I.

Herbal Therapies

Herbal plants have been a great source for medical

properties and it’s been used as a Herbal therapy. Here in
the Philippines herbal therapy was used even before the
Spanish era and since Physicians were not present those
days the one who’s using the herbal plants as medicines is
the ‘Albularyo’ (the herbalist). The Albularyos are known to
be a herbal plant expert, at those times where people still
believe that the causes of illness are from supernaturals
they go to the Albularyo to drive their sickness away.

Up until now many people are still going to an Albularyo

especially in provinces where health care utilities are not all
available and accessible and also we can’t hide the fact that
going to a health care facility might be expensive, that’s why
they settle more on much cheaper, accessible and easy to
find in their community and that is Albularyo and plants.

Of course not all plants can be considered as a herbal plant,

that’s why there are selected plants only for medicinal use,
such as:
> Turmeric (Curcuma longa) that can be used as an
anti-oxidant, wound healing, pain relief, anti-aging and

many more.

Another example of a herbal plant is Saluyot (Corchorious

Olitorious) that can be used as a laxative, antidiabetic,
antifungal and many more.
Nowadays herbal plants are converted as a medicament in
order for it to be more efficient and effective. These are
plants that turns out as a supplement:

1. Mangosteen (Mangostana garcinia Gaertn.)

- Mangosteen has been proven and tested by many
scientists, many studies are shown the effective uses of this
plant and fruit.
 Abdominal pain and diarrhea.
  Bark and young seeds used in diarrhea, dysentery, and
GI problems; also, a wash for stomatitis.

2. Lagundi (Vitex negundo Linn.)

- Lagundi is insanely popular as a herbal plant, as many
studies were formed about how effective this plant is, as a
medicine.
 Seeds are prepared as cooling medicine for skin
diseases, leprosy, and inflammation of the mouth.
 For fever, headache, toothache, cough, asthma.
3. Malunggay (Moringa oleifera Lam)
- Like the other two, this plant has been used not only for
herbal therapy but also as an supplement, and also every
part of this plant used, either it’s edible or as a medicine.
 Seeds for hypertension, gout, asthma, hiccups, and as
a diuretic.
 for inflammatory swelling
Pills, supplements, etc makes everything faster and more
efficient especially when you want to feel better quickly, we
rely for these kind of medicament but many people still use
herbal plants and believes in an organic way of treating
people better.

Plants that are used for medicine really helps a lot with
Herbal therapies, whether it can be formed as a supplement
or just using the actual plant itself. The fact that plants are
organic and chemical free makes it effective and safe to
people who uses it.
 II. Pediatric Pharmacology

Pediatric Pharmacology provides guidelines for newborns,

children and adolescents on the safety and effectiveness of
a drug and on how it works to them.

First, we have to understand what Pediatric means.

Pediatrics is a branch of medicine that covers the health,
care and to know the diseases of newborns, children and
adolescents up to the age of 18.

Pediatrician are the person behind Pediatric, what does a

Pediatrician do?. They are the Physicians who are experts in
providing health care and prevention for the children, not
only in their physical health but also in their mental and
emotional welfare.
 Pediatric also covers the management and the
development of the child after the intervention, they would
check whether there’s improvement or none, if their care
worked on the child, for them to evaluate the management
and the plan they’ve done to their patient.

How does pharmacology relates to Pediatrics? Since

medicine is also needed for the children, Pharmacology is
the best branch to relate with Pediatrics, and it will also
serve as guide on what is the right medicine to use, not only
on maternal parent, it could also be through the whole
family so they would know what is the right dosage for
children, if the medicine is only effective on kids and how
does adult medicine differ from children’s medicine.

Pediatric differs from Geriatric, since an infant or a child has

a smaller body, it is physiologically different from an adult.
Legal issues also concerns with Pediatrics since the child
cannot make a decision on its own, the Physicians can;t do
anything to the child unless the family stated some.

Pediatric Pharmacists job is important because they don’t

only counsel the kids and their families about the medicine
they will use but they also track after the medication time
and make sure that there’s no harmful drug and unexpected
reactions.

III. Geriatric Pharmacology

While Pediatrics is for children, Geriatric on the other

hand are for adults.
 Geriatric Pharmacology gives focus on adult clients on
counselling and guiding them about health and the medicine
appropriate for them. Like Pediatrics, Geriatric also concerns
with the after effect of the intervention, they want to make
sure that there’s no harm done or if any bad reactions from
the client.

Geriatrics focuses and gives importance more on elderly

people, their main goal is to prevent, treat illnesses and
diseases and also check on their well being.

Clients of Geriatric Physicians starts from the age of 65 and

up, meaning they are vulnerable, and since they are getting
older their drug metabolism changes, that’s why Geriatric
Pharmacists should be extra careful in giving medicine and
that’s why Pharmacology is important.

Geriatric Pharmacists are responsible for labeling

medications and counselling the patients about the proper
usage of the medicine.
The breathing and airway also what makes pediatric
patients and adult patients different.
What differs between an adult with geriatric is geriatric
focuses with the exact need of an elderly patient.
Example:

1. Memantine for Dementia, which is a usual case to happen

to an old person.
2. Omidria for cataract

And many more.

Elderly care differs, not only because they are vulnerable but
also they are not getting younger and the risks of everything
is too high at the moment, and it’s a big challenge for
everyone to take good care of the elderly.
References:

http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
https://www.herbanext.com/philippine-medicinal-herb
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_medicine_in_the_
Philippines
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pediatrics
https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Pediatrics.a
spx
https://www.pharmacytimes.com/publications/issue/2004/
2004-11/2004-11-4789
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geriatrics

Wesleyan University - Philippines

CONAMS (College of Nursing)
TERM PAPER IN PHARMACOLOGY
Chrishafer P. Matugas
BSN 2-3