Balbas Pusa
Orthosiphon aristatus (Cat’s whiskers, a source of essential oils and flavones) –listed in the Philippine Pharmacopeia 1 as a traditional medicinal plant for bacterial and inflammatory diseases of the lower urinary tract and approved by the German Commission E for urinary tract infections and for kidney and bladder stones. A study by Matsuraba et al (1999) in laboratory animals had shown that the leaves contain Methylripariochromene A (MRC) which causes increased urinary volume and the excretion of sodium, potassium and chlorides which subsequently lower the blood pressure, vasodilatation. These findings indicate that MRC decreases cardiac output and induce a diuretic effect.
