Herbal prescriptions

The first patient of Marcelion Donato Navarro was a man in his mid-30s whose foot had been trampled under the wheels of a horse-drawn vehicle or kalesa.

He gathered and pounded together a handful of herbs–sambong, tuba, lagundi, and tantandoc weed. After mixing the herbs with coconut oil, he began to massage the injured man’s leg. Then, he split a newly molted crab and used this as a poultice for the leg. After four treatments, the man was able to walk again. After two more treatments, he was able to run.

Navarro was then eight years old.

Thirty-eight later, Navarro has put up an herbal medicine company called Gihem Herbal Medicine & Food Supplement. One of his formulas called Malhemunic capsule is currently being tested by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States. Made from five herbs and spices growing at the foot of local mountains, the formula, priced at P300 per bottle, claims to have cured patients of breast cancer, stroke, myoma, arthritis, ovarian cysts, HIV, and diabetes after three to five months of treatment.

"I come from six generations of herbal healers and I have been formulating my own medicines since I was 14," said Navarro. "I have 15 formulas for herbal and chemical medicines but I can manufacture only six. Of the 15, only four are patented. I would need at least P3 million to process all my formulas."

Products

Aside from Maihemunic capsule, Gihem Herbal’s most popular products are a natural three-in-one massage oil, which is made from 14 herbal flowers; and DHMF 6 syrup, a detoxifier made from herbs, fruits, vegetables, and seaweeds.

The company also manufactures herbal teas such as mamakabaco tea, which eradicates kidneys stones and works well against urinary track infection; and amaprod tea, which cleanses the pancreas.

Buyers include foreigners.

"Malaysians and Chinese like the tea and buy them by hundreds of bags. We have a client who buys four dozen boxes of tea every time he goes to the United States, which is twice a month," said Navarro.

Right now, Gihem is a six-man operation, including Navarro, who makes regular trips to the mountains of his hometown of San Vicente, Ilocos Sur to gather the necessary herbs, and his wife, Linda, who handles the company’s finances. Annual sales vary year to year, ranging from P180,000 to P490,000.

"It’s clear that we need partners, both in terms of financing and marketing. The potential for herbal medicine is huge, not just here but abroad and we want to remain part of that growing industry," said Navarro.