What is Lagundi?
Lagundi or Vitex Negundo is a large shrub from the Philippines, which has been used as a traditional herbal medicine for centuries. Research conducted by the Philippine Ministry of Health has proposed that the plant has a number of practical uses and its use is actively promoted by the government. In addition to the Philippines, lagundi preparations are sometimes available in shops that supply herbal medicines, or through practitioners of herbal and alternative medicine. It has a single thick, woody stem like a suitcase and leaves appear palms, in the form of five pointed leaves that stretch like the fingers of the hand. It seems that leaves, roots, flowers and seeds Lagundi have a healing value. In the Philippines it is generally accepted as useful for cough, symptoms of asthma and other respiratory problems, and the Philippine government actively promotes it as an alternative to the western cough drugs. Some doctors also prescribe this to help in the treatment of asthma because the common doses appear to reduce the strength of asthmaticCH attacks.
As an analgesic, Lagundi also seems to have some efficiency. It has been compared with medicines such as aspirin in studies that show that it can be useful in the treatment of things like pain after tooth extraction. Some people like to take Lagundi before embarking on extraction, in an effort to eliminate related pain and discomfort.
Lagundi is prepared by cooking, soaking it and then stabbing. At home, people produce teas from leaves, often produce a large amount and excess filling later. Commercially, Lagundi can be purchased in the form of syrup or capsule to make it easier to process. It is also mixed with cough drugs and other herbal means.
As with other herbal drugs, lagundi should not be taken without consulting a doctor, as it can potentially contradict other medicines or may be contraindicated for a particular condition. If a health care provider is resistant to herbalBy treatment, the patient may want to seek a doctor who promotes a supplementary medicine to get healthy advice on whether this herb is safe.