Alternative Medicine in Panama - Pt 1

Posted By: PanaGal on 09.04.2007
Views: 891, Published in sections: Alternative Medicine ::

Natural Medicines in Panama- grass, herbs, and roots

Due to the elevation in prices of prescription drug and the recent problems with the medicines the CSS (social security) distributes, some to the population of Panama has returned to botanical remedies again as an alternative cheap and sure cure.

Gladys Romero, a hypertension patient says she doesn't want to take the medicines from the CSS, because she can end up worse than she is already and possibly die. Gladys buys medicinal plants in Colón on Calle 12 and Domingo Diaz.

Gladys bought a plant know as Gavilana, that is used to control blood pressure, and Hojas of Llanten to treat the kidney. Pedro Ovalle, was also there looking for Eucalyptus to cure the flu.

The sell of medicinal plants have increase and the profits are good, said Anibal Martinez, who offers these products in the Public Market of Penonomé. There you can find grasses, roots, and plants for detoxification and to strengthen the organs.

Ricardo Pinto, a colleague of Martínez has a place in the Public Market in Colón, says that in this moment his sells are better than ever, which is he attributes to 'definitively people don't trust the CSS medicine'.

Guardado and Pinto are that the products most buyers are looking for are: Gavilana, Llanten, Baratadora, Horsetail, and Eucalyptus. Calaguala, Zarza Parrilla, and roots of the Indies.

The unexpected demand for the 'natural medicine has also benefits the botanists and herbalists in various places around Panamá.

Antonio Fernández or the 'Maestro Tono', as called by his clients, is a naturalist who has sold botanicals the city of Penonomé for 34 years.

Fernández knows better than anybody the attributes of the business and he is surprised at the number of patients that came for consults in the last week. Previously he was attending the patients only on Wednesday and Friday, but now has added Thursday and the weekends.

In a normal day he saw between forty and fifty person in his practice, now the number is generally in the 70's.

Marina de Romero, a botanical specialist, of David district, in Chiriquí, has experienced the same; she has more than 1950 patients in her practice.

She says that before the announcement of CSS contaminated medicines he saw about 400 clients per month. Many clients that came every fifteen days, other every month, but now they come every day of the week from different areas of the country, including foreigners who reside in Chiriquí.

De Romero, respect medication, that's why he asks when he attends new clients if a doctor has prescribed medication so the botanical treatment will not collide with the medicines.

This botanist travels regularly to the US, Peru, Venezuela, Cub, México, Colombia, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Chile, in search of plants and also to distribute to others who trust him in these countries.

His place of practice has the fresh smell of herbs and medicinal roots that he sells. He tells the most sought after treatments are for products that lower blood pressure, blood sugars, skin elements, rheumatism, prostrate cancer, gastric and intestinal problems.

The recommends hot medicinal teas the person with hypertension, they work more rapidly. On the other hand the cold medicinal teas are good for the person who suffers digestive problems or inflammation, he says.

The largest quantities of plants in his center are Anamu, Horsetail, Llanten, Hoja de Cucaracha, Papinillo, and Calaguala, "these have 50 classes of curative properties that dispel tumors, cysts and different cancers.

The botanist was sorry that the resident of his country are even suspicious of botanical treatments. He would like to see the people treated more frequently with botanical as often the prescribed medicines are extracted from the plants.

From the US he receives 500 thousand calls a month from patients who want consultation to relieve various ailments. I am proud of this because it means I am doing a good work with medicinal plants that I'm selling.

Medical Plants and their uses:

Salvia:regulates circulatory system, nervous system and hepatitis infections.

Mastranto:stomach and intestinal aliments

Toronjil:relaxs nervous system

Palco:parasites

Fennel/Hinojo:works as a hepatitis regulator, detoxifier, and diuretic

Valerian root, Melissa, Lime Tree flower, and Orange leaves:for the nervous system

Radish/Rabano:regulates and activates circulation and

Pomarrosa leaves, Casco de Ganado:for diabetes and regulation of the blood sugar

Higorosan root:cleans the liver and pancreas

Caña Agria, Calaguala, Guabito Amargo, Hombre Grande, Horsetail, Carob Beans:they work in the kidneys and as a diuretic

This is a rough translation from La Prensa

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