The Philippines has two seasons, the dry season which is from December to May and then the

wet season which comes around June until November. The wet season in the Philippines also
brings with it various diseases ranging from the common colds, to influenza and other diseases
involving the respiratory system like bronchitis or broncho-pneumonia. And then there is also the
almost perennial dreaded disease called Dengue. Just recently, this disease has hogged the news
and the Philippines’ department of health has even considered announcing an "outbreak" of the
said disease.
Dengue is a disease caused by a family of viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes. This said
virus can be contracted from the bite of a striped mosquito known as Aedes aegypti mosquito.
The disease can be spread by the dengue carrier mosquitoes or by the mosquito having
previously bitten an infected person thereby creating the person-to-mosquito-to-another-person
pathway of spreading the said disease. Although the spread of the disease is alarming, this
particular disease is not contagious and cannot be spread directly from one person to another.
The common symptoms of dengue include the presence of the "dengue triad" characterized by
fever, rash and headache. Other signs of dengue include bleeding gums, severe pain behind the
eyes and red palms and soles. Dengue causes hemorrhaging of the internal organs which may
lead to death of the patient.
Since the dengue fever is caused by a virus, there is no specific medicine or antibiotic to treat it.
For typical dengue, the immediate concern is the relief of symptoms. Adequate fluid intake for
proper body hydration and lots of rest is very important. All else will depend on the person’s
immune system.
However since the Philippines is abundant with herbal medicines, there is a certain plant, a weed
if you must, that is being touted as an alternative cure to dengue fever. This plant is called the
tawa-tawa (scientific name: euphoria hirta).
The tawa-tawa plant is described as having numerous flowers which measures about 5 to 8
centimeters each with sepals and petals that are obovate-oblong, yellowish-green and covered
with large, reddish-brown blotches. This particular weed has been attested to by dengue
survivors to cure dengue fever and is being actively advocated by herbalists as treatment for
dengue even though the Department of Health does not endorse it because extensive research on
the weed has not been undertaken.
Despite this unenthusiastic response from the DOH, there are still a lot of people who are willing
to try the tawa-tawa in tea form to cure dengue fever. The effect of the tawa-tawa plant in the
body is that it enables the body to produce more platelets which are essential for blood clotting
or anti-bleeding. Within twenty-four hours of one cup hourly intake of the tawa-tawa tea, the
dengue fever will be cured.
In making the tawa-tawa tea, take 5 to 6 whole tawa-tawa plants, cut off the roots and then wash
and clean. Add water then let boil for about a minute. Let cool and then you have your tawa-tawa
tea. Let the dengue patient drink one cup of this concoction every hour for 24 hours. Within this
period, the patient will feel much better thanks to the medicinal benefits of tawa-tawa.

The Tawa-tawa Plant Against the Dreaded Dengue

by Marie A., Staff Writer (Ranked #16 expert in Alternative Medicine)

http://factoidz.com/the-tawatawa-plant-against-the-dreaded-dengue-3/
Tawa-tawa is a naturally growing weed which is believed to
cure dengue fever. A lot of dengue patients claim its
effectiveness and continue to advise those who are infected
by the virus to take the tawa-tawa tea.However, there are no
studies yet to prove its medical use.
The mortality rate of those who are suffering from dengue fever is increasing specially during
rainy seasons here in the Philippines. Mosquitoes multiply fast in dumpy areas and
Aedes mosquitoes-the dengue causing mosquitoes are of course growing in number as well.

Within the rural communities in the southern part of the Philippines, dengue fever

is really alarming. This is not because people are uninformed on how to take care patients
suffering from this kind of fever but because, in most cases, the disease is discovered in its later
stage and immediate medication is of no avail. The fact that there are no vaccines and medicines
yet for such disease, when the patient’s platelet count drops 30, then a blood transfusion is the
alternative of getting back the lost platelet. Local doctors argue that suspected dengue patients
should submit for a platelet count earlier especially when an on and off fever is experienced for
several days for early diagnosis.
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Why is dengue fever discovered late in many cases? In most rural areas in the Mindanao,
Philippines, there are no hospitals and if there are, it does not have the facility for platelet
counting. Usually, the death of the relatives if unproved to be caused by dengue fever is blamed
for supernatural punishments, heavenly calling and the like.
Tawa-tawa weed is believed to be the cure of dengue fever. Most Filipinos would resort
to take plenty of water boiled from clean tawa-tawa weed with the hope to increase the number
of platelet count. As soon as the family member suffered from an on and off fever for more than
three days, a glassful of tawa-tawa will be administered to the patient in an unidentified volume
as long as the patient choose to take it. Miracle as it may seem, more and more Filipinos
especially in Mindanao claimed the effectiveness of the weed. This also prevents the financially
unstable Filipino family from incurring a high hospital expenses for being confined due to
dengue fever.
 Tawa-tawa weeds can be found anywhere regardless of soil types in most areas of the
southern and northern Mindanao, Philippines. One could hardly find it in industrialized and
highly urbanized cities of the country. Though no authorized government or non government
entities yet have proclaimed what this kind of weed can do to cure or prevent the virus, there are
already tawa-tawa powered leaves sold in some pharmacies nationwide.
Along with the other food supplements and fruit juices, tawa-tawa tea is the prime liquid
intakes by most of the dengue patients and the doctors of the community neither recommend nor
prohibit the tawa-tawa tea.
The wonders of tawa-tawa weeds are not yet proven but there are current progressing
medical studies seeking to unfold the tawa-tawa’s effectiveness for patients diagnosed with
dengue fever.
One of the most important thing for the community i

Read more: http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/tawa-tawa-tea-makes-dengue-fever-

less-alarming/#ixzz17Cw9jgcH

Dengue fever cure using Tawa Tawa

January 8, 2010
tags: Dengue, Health, Herbal medicine, Indigenous knowledge, Tawa Tawa
by mpost
By MAHATA
 Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a much feared disease caused by a virus
carried via mosquito bites. Dengue causes hemorrhaging of the internal organs to a point that it
causes death. Western medicine does not offer a cure for dengue. It merely says that treatment is
supportive and all you need to do is pray that the dengue victim is strong enough to fight the
virus.
But here in the Philippines, many people know and have attested to the fact that they and many
others have been cured of dengue via a simple weed. This weed is called Gatas Gatas in the
province of Leyte. But in Butuan City they call it Tawa Tawa.
A nephew, seven-year-old Jeremy, came down with dengue fever. Immediately, relatives in
Cagayan de Oro City who knew about the curative power of Tawa Tawa, sent via airplane a
handful of Tawa Tawa. In 24 hours, my nephew was cured.
My aunt Portia is the known herbalist in the National Housing Authority office in Quezon City.
There are lots of Tawa Tawa weeds growing around the NHA compound. Many NHA
employees who have had trouble with dengue fever in their family have gone to Auntie Portia for
help.
We planted a couple of Tawa Tawa weeds in our own garden. Just in case.
Here’s how Auntie Portia prepares her Tawa Tawa herbal medicine:
•Take 5 to 6 full whole Tawa Tawa plants
•Cut off the roots
•Wash and clean
•Fill a boiling pot with clean water
•Boil the Tawa Tawa for 1 (one) minute in a slow rolling boil
•Pour the Tawa Tawa water and let cool
•Let the dengue fever victim drink only the Tawa Tawa water for 24 hours
•Sip 1 to 1.5 glasses of Tawa Tawa water every hour
The internal hemorrhaging will stop and the dengue fever will be cured within 24 hours.
That’s it. Simple cure. Give it early enough. Tawa Tawa does not interfere with your western
medical treatments. So you need not ask your doctor’s advise.
(MAHATA or MAmamayan, HAyupan at TAniman advocates organic farming—the integration
of culinary herbs, medicinal plant and high value crops using the concept of community based
agroforestry as an effective approach to protecting the environment.)
NOTE: For a more extensive coverage of how to handle Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, please visit
http://www.denguecure.com