Statement of the Problem ni Ibutang

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to make use of sweet potato leaves as a delicious and refreshing drink
while gaining its health benefit incorporated with vanilla and sugar. The output of this
research will help consumers to determine the proper proportion and ways in making
sweet potato leaves juice. This study aims to answer this following questions:
What is the consumers’ acceptability?
What is the actual shelf-life of the product in different storage and number of days?
What product could be produce out of the findings?

Related Literature ni Ibutang

Decoction is the best formulation

Tiejun Tang

There are several different formulations in Chinese herbal medicine. Pills, tablets,
powders, capsules are commonly used patent remedies. In addition to these formulations,
there is another commonly used formulation – decoction. It means several different raw
herbs mixed together, soaked in the water for a period of time and then boiled over fire
for about an hour, filtrate them and drink the liquid. It is the most traditional method in
Chinese herbal medicine and in my opinion, the best formulation. The reasons are below.
Firstly, decoction can give a patient an individual treatment. The treatment principle of
Chinese medicine is based on syndrome differentiation diagnosis. In the clinical practice
each individual case might need different herbs. Even the same disease with different
patient, it may need different prescription because their symptoms are not exactly the
same. For example, if two people catch cold at same time. Mr. A has a sore throat,
headache, and high temperature; but Mr. B suffers sneezing, blocked and runny nose,
with normal temperature. If we treat using a decoction, we will select different herbs
according to patient’s clinical manifestation. A good prescription will suit the individual
patient only, just like a tailor made suit for an individual person according to their
measurements.
Secondly, decoctions have good adaptability. The patient’s symptoms might
change during the treatment process. At different stages of the same disease, the patient
might need different herbs. We can amend the prescription by changing some herbs or
adjusting the dosage of some herbs. It’s better to amend the prescription once a week
according to symptoms. Let’s take irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as an example. Patients
suffering from IBS often alternate between diarrhoea and constipation. When diarrhoea
happens we need to use Baizhu, Yiyiren, Huoxiang, Peilan etc to tonify the spleen and
expel dampness. When constipation happens we need to remove Yiyiren, Huoxiang,
Peilan and add Maziren, Juemingzi to moisten the intestine and release constipation. This
adjustment can be used more often in some acute diseases and less often in stabile
chronic disease.
Thirdly, decoction is more easily absorbed by the patient. After drinking into the
stomach, the effective substances in the decoction will be absorbed through the
gastrointestinal system and into the blood within half to one hour. The result is much
quicker than with other formulations.
The disadvantage of decoction is that it requires a little preparation time. The
patient needs to spend some time boiling the herbs every day. The other disadvantage
sometimes is its taste which is usually quite bitter. You can add some sugar or honey
before drinking it. Many people gradually get used to the bitter taste after taking them for
a period of time. Some even start to like the magic coffee, because they get a lot of
benefits from the herbal decoction.
Decoction is the best formulation, but a good treatment depends on correct
diagnosis. Nevertheless, if disease is misdiagnosed, no formulation will work. However,
if you get it right, you are sure to hit the target spot on!

Anti-inflammatory Activity of Decoctions of Leaves and Stems of Anisomeles

indica at Preflowering and Flowering Stages
M.G. Dharmasiri.W.D. Ratnasooriya & M.I. Thabrew
A decoction of leaves and stems of Anisomeles indica (Lamiaceae) is claimed to
possess anti-inflammatory activity in Sri Lankan traditional medicine. The plants at both
preflowering and flowering stages are used as an anti-inflammatory agent. However, the
anti-inflammatory activity of the plant has not been scientifically evaluated thus far. The
aims of this study were to evaluate scientifically the anti-inflammatory activity of
decoctions of leaves and stems of A. indica at pre-flowering and flowering stages and
possible toxic effects of the decoctions. Three doses of the freeze-dried decoction of a
pre-flowering plant (E1) (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) and one dose of the decoction of a
plant at flowering stage (E2) (500 mg/kg) were orally administered to rats. The anti-
inflammatory activity was evaluated using the carrageenan-induced paw edema,
formaldehyde-induced paw edema and adjuvant-induced paw edema models in rats. E1
demonstrated a significant (P < 0.01) and dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effect in
all three models, while E2 did not demonstrate significant anti-inflammatory activity. E1
demonstrated a significant (P < 0.01) and dose-dependent antihistamine activity and
free radical scavenging activities in addition to the previously reported membrane
stabilising and cyclooxygenase-I inhibitory activities. However, E1 failed to impair
significantly the in vitro activity of lipoxygenase. A 30-day treatment with 500 mg/kg of E1
was not liver toxic or renotoxic, and it did not have a significant effect on body weights. It
was concluded that the anti-inflammatory activity of E1 is contributed by cyclooxygenase-
1 inhibition, plasma membrane stabilisation, antihistamine and free radical scavenging
activities, but not by the inhibition of lipoxygenase. These observations prove scientifically
the anti-inflammatory activity of A. indica, mentioned in the Sri Lankan traditional
medicine, while revealing a loss of the activity after flowering.