First, what is Lagundi?  Lagundi or Vitex negundo is a large shrub native to the swamps of the Philippines used for many centuries as a traditional herbal medicine. Conducted research by the Philippine Department of Health has suggested that the plant has numerous practical uses like as an analgesic for one. Its leaves, root, flowers, and seeds  all appear to have medicinal value and as a result, the use of Lagundi as an alternative to Western cough medicines is actively promoted by the government. It has been long used by doctors primarily concentrated to treat cough, asthma symptoms and other respiratory problems.

Traditionally Filipinos prepare its leaves by boiling it, steeping it, and then straining it just like tea. But nowadays there is ASCOF,  made from 100-percent Lagundi leaves and comes from a trusted name in consumer healthcare, Pascual Laboratories.  It is commercially available in syrup (Ponkan, Strawberry, Menthol and Menthol Sugar-free flavors), tablet and capsule formats.

Children in general are difficult when administering any form of medicine and monitoring dosage  is of utmost importance because a mixture of chemically-formulated decongestant, antihistamine, pain reliever, and cough suppressant in one cough medication, for example, may be potentially dangerous to kids.

Despite her busy schedule as TV host-actress and newly elected congresswoman of Ormoc, Leyte,  Lucy Torres-Gomez always sees to it that she attends to her daughter’s most important needs, especially when it involves her health.  She is particularly extra careful in choosing the type of medication she gives to her daughter Juliana. Lucy’s concern over the danger that some chemical cough medications may cause children is very reasonable because it may contain a combination of chemicals that could possibly produce side effects, such as palpitations, intestinal bleeding, drowsiness and damaged liver.

“She is at that age wherein she is prone to common cough and cold, and I don’t want to give her just any over-the-counter chemical formulation that may prove to be harmful to her health in the long run.  It’s always safer to choose natural medicines instead,” Lucy says.

“No mother would like to see her child sick. But the thing is we can’t always protect them from the unhealthy things that they are exposed to. So just as we are meticulous with the food we serve our children, we should also be very careful with the medicine we give them,” Lucy adds.

For Lucy, nothing comes close to ASCOF Lagundi when it comes to treating Juliana for coughs because ASCOF is made from 100-percent Lagundi leaves.

“Having ASCOF in a readily-available syrup format for children is a good thing—especially for moms like me.  It provides the needed relief, without giving us moms the worry of putting our children’s health at risk,” Lucy says.

Lucy’s advise, “Always check the label of the medicines that we take. With ASCOF Lagundi syrup, it has no side effects. That is why its safe. Spending a few minutes of your time researching or asking your doctor about the right medication you give your kids helps a lot.”

She concludes, “The reason why you give your kids medication in the first place is to make sure that they go back to being healthy, and not to expose them to more health risks.”