Dominican Medicinal Plants: A Guide for Health Care Providers

oil, topically, for sinus infection, allergies, nasal
congestion and common cold.
Safety
Therapeutic use generally considered safe.
Contraindications
Pregnancy: avoid excess internal use.
Clinical Data
Human clinical trial: antiparasitic (essential oil).
Laboratory & Preclinical Data
In vitro: anticancer (constituent), antifungal,
antimicrobial, antioxidant (essential oil and
constituents).
* See entry for Orégano de comer in “Part 3:
Dominican Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this
book for more information, including references.
Palo de __________
Means “stick or wood of (plant name)”; look up
the plant name which follows this description of
the plant part used for medicine.
Papaya
See Lechosa.
Penca de __________
Means “leaf of (plant name)”; usually refers to
the rigid, cactus-like leaves of agave or aloe;
look up the plant name which follows this
description of the plant part used.
Pigeon pea
See Guandul.
Pineapple
See Piña.
Piña*
Pineapple (Ananas comosus).
Plant Part Used
Fruit, fruit rind.
Dominican Medicinal Uses
Fruit: juice, taken orally as a diuretic for urinary
tract or kidney disorders, cleansing the body
internally, for treating bacterial infection,
cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
menopausal hot flashes; fruit rind: fermented in
sugar and water for internally cleansing and
refreshing the body.
Safety
Commonly consumed as food; relatively
nontoxic; repeated exposure can cause
hypersensitivity.
Contraindications
Caution advised during pregnancy due to
possible abortifacient effects of plant steroids.
Drug Interactions
For bromelain (protease enzymes from stem):
antibiotics, tetracyclines (elevated drug serum
levels), anticoagulants and thrombocyte
aggregation inhibitors (increased bleeding).
Laboratory & Preclinical Data
In vivo: antidiabetic, antioxidant,
antidyslipidemic (ethanolic leaf extract);
antifertility (unripe fruit juice); burn
debridement (bromelain—stem enzymes);
diuretic (root extract).
In vitro: antitumor (bromelain—stem enzymes).
* See entry for Piña in “Part 3: Dominican
Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this book for more
information, including references.
Plantain
This English common name can refer to more
than one species. For the banana-like plantain
fruit, see Plátano; for the low-lying herb whose
leaves are primarily used medicinally, see
Llantén.
Polvo de _____________
“Powder of (plant or mineral name)”; see plant
or mineral name specified.
Pomada
Pomade, salve or ointment; an oil-based
preparation of medicinal plants for external
application, often used for healing skin ailments,
muscle pain or sinus conditions.
Pomada de manteca
Butter pomade; a slightly solidified nut butter
used externally as an ointment or salve; for
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