| Natural Medicines in Panama- grass, herbs, | | | | different areas of the country, including |
| and roots | | | | foreigners who reside in ChiriquÃ. |
| | | | |
| Due to the elevation in prices of | | | | De Romero, respect medication, that's why he |
| prescription drug and the recent problems | | | | asks when he attends new clients if a doctor |
| with the medicines the CSS (social security) | | | | has prescribed medication so the botanical |
| distributes, some to the population of Panama | | | | treatment will not collide with the |
| has returned to botanical remedies again as | | | | medicines. |
| an alternative cheap and sure cure. | | | | |
| | | | This botanist travels regularly to the US, |
| Gladys Romero, a hypertension patient says | | | | Peru, Venezuela, Cub, México, Colombia, |
| she doesn't want to take the medicines from | | | | Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Chile, |
| the CSS, because she can end up worse than | | | | in search of plants and also to distribute to |
| she is already and possibly die. Gladys buys | | | | others who trust him in these countries. |
| medicinal plants in Colón on Calle 12 and | | | | |
| Domingo Diaz. | | | | His place of practice has the fresh smell of |
| | | | herbs and medicinal roots that he sells. He |
| Gladys bought a plant know as Gavilana, that | | | | tells the most sought after treatments are |
| is used to control blood pressure, and Hojas | | | | for products that lower blood pressure, blood |
| of Llanten to treat the kidney. Pedro Ovalle, | | | | sugars, skin elements, rheumatism, prostrate |
| was also there looking for Eucalyptus to cure | | | | cancer, gastric and intestinal problems. |
| the flu. | | | | |
| | | | The recommends hot medicinal teas the person |
| The sell of medicinal plants have increase | | | | with hypertension, they work more rapidly. On |
| and the profits are good, said Anibal | | | | the other hand the cold medicinal teas are |
| Martinez, who offers these products in the | | | | good for the person who suffers digestive |
| Public Market of Penonomé. There you can | | | | problems or inflammation, he says. |
| find grasses, roots, and plants for | | | | |
| detoxification and to strengthen the organs. | | | | The largest quantities of plants in his |
| | | | center are Anamu, Horsetail, Llanten, Hoja de |
| Ricardo Pinto, a colleague of MartÃnez has | | | | Cucaracha, Papinillo, and Calaguala, "these |
| a place in the Public Market in Colón, | | | | have 50 classes of curative properties that |
| says that in this moment his sells are better | | | | dispel tumors, cysts and different cancers. |
| than ever, which is he attributes to | | | | |
| 'definitively people don't trust the CSS | | | | The botanist was sorry that the resident of |
| medicine'. | | | | his country are even suspicious of botanical |
| | | | treatments. He would like to see the people |
| Guardado and Pinto are that the products most | | | | treated more frequently with botanical as |
| buyers are looking for are: Gavilana, | | | | often the prescribed medicines are extracted |
| Llanten, Baratadora, Horsetail, and | | | | from the plants. |
| Eucalyptus. Calaguala, Zarza Parrilla, and | | | | |
| roots of the Indies. | | | | From the US he receives 500 thousand calls a |
| | | | month from patients who want consultation to |
| The unexpected demand for the 'natural | | | | relieve various ailments. I am proud of this |
| medicine has also benefits the botanists and | | | | because it means I am doing a good work with |
| herbalists in various places around | | | | medicinal plants that I'm selling. |
| Panamá. | | | | |
| | | | Medical Plants and their uses: |
| Antonio Fernández or the 'Maestro Tono', | | | | |
| as called by his clients, is a naturalist who | | | | Salvia:regulates circulatory system, nervous |
| has sold botanicals the city of Penonomé | | | | system and hepatitis infections. |
| for 34 years. | | | | |
| | | | Mastranto:stomach and intestinal aliments |
| Fernández knows better than anybody the | | | | |
| attributes of the business and he is | | | | Toronjil:relaxs nervous system |
| surprised at the number of patients that came | | | | |
| for consults in the last week. Previously he | | | | Palco:parasites |
| was attending the patients only on Wednesday | | | | |
| and Friday, but now has added Thursday and | | | | Fennel/Hinojo:works as a hepatitis regulator, |
| the weekends. | | | | detoxifier, and diuretic |
| | | | |
| In a normal day he saw between forty and | | | | Valerian root, Melissa, Lime Tree flower, and |
| fifty person in his practice, now the number | | | | Orange leaves:for the nervous system |
| is generally in the 70's. | | | | |
| | | | Radish/Rabano:regulates and activates |
| Marina de Romero, a botanical specialist, of | | | | circulation and |
| David district, in ChiriquÃ, has | | | | |
| experienced the same; she has more than 1950 | | | | Pomarrosa leaves, Casco de Ganado:for |
| patients in her practice. | | | | diabetes and regulation of the blood sugar |
| | | | |
| She says that before the announcement of CSS | | | | Higorosan root:cleans the liver and pancreas |
| contaminated medicines he saw about 400 | | | | |
| clients per month. Many clients that came | | | | Caña Agria, Calaguala, Guabito Amargo, |
| every fifteen days, other every month, but | | | | Hombre Grande, Horsetail, Carob Beans:they |
| now they come every day of the week from | | | | work in the kidneys and as a diuretic. |