The Institute of Herbal Medicine (IHM) at University of the Philippines (UP) Manila has developed a herbal cure to gastrointestinal illnesses.

UP Manila’s Tsaang Gubat tablets and syrup are formulated to address various gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea, spasms, and biliary colic (abdominal pain typically caused by gallstones).

“Tsaang Gubat offers an accessible and natural option, particularly in rural areas, supporting our local herbal industry while integrating traditional knowledge with modern pharmaceutical practices,” said Dr. Jaime M. Purificacion, Research Faculty at IHM.

Gastroenteritis and diarrhea remain among the leading causes of morbidity in the Philippines.

These conditions are often accompanied by symptoms such as watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and pain.

Traditional treatments include antispasmodics—medicines that help relieve muscle spasms in the gastrointestinal tract.

However, these synthetic treatments like dicycloverine and hyoscine can have side effects such as heartburn, constipation, and dry mouth, prompting the need for a safer alternative.

Clinical trials conducted by the National Integrated Research Program on Medicinal Plants have confirmed that Tsaang Gubat syrup is as effective as dicycloverine in treating mild to moderate gastrointestinal colic, especially in patients aged two to 18 years.

“Human trials showed that Tsaang Gubat provided comparable symptomatic improvement with dicycloverine syrup at various time points, from 30 minutes to 24 hours,” Purificacion said.

Studies have also shown that Tsaang Gubat tablets deliver pain relief comparable to dicycloverine within 30 minutes, providing complete relief from colic symptoms in just 2.5 hours.

Once commercialized, Tsaang Gubat is ideally priced at P30 per treatment, making it significantly cheaper than dicycloverine, which costs around Php 50.00 for generic brands, and other gastrointestinal treatments on the market.

“One competitive advantage of Tsaang Gubat tablets is their affordability compared to other treatments available in the market,”Purificacion emphasized.

In addition, he noted, unlike synthetic treatments, Tsaang Gubat has no major side effects.