Blumea balsamifera is a flowering plant belonging to the Blumea genus, Asteraceae family.
Blumea balsamifera is used as an herbal treatment for the common cold and as a diuretic in Philippines medicine, where is it most commonly known as sambong. It is also used in Thai and Chinese folk medicines.
The genus Blumea is found in the tropical and sub-tropical zones of Asia, especially the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Blumea balsamifera is one of its species that is used in Southeast Asia. The active ingredients exist in the volatile oil, made from the leaves of the sambong, which have mostly camphor and limonene, but also has traces of borneol, saponin, sesquiterpene, and tannin. It is also used in traditional Chinese medicine, in Malay folk medicine and in Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Besides its medicinal uses, it may also be used as a decorative dry plant.