Cresta de Gallo, Katurai or Fleur Papillon in Managing Hypertension

Scientifically known as Sesbania Grandiflora, with its' many names, it is massively known all over the world. Hopefully, it is known also for its' food value as well as its' healing properties.

This is a tree where its' flowers are edible in the Philippines. Easy to plant and cultivate, they can be found in people's backyards or roadsides, sometimes left alone even when in full bloom. On occasions, they can be seen at the wet market being sold cheaply. In my household, we foraged from my aunt's backyard or at the roadside behind our house. Very common like moringa, some people have planted them and been made as fences as their main trunk is quite straight.

It's a common knowledge that although they are edible, they are also being advised to people with hypertension. How that works, let's try to find out.

A little bit of introduction on how hypertension is being managed nowadays. This might differ from country to country, and between patients' cases, as well as doctors' choices in what medication to start patients with. One management is certainly an introduction of a DIURETIC. Known as a water pill, this have different types with different actions on the kidneys.

Hypertension or high blood pressure sometimes is caused by extra fluids in the body. Where these extra fluids are can be in different places also depending on the cause. To be specific in its' action, a diuretic can help the kidneys to produce more urine, so that extra fluids are excreted. This is just one way in managing high blood pressure. Let me add that water binds with sodium or salt, the reason why some people were being advised to limit or lessen their salt intake.

Ready to be steamed then eaten with anchovies.

As far as I know, only the flowers are being harvested and eaten so it's quite enlightening to know that its' leaves, pods, barks and roots can be used as medicinal as well. In an article here, it have many healing properties like hypoglycaemics, hypolipemics, antioxidants among many. The same article did mention its' use as a diuretic. In the article, it used a study on rats
where leaf extracts of different dosages were given. Urinalysis results were then studied for the excreted electrolytes, the end product of metabolism in urine.

One of the 2 baby Katurai trees in the backyard.

Diuretics work in preventing re-absorption of salt (the thiazides), excretes more water and potassium (the frusemide) and the mild diuretics that spares potassium (ie. spironolactones). The conclusion of the study with the urinalysis done was the findings of higher level of electrolytes which was better than the thiazides, but less effective than the frusemides.

Although Sesbania Grandiflora or Katudai as we call it is very promising, with the long list of possible health benefits, personally, more studies need to be done for every individual to finally acknowledge these natural remedies or healing that nature is providing. It's cheap, or even free if one lives where we are or anywhere in the country. Tastes way better too than medicines.

Don't we believe that FOOD is a yummy MEDICINE as yet?

Reference:
Katurai

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