients exist in the volatile oil, made from the leaves of the sambong, which have mostly

camphor Camphor () is a waxy, colorless solid with a strong aroma. It is classified as a terpenoid and a cyclic ketone. It is found in the wood of the camphor laurel ('' Cinnamomum camphora''), a large evergreen tree found in East Asia; and in the k ...

and limonene, but also has traces of

borneol Borneol is a bicyclic organic compound and a terpene derivative. The hydroxyl group in this compound is placed in an '' endo'' position. The exo diastereomer is called isoborneol. Being chiral, borneol exists as enantiomers, both of which are foun ...

saponin Saponins (Latin "sapon", soap + "-in", one of), also selectively referred to as triterpene glycosides, are bitter-tasting usually toxic plant-derived organic chemicals that have a foamy quality when agitated in water. They are widely distributed ...

, sesquiterpene, and tannin. Sambong is available as a tea inamoka, and may be purchased commercially. The tea has a woody taste, with hint of

menthol Menthol is an organic compound, more specifically a monoterpenoid, made synthetically or obtained from the oils of corn mint, peppermint, or other mints. It is a waxy, clear or white crystalline substance, which is solid at room temperature and ...

, described on an official Government of the Philippines website as "a strong camphoraceous odor and a pungent taste".

Uses elsewhere in Asia

In Thai folklore, it is called Naat (หนาด) and is reputed to ward off spirits. It is also used in the treatment of infection. In addition, it is used in traditional Chinese medicine, in

Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...

folk medicine, and in Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Besides its medicinal uses, it may also be used as a decorative dry plant. The Bodos, of Assam, India, use it as a flavourful herb and add it to soups, chicken, curries, and also as a side dish with chillies and native soda ash water called '' kharwi''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2704178 Inuleae Flora of Asia Plants used in Ayurveda Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

Description

Use in the Philippines

Uses elsewhere in Asia

See also

References