DEVELOPMENT OF HERBAL MEDICINE FOR MANAGEMENT OF JOINT PAIN; EFFICIENCY AMONG ADULT WOMEN WITH ARTHRITIS IN AMADEO, CAVITE

INTRODUCTION

Herbs are natural products and their chemical composition varies depending on several factors and therefore varying from people to people, from energetic decoctions to the use of herbal extracts following Western methodologies of mainstream medicine. Traditional medicines has a very long history: it is the sum total of the practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences of different cultures and times, often inexplicable, used in the maintenance of health, as like in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement and treatment of illnesses. In every country traditional medicines find foundation in magical or religious beliefs, or popular experience and the World Health Organization is engaged to establish definitive guidelines for methodology of clinical research and the appraisal of effectiveness of traditional medicine (Firenzuoli, 2007)

In recognition of the deep seated practice of traditional medicine as an alternative modality for treating and preventing diseases in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) through its former Secretary Juan M. Flavier launched the Traditional Medicine Program in 1992. This program aims to promote an effective and safe use of traditional medicine.

Then President Fidel V. Ramos appreciated the importance of the traditional medicine program and signed into law Republic Act 8423 (R.A. 8423), otherwise known as the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (TAMA) of 1997. This gave rise to the creation of Philippine

Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) which is tasked to promote and advocates the use of traditional and alternative health care modalities through scientific research and product development.

According to Bantam, Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints, characterized by pain, selling, warmth, redness of overlying skin, and diminished range of motion. Nowadays, increasing number of people has Arthritis and they complain of severe pain. They cannot function well in work and in daily activities. According to Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Canada Statistics, Clinical characteristics show more women have Arthritis than men, aged forty five (45) to sixty five (65). Medical management was based on a local practice guideline. Compared to the literature, this cohort had more overweight than obese subjects and low surgical referral.

The focus of treatment for arthritis is to control pain, minimize joint damage, and improve or maintain function and quality of life. Many of Filipinos especially adult women were suffering from Arthritis because of pain and dysfunction.

The study aims to develop herbal medicine for management of pain, and to test its efficiency for adult women with Arthritis. The four herbal plants namely cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard, and coconut oil are popular because of their so many uses and chemical composition. It is a challenge to combine each plant to form herbal oil for management of pain.

The other black box of herbal-based treatments is the lack of information about the composition of the remedy. Herbs are natural products and their chemical composition varies depending on several factors, such as botanical species, used chemotypes, the anatomical part of the plant used (seed, flower, root, leaf, and so on) and also storage, sun, humidity, type of ground, time of harvest, geographic area; and merchandized products containing on the label the same product varying in their content and concentrations of chemical constituents from batch to batch; and even the same manufacturer can merchandize in different periods products containing different substances although standardized to achieve a high pharmaceutical quality.

Since, special health care needs in people with Arthritis because the effects of pain and dysfunction in their lives, students like us are coming with barangays with increasingly complex medical problems associated with Arthritis, decline received medical treatment and increase population of adult women in Cavite.

The study endeavors to deeply understand the properties of four herbal plants, its composition, to formulate of herbal medicine for management of pain with Arthritis, and to test its efficiency among adult women.

Statement of the Problem This study will be conducted to develop herbal medicine for management of pain and to test its efficiency for adult women with Arthritis, specifically it sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in forms of: a) age; b) sex; c) socioeconomic status; d) history of arthritis; e) type of pain; f) medical intervention? 2. What are the chemical properties and mechanism of action of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil? 3. How to develop herbal medicine for management of pain made of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil based on: a) contents; b) procedure? 4. What is the effective amount and frequency of applying the alternative herbal medicine made of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil for adult women with arthritis? 5. Is there any adverse effect when applying of alternative herbal medicine made of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil to the skin?

6. Is there any significant relationship between development of alternative herbal medicine and its efficiency cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil for adult women with arthritis? 7. Is there any significant relationship between the demographic profile of the respondents to: a) development of alternative herbal medicine; b) efficiency of alternative medicine.

Hypothesis Ho1. There is no significant relationship between development of alternative herbal medicine made of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil and its efficiency for adult women with arthritis in Amadeo, Cavite. Ho2. There any significant relationship between the demographic profile of the respondents to: a) development of alternative herbal medicine; b) efficiency of alternative medicine.

Objectives of the Study This study was conducted to develop herbal medicine for management of pain and to test its efficiency for adult women with Arthritis. It specifically, aimed to: 1. describe demographic profile of the respondents in selected adult omen with Arthritis in Indang, Cavite in terms of: a. age b. sex c. civil status d. socioeconomic status e. history of arthritis f. type of pain g. medical intervention.

2. determine the properties and mechanism of action of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil.

3. develop herbal medicine for management of pain made of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil based on: a. contents b. procedure c. environment.

4. examine the effective dosage and frequency of applying the alternative herbal medicine made of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil for adult women with arthritis?

5. assess any adverse effect when applying of alternative herbal medicine made of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil to the skin?

6. determine any significant relationship between development of alternative herbal medicine and the efficiency of alternative medicine made of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil for adult women with arthritis.

7. determine any significant relationship between the demographic profile of the respondents to: a. development of alternative herbal medicine; b. efficiency of alternative medicine.

Significance of the Study Adult women with Arthritis. This study would help them to manage attacks of pain. This study will encourage them to use herbal medicine made of Cayenne Pepper, Ginger, Mustard seeds, and Coconut oil. Students. Through this study, students will become aware and it will provide additional information of the use of alternative medicine for management of pain in Arthritis. Health Practitioners. The study eventually help them manage the pain of patients with Arthritis by the use of alternative herbal medicine made of Cayenne Pepper, Ginger, Mustard seeds, and Coconut oil. Future Researcher. They may find the results useful as a source of information in this field and could improve the use of herbal medicine made of Cayenne Pepper, Ginger, Mustard seeds, and Coconut oil with larger health community.

Scope and Limitation of the Study The study concerns with development of herbal medicine for management of pain made of cayenne pepper, ginger, mustard seeds, and coconut oil and testing the efficiency among adult women with arthritis in Amadeo, Cavite. It identifies the uses and the mechanism of action of

the plants that will be used in the study. It discusses the step by step procedure how to formulate effective alternative herbal medicine, and its contents.

The coverage of the study limits to twenty three (23) barangays in Amadeo, Cavite. The researchers select one hundred (100) adult women aged forty five (45) to sixty five (65) with Arthritis in Amadeo, Cavite.