Agoho (Casuarina equisetlifolia L. Cauanrinaceae)

Agoho is a large tree, reaching 20 meters in height and 65 cm. diameter. Its crown is narrowly pyramidal resembling some of the conifers in appearance. Its bark is dark brown and rough, but the inner bark is light in color and has a bitter taste. The leaves are actually reduced to small sheaths on the needle-like banchlets.

Some of it medicinal wonders are the following;

• A decoction of its bark, when taken in large doses, is used as an emmenagogue (an agent that promotes menstrual discharge) and ecbolic (alleviates menstrual pains). It is helpful for hemoptysis (expectoration of blood from some part of the respiratory tract) and also an excellent astringent.
• Its bark is used to arrest diarrhea and dysentery; it's lotion is used for beriberi; a powder of the bark is prescribed for pimples and acne. An infusion of its bark is is used as a tonic.
• A decoction of the twigs is used as a lotion for swellings; an infusion of the branches is used as a diuretic (an agent that tends to increase the flow of urine).
• The leaves are used for colic (spasm, obstruction or twisting or abdominal pain.

With its medicinal wonders, no wonder it is widely planted throughout the Philippines. If you still don't have this tree, and you have a wide area to plant on, have one and discover the medicinal wonders of this agoho tree.