A

REPORT

ON

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

TOPIC:SOLOMON FOUR GROUP DESIGN

IN

PARTIAL FULFILLMENT

OF

NURSING RESEARCH

SUBMITTED BY:
CHRISTINE A. GALIZA
SHERALDY SUCBOT
ELOISA TABANGAY
CARIZA SALCEDO
LERIZA BALALIO
REENA JAYNE RAMOS
MARK KENOSIS ILAY
MARVIN CHRISTIAN NARCISO
CHARMAINE ALEGRE
GELLIE GRACE RIVERA
LEICHELLE VILA

CHAPTER 1
 INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND of the STUDY

Euphorbia hirta Linn., the scientific name of Gatas-Gatas or

Maragatas,can cure emphysema, fever, and dysentery (Gamot Pinoy, 2005). It

can also cure enteritis, dysentery; dermatitis and eczema and diseases

involving microbes like diarrhea and a skin infection .It is also diuretic and anti-

asthmatic.

Gatas-Gatas was introduced the evening news last year, the news said

that this plant is not proven but said to induce platelets.It could be, because

the plant has hemostatic properties meaning it can also stop bleeding in

wounds.

Gatas-gatas or Maragatas is very abundant throughout the Philippines, in

waste places such as open grasslands and it is pan tropic n

distribution.Although it can be classified as medicinal plant, It is also

considered as a plant pest. They suck more moisture than any plant. It is the

cause why weeds like E. hirta are farmer’s enemies. In the other hand, E. hirta

grows on garbage dumps and grasslands (Gutierrez, 1980). That makes E. hirta

a non-plant pest.

In the description of gatas-gatas, De Padua, et.al., (1981) proposed

through their book Handbook on Philippine Medical Plants Volume III that

Euphorbiaceae, Euphorbia hirta L., is an annual perennial herb, usually much-

branded from the base, these branches being simple or forked and opposite,

distichous, elliptic oblong to oblong-lanceolate, one to two and five tenths

centimeters long, toothed at the numeous, greenish or purplish, about one

millimeters long and borne on dense, auxillary, stalk less or short stalked

clusters or crowded crymes. Fruits are in capsules, bradly ovoid, about one and
five tenths millimeters long or less, hairy and three angled.

In its chemical makeup, de Padua et al (1981) postulated that it contains

alkaloid in leaves = 1; tannin in leaves = 1 – 2, root = 1; calcium oxalate in

leaves, stem, and root = 1; sulfur in leaves = 1, stem = 2; fats in leaves, stem,

and root = 1; and amygaldin in root = 1.

Over the years, the world has been bombarded with many diseases,

many of which still do not have a cure. One of these diseases is Dengue Fever

also known as break bone fever. It is an acute febrile infectious and deadly

disease caused by the dengue virus, which can only be managed supportively

using either oral or intravenous rehydration for mild or moderate disease, and

blood transfusions for more severe cases but most often than not, victims die

of hemorrhage due to thrombocytopenia because of financial insufficiency or

unavailability of the needed type of blood.

There must be an alternative aside from blood transfusion to prevent

problems in finding a blood for a patient. If there is a way that the needed

blood will be generated from the patient’s own blood by increasing the platelet

count through an herbal solution, then it would be a better and faster way to

hinder complications.

According to WHO, “Rates of infection have increased dramatically over

the last 50 years with around 50–100 million people infected yearly. A global

disease, dengue is currently endemic in more than 110 countries particularly

South-east Asian countries with 2.5 billion people living in areas where it is

prevalent. Early descriptions of the condition date from 1779, and its viral

cause and the transmission were elucidated in the early 20th century. Dengue
has become a worldwide problem since the Second World War”.

Although the UN has sterling accomplishments in health of the population

of developing nations, such as polio eradication, it cannot really be relied upon

to prioritize Third World health over First World health concerns. The reality is

that the UN is lorded over by industrialized nations.

The herb “Maragatas” has been touted as a dengue cure but remains

scientifically unexamined. Claims of its curative effects against dengue include

boosting the immune system, increasing platelet counts, and being able to stop

hemorrhage and bleeding. But that's just it. All of its supposed curative effects

are purely anecdotal. There has been no serious scientific study locally that has

tested its effectiveness against the complication of dengue virus. What we

need is some credible institution to undertake the project, like a government

agency or a university-hospital with proven and peer-reviewed clinical and

laboratory studies, done previously but, how can the DOH even begin with the

task of self-reliance if it is at the behest of multinational pharmaceutical

companies?

Instead, the DOH warned families with dengue patients not to use

alternatives. But what must one do in desperation? Being one of the Asian

countries with the highest dengue cases annually, you would assume that

those concerned will be working overtime to find a cure to this disease but it is

not happening. We therefore, the citizenry must rely on ourselves to some

degree, and assume responsibility in finding safe and inexpensive alternatives.

If there is something we could do no matter how little difference it will make;

we must do it for the sake of greater and the new generation.

Several published researches states that “maragatas” has various uses.

There are also hundreds of testimonies of its effectiveness in curing dengues

patients, but none clearly tells how it increases platelet.

According to an article published in the Internet by the Traditional

Medicine Department of Mali, Italy, the plant exhibits interesting

pharmacological activities and is much used in traditional medicines in all

tropical countries of Africa, Asia, America and Australia. It is regarded as

medication for gastrointestinal disorders, particularly intestinal parasitotosis,

amoebic dysentery, diarrhea, and ulcer. An aqueous decoction is used for the

treatment of acute enteritis and dysentery. The plant is also used in bronchial

and respiratory disorders including asthma, bronchitis, and hay fever. Other

uses are in diseases of the urinary system for example as diuretic; diseases of

the genital apparatus (metrorrhagia, gonorrhoea, urethritis, agalactosis). It also

has lactogenic properties. In ocular diseases, the plant is used against

conjunctivitis and corneal ulcer. The latex of the plant is used for warts and

cuts.

Other uses of the plant are affections of skin and mucous membranes

(scabies, tinea, guinea-worm), as sedative, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory

indications. For externally painful stings of the large brown scorpion, Bambara

in Mali alleviate pain by applying the pulverised leaves. The plant has a

reputation as an analgesic in severe headache, rheumatism, pains in

pregnancy etc. These uses of the plant are in many African countries
(Neuwinger, 1996; 2000). In Mali the powder of aerial parts is used for the

production of DYSENTERAL an improved traditional medicine. This medicine is

on the National list of Essential Drug in Mali

The advancement in technology might be contributory to the delay of

trying to find sources of treatments for this disease because we all might be

looking too far and too advance. We might be overlooking the things already in

front of us.Maragatas could be an alternative waiting to be explored.

Animals have been used in medical research for a long time. In recent

years animal rights organizations have started a controversy whether it is

ethical or not to use animals for the benefits of medical progress. They believe

that animals are equal to humans and that they have equal rights with human

beings. Animals as things have some rights, but humans with their more

developed brains are superior to them, therefore if there are no other

alternative, animals may be used in medical research.

The aim of this study is to prove the effectiveness of maragatas extract

through inducing thrombocytopenia or lowering the platelets of mice by

injecting anti-coagulants. Maragatas tea or extract will then be administered to

the subjects in varied amounts and time, for observance of changes. In this

study, we expect to find positive outcomes in the hope of finding an immediate

remedy to prevent and arrest bleeding.

Objectives

Main Objective
Specific Objectives:

1.

Hypothesis

Scope and Limitations of the Study

Definition of Terms

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE

In discovering the antimicrobial content of a plant, a researcher must

know what the plant has and what its functions in medicine are. The knowledge

about the procedures and the strains used in the experiment must be known so

that all of the precautions will be utilized. In this chapter, there are information

about the plant and the procedures on the experiment.

Euphorbia hirta Linn.

Gutierrez (1980) claimed that gatas-gatas, Euphobia hirta Linn., a

member of the Euphorbiaceae family, is found in all tropical places and usually

found growing abundantly in waste places and open tropical grasslands

throughout the Philippines. He also stated that it is found flourishing wild along

roadsides and village outskirts. Locally, it is known in several dialects such as

pansi-pansi, soro-soro in Bicol; bobi, tababa, gatas-gatas in Bisaya; teta in

Bontok; bambanilag in Ifugao; botonis, maragatas in Ilocos; tairas in Ivatan;

bolo-botonis, magatas, malis-malis, sisiohan in Pampango; tauataua in Panay

Bisaya; bugayu in Samar-Leyte Bisaya; piliak in Subanum; patik-patik in Sulu;

and botobotonis, butobutonisan, saikan, and gatas-gatas in Tagalog. The

Pinatubo Negritos call it hawaan. It is however, called in Chinese as fei-yang

ts’ao, ju-chih ts’ao and ta-ta chin; and in English as Australian asthma weed,

snake weed, or cat’s hair.

In addition to the names of this plant, Madulid (2001) added that E. hirta

L. is synonymous to E. pilulifera L. He also stated that it is known as anggigisi

(IsgKr); bambanilag (Ifg); batbatonis (Itg); binga-bingaan (Dgt); bugayaw (Bis

SL); bulung-sibukuk (Sub); gatasari, gatgatas (Tag); kato-otoor, katoor (Mar);

klegtas (Sub); lagundrina (Tag); laslsatan (Itg); magatas, malis-malis (Kpm);

mangagaw (BisC); piliyak (Sub); saikan (Tag); tagulangan (Han); tiaras (Ivt);

talawatawa (Mar); temboko (Mar); warasiman (Msk).

De Padua, et.al., (1981) proposed through their book Handbook on

Philippine Medical Plants Volume III that Euphorbiaceae, Euphorbia hirta L., is

an annual perennial herb, usually much-branded from the base, these branches

being simple or forked and opposite, distichous, elliptic oblong to oblong-

lanceolate, one to two and five tenths centimeters long, toothed at the

numeous, greenish or purplish, about one millimeters long and borne on dense,

auxillary, stalk less or short stalked clusters or crowded crymes. Fruits are in

capsules, bradly ovoid, about one and five tenths millimeters long or less, hairy

and three angled.

Another medicinal effect of this plant according to Gutierrez (1980), the

plant is popularly used in Australia and other countries to alleviate asthma and

chest pains. It is also recommended in Brazil as a remedy for gonorrhea and as

a stimulant for uninary secretion. In Western medicine, an extract or tincture is

prepared from the entire dried plant to remedy chronic bronchitis, acute nasal
catarrh, hay fever, and emphysema. This plant extract is used in Indonesia for

chronic catarrh, chest complaints and ringworms. It likewise enters into eye

drop solutions in that country. The latex is therapeutically used in Malaysia as

an eye drop to remedy conjunctivitis, ulcerated cornea and other eye

complaints. In China, it is known to be slightly cooling and slightly sour and

biting to the taste. It is used to lower fever, detoxify, reduce flatus and stop

itching. Five ch’ien (15.6 grams) to a liang (1 liang = 31.2 grams) of the whole

plant can be prepared in a decoction to remedy enteritis, dysentery, athlete’s

foot and other skin decoctions. De Padua (1981) also state that the plant is for

asthma, burn, and inhale smoke. Decoction of dried plant is applied as wash for

skin diseases. Infusion is used for stomachache and dysentery, as bronchitis

and asthma remedy; also a cathartic, gargle and in the treatment of thrush.

The root is a snakebite remedy. The milky juice is dropped into the eyes for

conjunctivitis and ulcerated cornea. To stop local bleeding, crush leaves, and

apply on affected part. Gamot Pinoy also added that it is used for curing

dysentery, dermatitis, eczema, pruritus. It also decreased milk secretion after

delivery. PCARRD Prosea Herbal also indicated that cigarettes from dried leaves

of leaves and flowers can lower asthma attacks. It also added that the latex of

the plant is used to cure warts and cuts.

In his chemical makeup, de Padua et al (1981) postulated that it contains

alkaloid in leaves = 1; tannin in leaves = 1 – 2, root = 1; calcium oxalate in

leaves, stem, and root = 1; sulfur in leaves = 1, stem = 2; fats in leaves, stem,

and root = 1; and amygaldin in root = 1. Gutierrez (1980) first postulated and

added that the plant is found to contain small amounts of an essential oil, a

phytosterolin, a phenol, some amorphous glucoside and traces of alkaloid.

Plant extracts contain two active principles, one of which causes a spike phase
in the guinea pig’s ileum and another, a relaxing action on the smooth muscle.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

I. Plant Material

EUPHORBIA PILULIFERA Linn.

• GATAS-GATAS
• Euphorbia capitata Lam.
• Euphorbia hirta Linn.
• Local names: Bambanilag (If.);

botobotonis (Tag.); bolobotonis

(Pamp.); bobi (Bis.); botonis (Ilk.);

bugayau (S.L. Bis.); butobutonisan (Tag.); gatas-gatas (Bis., Tag.);

magatas (Pamp.); malis-malis (Pamp.); maragatas (Ilokano.); pansi-pansi

(Bik.); patik-patik (Sul.); piliak (Sub.); saikan (Tag.); sisiohan (Pamp.);

soro-soro (Bik.); tababa (Bis.); tairas (Iv.); tauataua (P. Bis.); teta (Bon.);

Australian asthma weed, snake weed, cat's hair (Engl.).

II.

III.

IV.

V. Preparing
VI.

VII. Data Collection

VIII. Disposal of Waste

IX. Data Analysis