Onion (bawang in tagalog)

(Allium cepa) Part used: Bulb. Properties: Anthelmintic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, stomachic, tonic. What it affects: Digestive tract, other internal organs, blood.

Preparation and amount: Juice: Take 1 tsp. 3-4 times a day. Cold extract: Soak a chopped onion in 1 cup of water for 24 hours and strain. Take ½ cup daily. Decoction: Boil a medium-size, chopped onion in a little more than a cup of water until 1 cup of liquid remains. Take 1 Tbsp. several times a day for several days.

Purposes: Internally, onion juice is most often used as a diuretic or expectorant. But it has been used, for ages, for worms and spasms. It expels gas, is a general tonic, and tones the stomach. As an antiseptic, it helps to eliminate putrefaction and fermentation processes in the gastro-intestinal tract. It helps strengthen the heart and lower blood pressure. Mixed with honey, onion juice is good for hoarseness and cough.

Externally, onion juice can be placed on suppurating wounds.

 
Warning: A California research study of volunteers found that onion oil, used heavily over a period of time, will cause very serious iron anemia.