When the flu season is up and running, when people flock to the malls and the focus of infection gets concentrated in these areas, children and adults soon get the disease. The number of people with cough and asthma rise, especially during the entrance of the new year when smoke from firecrackers belch from residential areas whether in the cities or in the provinces. During this period not only firecracker accidents are up but also respiratory infections and respiratory allergies. Whether we like it or not we are exposed to these threats and cough is most common initial symptom as well as our long term problem. One of the common household remedies would be the good old LAGUNDI. Experience tells us that freshly prepared lagundi is better than the commercial preparation. A suggestion here is prepare our own lagundi drink with palatability and aroma that will be acceptable to both kids and adults. Here’s how to prepare your own lagundi drink for cough (of course you have to scout for the lagundi tree). If you had the time, you could have planted your own in a large pot. It grows to a tree with a height of about 3-4 meters when planted on the ground. For a 12 oz drink, good for two days, refrigerated, get 5 stalks of leaves, wash and boil in about 1 and 1/2 glass of water. To make it more palatable add a stalk of lemon grass and/or two large kalamsi fruits. Cut the lagundi using knife or kitchen scissors (exclude the petioles – stalk of the leaves), your calamansi fruits are just squeezed to it and you can even boil the entire cut fruit into the pot. Boil it for 5 minutes and let cool, strain and the keep in the refrigerator which should be good for about two days drink. Children can take 1 and 1/2 oz or 2 oz of lagundi drink with or without sugar 3x a day for as long as 5 days or 1 week. Adults can take 3 oz 3x a day. If calamansi is added, add sugar. Note: Do not boil on aluminum pot because the acid of calamansi will react with aluminum, use porcelain pot. If calamansi is omitted, you can take it without sugar and the flavor is just lemon water. Adding calamansi will change the color to very light or a cloudy juice, just like calamansi juice drink. If symptoms persists for more than 3 days, consult your doctor if antibiotics would be needed, effective control of cough within 3 days will likely result in lower risk of infection. The key is to lessen the phlegm production so as not to result in full blown infection -the latter will probably require antibiotics. Extra vitamin C supplementation will be necessary. Flu management needs no antibiotic, just fluids -water or juice, antipyretics (medications for fever such as paracetamol) and complete bed rest. If during a flu infection, cough becomes very productive and phlegm becomes yellow or green, chances are there is a secondary bacterial infection already.
 Lagundi (Vitex negundo Linn.) 
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Tanglad (Andropogon citratus) 
Setup 
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Boil all in a pot for 5 mins & let it cool 
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Strain the concoction. Lagundi drink with calamansi will have a less intense color compared without calamansi
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 This drink tastes like lemonade (with sugar) and children will surely like it. This child is an asthmatic and had been on steroids, on and off. He improved on this drink.
May 26th, 2007 at 12:38 am
Please make the preparation of the medicine in a table form for us the common tao to understand well. tahnk you.
what other natural medicines that you could offer as the medicines these days are very high.
Thank you.
December 6th, 2007 at 8:00 am
Is the lagundi drink safe for babies?
Can it be taken even without a cough, just for prevention?
December 10th, 2007 at 10:54 am
tHanKz FoR The InFo.,
December 18th, 2007 at 9:51 am
tnx 4 the info
coz it help us
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 am
does lagundi juice can be taken even if no cough or asthma? Tnx.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:58 am
i am glad i found this herbal tips coz it is a great of help especially if there is no money to spend to buy medicines. thanks.
November 21st, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Lagundi Tea is an herbal tea that can be good in health especially if you have fever, cold, flu or it can be good in a cough or any viruses.
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:43 am
May we know where can we find Lagundi? Is the name used throughout the Philippines or it has other names in the other part of the country?
Thank you very much.
December 13th, 2008 at 2:49 am
LAGUNDI IS KNOWN AND FOUND THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES. CUTTINGS CAN BE PURCHASED FROM THE BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY, SAN ANDRES MANILA
January 13th, 2010 at 7:21 am
doc pwedi po ba ipainom ang lagundi juice sa baby na may asthma. 4 months old pa po xa….
ilang ml po ba dapat pwedi ipainom sa kanya?
From Doc Emil: Di dapat gamitin ang herbal drugs or medicine sa mga sanggol. Ang lagundi ay may commercial syrup preparation pero sa mga bata 5 years old pataas. May mga gumamit na rin nito sa mga bata na 2-3 years old pero di tukoy ang dosage. Walang pag-aaral na ginawa sa mga edad na 1-4 years old.
September 27th, 2010 at 7:34 am
Thanks God for people like you who are so generous with their knowledge…
I hope i can find lagundi coz ill prepare for myself. I got colds & cough again, just had it the first week of August.. maybe because it was too warm last Saturday.
February 23rd, 2011 at 5:21 am
thank for that info but i used now lemon grass as a tea every morning i need a lagundi to complete the recipe thank’s a lot DOC GOD BLESS US ALL
July 7th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
is there any side effect when drinking lagundi? especially for those persons who are allergic when drinking any kind of medicines. My mom has an asthma and she is 63 years old, as well as my cousin who is 26. Thanks.