Gumamela is well-known to be a flower because of its very colorful flower comes in red, yellow, orange and other combination. It is a shrub that grows in 4 meters up and can be seen anywhere.
Gumamela leaves, usually blended with Rose Hip has long been used in the Middle East and Okinawa as herbal tea. Today, the use of gumamela tea is gaining worldwide popularity – including Asia. Gumamela (Hibiscus) is associated with longevity.
Gumamela as Herbal Medicine
As herbal medicine, gumamela flower, leaves and roots are used. Gumamela has the following medicinal characteristics: expectorant, diuretic, emollient, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anodyne and refrigerant.
Preparation of Gumamela
There are two ways to utilize gumamela as herbal medicine. One is dried and the other is fresh. For dried gumamela, collect the flower, leaves and/or roots. Wash, then cut into small pieces and sun dry. To use as decoction, boil the dried gumamela parts (1/4 cup dried gumamela in 1 glass of water)
To make a decoction from fresh gumamela, wash gumamela flower and/or leaves, cut into small pieces and boil (1/3 cup in 1 glass of water), let cool and drink.
Gumamela Used as Treatment
- Bronchitis – as an expectorant
- Coughs, sore throat
- Fever – as refrigerant drink
- Treats dysentery
- Urinary tract infection, bladder infections
- High blood pressure
- Prevention of constipation
- Headaches
- Boils, swelling & abscesses, mumps
Applications
- Decoction is used to treat: Bronchitis, coughs, fever, dysentery, urinary and bladder infections, high blood pressure and constipation.
- Poultice is applied externally on the afflicted area. This is used to treat: headaches (on the forehead), boils, swelling, abscesses and mumps.
- Intake of gumamela (alone or mixed with papaya or papaya seeds) specially in large quantities can be an abortifacient.