xii, a, 4 Brill and Wells: Medicinal Plants, II 185 



pinos, the roots of Rourea erecta are more astringent than 

 balsamic. 



The data gathered up to date in regard to the use of palo 

 santo in the Philippine Islands are to a certain extent contra- 

 dictory. Some say that a decoction from the roots up to the dose 

 of a teaspoonful is an emetic, but if this dose is exceeded, it is a 

 poison. This decoction mixed with the food and given to hogs 

 and dogs will kill them. The animal becomes nauseated and 

 dies, but if nausea does not follow, the animal will swoon and 

 will expire without recovering. 



Information received from La Union Province presents similar 

 evidence with some details of the symptoms as follows : 



The animal staggers and falls to the ground moaning and expires after 

 a while. 



Others claim that death does not follow immediately, but after 

 an interval of three or four days. 



Other information received from Samal (Bataan) is that the 

 decoction from the bark of the roots expedites childbirth and 

 that the fruits are poisonous and are used to kill dogs. 



And lastly, reports from Pangasinan do not mention the roots 

 or the stems, but state that the fresh or dried leaves in decoction 

 are used to cure gastralgia and are an absorbent. 



The medicinal properties which Delgado 33 attributes to palo 

 santo (guicos guicos, hanmabao) , and according to Blanco also 

 known as camagsd taquilis (Tag.), ungali na mapuld magtabig, 

 and mavindato (Visayan and Pampango), are those that cause 

 the natives from the vicinity of Manila to make use of the roots 

 of the species herein mentioned. However, guicos guicos is not 

 Rourea erecta (Blanco) Merrill, but it. volubilis (Blanco) Merrill, 

 which was identified by Fernandez-Villar as Rourea heterophylla 

 Planchon, a synonym of R. volubilis Merr. 



Delgado states that one of the medicinal vines for many ail- 

 ments is that which is called by the natives of some islands 

 guicos guicos, while in others they call it hanmabao. The 

 Spaniards call it palo santo, due to its admirable properties. It 

 is a fine remedy for lockjaw and colds, which are common mala- 

 dies in this country. The decoction of this vine is very good 

 for those who suffer from venereal diseases, and has sudorific 

 properties. 



De Mercado, in his Libro de Medicinas de esta Tierra, and 

 Blanco, in his Flora de Filipinas, also speak of palo santo, which 



83 Delgado, J. J., Historia general sacro-profana, politica y natural de las 

 islas del Poniente llamadas Filipinas (1892), 780. 



