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Balbas Pusa Scientific Name : Orthosiphon aristatus

Also known as:
Balbas-pusa (Pilipino)
Kabling-parang (Pilipino)
Yaa-nuat-maeo (Thailand)
Cat's whisker (English)
Indian kidney tea (English)
Java tea (English)
Kidney tea (English)
Mao xu cao (Chinese)
pokok misai kucing (Malay)

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Cat's whisker or Balbas pusa is a tropical herbaceous perennial plant that is native in Southeast Asia usually found in China, Taiwan, Philippines, Thailand and even in Australia. Balbas pusa, commonly referred to as Java tea is a herb used as medicine for many centuries.

Orthosiphon aristatus (balbas pusa) is an erect, slender shrub that can grow 1-2 meters in height. The leaves are semi-deciduous, light to dark green in color and are borne in distant pairs that is about 5-10 cm long.. The stalk is reddish-brown, that is slightly puberulent. The flowers forms a pagoda like shaped with 5-6 cm long stamens that resembles a cat’s whiskers, hence the name 'balbas pusa' in tagalog and 'cat's whisker' in english. The color of the flowers varies from white to purplish.

 

Basbas pusa also popularly known as Java tea is widely used as folkloric herbal medicine for centuries . Balbas pusa is used as a treatment for the following ailments

• renal inflammation, kidney stones and dysuria.
• liver and bladder problems including bladder stones,
• urinary tract infection,
• diabetes,
• rheumatism and gout.
• reduction of cholesterol and blood pressure.
• antiallergic, antihypertensive, and anti-inflammatory
• diuretic or stimulates urine production

 

Ingredients: Hedargenin, ß-sitosterol, ursolic acid, glycolic acid, methylripariochromene A.

Kidney Stones Treatment. Clinical trials have shown that in 40% of patients with kidney stones of 0.5 cm diameter that was subjected to orthosiphon indicated an improvement in six months. In a similar study, about In 20% of the patients with other kidney complaints were cured and the patients were free of pain and discomfort.

Diabetes Treatment. In a study conducted for Orthosiphon. Results have demonstarated that there is reduction in blood sugar level for non-insulin dependent diabetics after being subjected for treatment in six months. Orthosiphon also acts on hypertension (high blood pressure). It reduces water and therefore as it has no side effects it can be used in place of pharmaceutic diuretics whether these are potassium saving, uricosurics, or others. It also has a significant effect on high renal blood pressure. As a consequence of treating high blood pressure, kidney stones and disorders can also be cured.

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Orthosiphon stamineus. In a clinical study in rats using methanol/water extract of orthosiphon have shown that orthosiphon exhibited antioxidant, lipid peroxidation inhibition and free radical scavenging activites int he rats' liver. (Basir R, Asmawi MZ, Ismail Z. School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia)

Effects of Orthosiphon stamineus aqueous extract on plasma glucose concentration and lipid profile in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The study has shown that In oral glucose tolerance test, the extract (0.2-1.0 g/kg) significantly decreased plasma glucose concentration in
a dose-dependent manner in both normal and diabetic rats. (Sriplang K, Adisakwattana S, Rungsipipat A, Yibchok-Anun S.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand)

A long-term study on the efficacy of a herbal plant, Orthosiphon grandiflorus, and sodium potassium citrate in renal calculi treatment. A was performed to compare the efficacy of a herbal plant, Orthosiphon grandiflorus (OG), and the drug sodium potassium citrate (SPC) in treatment of renal calculi. The study has shown that herbal tea preapred from orthosiphon plant taken for 18 months has significant redution of renal stones and there were strong indications that symptoms related to renal problems has greatly improved. (Premgamone A, Sriboonlue P, Disatapornjaroen W, Maskasem S, Sinsupan N, Apinives C. Department of Community Medicine, Faculty Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand)

Antihypertensive substance in the leaves of kumis kucing (Orthosiphon aristatus) in Java Island Among those thirteen substances, it was found that a major constituent in the water decoction of leaves, methylripariochromene A (5), exhibited a continuous decrease in systolic blood pressure after subcutaneous administration in conscious stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (Ohashi K, Bohgaki T, Shibuya H. Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, ukuyama University, Hiroshima, Japan.)

Balbas pusa or java tea is prepared as follows.

wash fresh or dried balbas pusa or cat's whisker leaves   chop then add in 4 cups of water for every 1 cup   let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes   Let it steep then strain.   Drink half cup of balbas pusa tea also known as java tea three times a day.   Balbas pusa tea concoction can be stored in suitable glass container for later consumption.

Java tea bags are also available in health stores. Follow the instructions in the label for safe use.

Java tea or balbas pusa tea has no known and reported contra indications with other drugs. While it is generally safe to take java tea of balbas pusa tea, prolonged intake is discourage as this may cause low sodium serum in the body. Intake is also discouraged during pregnancy since there is no conclusive study that has been done to determine its safe use during pregnancy.

If allergy dvelopes and java tea is suspected, stop use and consult your medical adviser.

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