Indonesian Herbal

The Green Tea Diet

noreply@blogger.com (Indonesian Herbal Medicine) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 12:28:00 +0000

Green tea has long been known in Asia for its benefits to human health. According to Chinese legend, in 2737 B.C. Emperor Shen Nung was boiling some water for drinking when some leaves from a tree nearby blew into the pot. He became enamored with its wonderful smell and a heavenly taste. In 800 A.D., Buddhist monks returning from their studies in China, brought green tea to Japan.

There are three main types of tea - green tea, oolong tea and black tea, all produced from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The differences between these teas has to do with the method by which the tea is produced: with black tea the leaves are fully oxidized before being dried; in oolong tea they are only partially oxidized and dried; in green tea the leaves are only gently steamed and dried - not oxidized. Herbal teas and fruit teas are produced from herbs and fruits, not the Camellia sinensis plant. When decaffeinated, green tea does not show the same benefits as in its natural, unprocessed state.

While green tea has been used for thousands of years for it's positive effect on health, recent scientific research has proven it to have many specific positive effects on human health. Recent studies show that the antioxidants present in the tea: may reduce cholesterol; act as an anti-inflammatory in the body; improve blood vessel function and reduce blood lipids; may protect against cardiovascular disease; and even may be helpful in treating skin conditions such as acne. These antioxidants have also been shown to inhibit the growth of cancers in the early stages.

Green tea's antibacterial properties have been shown to inhibit many types of bacteria beneficial to the digestive and respiratory systems and may inhibit the growth of the bacteria in the mouth which cause tooth decay. Recent studies have been promising with regard to its its effect on cold and flu viruses. L-theanine, a substance in green tea, triggers the T cells to secrete a staggering 10 times their normal output of virus-battling interferon. Even gargling with green tea coats the oral cavity with one of green tea's potent components - catechins - helpful in neutralizing viral infections.

Researchers now believe that green tea may be useful in delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease. A British study found that drinking green tea inhibited three important brain-battering chemicals: acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and beta-secretase - three chemicals associated with breaking down chemical messengers and forming plaques and protein deposits in the brain.

Green tea is believed to be useful in weight loss as well. It induces a thermogenic effect which is helpful in burning fat. Widely available as a dietary supplement, green tea extract is often used as an ingredient in many diet pills, weight loss supplements, and appetite suppressants.

In our opinion, the research on the use of green tea as a dietary supplement shows great promise, due to findings supporting its overall beneficial effect on the body when used in conjunction with a well-balanced, healthy diet plan. Of course, more research is needed to examine it's specific effect on weight loss and how it may be used in conjunction with diet programs. We recommend that dieters always check with their doctor first, before taking any dietary supplement or following any fad diet or weight loss program.

JAMU (TRADITIONAL HERBAL MEDICINE) and TRADITIONAL COSMETICS

noreply@blogger.com (Indonesian Herbal Medicine) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 03:07:00 +0000

'Back to nature' is not merely a slogan in Java and Indonesia. The visible proof is the use of traditional herbal medicine of various type of 'medical plants', either from the leaves, the fruits, the roots, the flowers or the barks, etc.

These herbal medicine had been used since the ancient time up to now, it is largely consumed by people of different level; lower, middle and upper, in the villages and in the big cities.

The study of jamu had been conducted by Rumphius, a botanist as early as the year 1775 AD by publishing a book 'Herbaria Amboinesis'. A scientific research for jamu by the research center of herbal medicine in Bogor Botanical Garden, resulting a publication of a book 'Medical Book for Children and Adults', composed by E. Van Bent.

The first seminar about jamu has been held in Solo in 1940, followed by a Formation of Indonesia's Jamu Committee in 1944. In the 1966, a seminar on jamu was held again. In 1981, a book by title of 'The use of Medical Plants' was established to support the jamu industry in the country.

The method of using the jamu remains the same as the ancestors did. Some are consumed by drinking it and some are for outside application.

At present one could buy easily ready made jamu packed modernly in the form of powder, pills, capsules, drinking liquid and ointments. Of course there are still jamu shops, which sell only ingredients or prepare the jamu on spot as required by buyers. Some women are roaming the street to sell jamu, is a common view across the country.

The traditional methods of making jamu such as by boiling the prepared herbal ingredients (jamu godok) still prevail in Javanese society. The popular traditional tools of making jamu are still available in many Javanese houses such as; Lumpang (small iron Mortar), pipisan, parut (grater), kuali (clay pot), etc.

What kind of disease could jamu cure?
The reply is almost every disease, jamu could cure. There are various kinds of jamu to combat different kind of illness. In Principle there are two types of jamu; the first is jamu to maintain physical fitness and health, the locally popular are Galian Singset (to keep women body fit and slim) and Sehat Lelaki (to keep men body healthy). The second is jamu to cure various kinds of illness. Except the above, there are special jamu created with the purpose to maintain a loving family harmony. The popular products among other are Sari Rapet, which makes a women sexual organ in a good condition, as for the man the matched product is jamu Kuat Lekaki (strong man). The Javanese are also taking a great care to pregnant women during pre and postnatal period by producing the related jamu. There are also jamu for the babies.

The Herbs for Jamu
There are hundreds of herbs for jamu prescriptions, among other are:

Spices
Ginger (Zingiber Officinale)
Lempuyang (Zingiber Oronaticum)
Temu Lawak/ Wild Ginger (Curcuma Cautkeridza)
Kunyit/ Tumeric (Curcuma Domestica)
Kencur/ Greater Galingale (Kaemferi Galanga)
Lengkuas/ Ginger Plant (Elpina Galanga)
Bengle (Zingiber Bevifalium)

Leaves
Secang (Caesalpinia Sappan Hinn)
Sambang Dara (Rexco Ecaria Bicolar Hassk)
Brotowali (Tiospora Rumpii Boerl)
Adas (Foeniculum Vulgare Mill)

Fruits
Jeruk Nipis/ Calamondin (Citrae Aurantifalia Sivingle)
Ceplukan (Physalic Angulata Him)
Nyamplung (Calophylum Inaphyllu)

Barks
Kayu Manis/ Cinamon (Gijeyzahyza Glabra)

Flowers
Melati/ Yasmin (Jataninum Sunbac Ait)
Rumput Alang-alang (Gramineae)

It is worth to note that some jamu factories in Java are exporting its products. Besides the export of ready made jamu, 25 kinds of herbal plants and ingredients are also in the list of export to Europe, Australia, USA, Japan, etc.

No Side Effects
The people like to consume jamu due to :

Availability in many places

Comparatively cheap price

No side effects

TRADITIONAL COSMETICS

The Natural Beauty of Woman
A Javanese woman is very much concern for her physical appearance to be always slim, beautiful with an alluring bright smiling face.

As a Javanese idiom says "Ngadi Sarira" to maintain the body to be always in perfect condition is of prime important. The way of life of a Javanese is greatly influenced by the royal culture. Not surprisingly that the art of "Keeping Beauty' is originated from the court palaces.

The Secret of a Princess Beauty
The Ladies of the Royal Families have a reputation to inherit the beauty of goddesses from paradise.

As told in the story of wayang (leather puppet) by the dalang (puppet master) , all parts of a princess body is always perfect and alluring: the beautiful black thick hair, a smooth skin, bright eyes, charming eye brows, eye lids and nose, bright reddish lips, white nicely teeth, wonderful built neck and shoulder, beautiful hands and arms, a waist like the one of a bee meanings slim and perfectly built.

The dalang with a clear deep voice, like in the poem reading adores the beauty of a princess with a thousands of words. It seems that all words of a complete dictionary are not enough to express of what a wonderful beauty a princess has.

The use of Traditional Jamu and Cosmetics
Nowadays, some secrets of this Karaton (Palaces) culture of "Ngadi Sarira" are known by many women from outside the Karaton walls. The Jamu is widely used to give an inner beauty, due to a good physical health.

Some of the products are consumed directly by eating it, for instance Kepel Fruit (a brown fruit of a chicken egg size), it's a natural deodorant. By eating it that would fragrant the odor of the body even the urine smells the fragrance of that fruit.

Jambu Mawar ( a kind of rose apple, mawar means a flower of rose) gives a fresh smell of breath. Some cosmetics are for outside application such as bedak dingin (cool powder) and lulur (scrubbing powder).

Beauty Care
Every woman is always proud of her hair – thick and shining, color and style. For natural shampooing, the ash of rice stalks work as a shampoo to clean the hair. After being washed by water, ingredients consist of
coconut milk, jeruk purut (a kind of citrus fruit smells like a lime ) and pandanus leaves are to be applied. It functions as a conditioner to clean the dandruff. The hair then washed by water again, to be dried while vaporizing with ratus fragrance.

Finally, a hair oil by the name of cemceman, made of coconut oil with pandanus , kenanga flower, jeruk purut etc. is applied.

Skin Care
For face caring, bedak dingin (cool powder) is applied. It's made from tendered rice with special ingredients, such as pandanus, kenanga flower etc.

For other parts of the body, lulur is applied, popularly known as mandi lulur (lulur bathing).

Lulur is also made from tendered rice, pandanus, some leaves of kemuning (with yellow color) and some medicinal roots. The lulur should stimulate the body to throw out the dead cells, replace it with new ones, stimulate blood circulation under the skin, smooth the skin and at the same time scents it.

Steaming the body
Steams of several boiled herbs are applied to ensure body freshness, including the woman organ. The steaming took about a ½ hour.

Producers
Besides the traditional cosmetics made by hand, in the country there are some big and well known manufactures of cosmetics, using modern machinery. These products are used widely across the country, even this cosmetics have been exported to many countries of the world.

Indonesian Jamu: A Blend of Bio- and Cultural Diversity

noreply@blogger.com (Indonesian Herbal Medicine) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 03:03:00 +0000

“Jamu, Madame, Sir!” That’s how a slim, young woman carrying a heavy basketful of bottles tied up on her back greets her clients from door to door at a Jakarta neighborhood every morning. The lady, wearing the Javanese traditional dress called kebaya and batik sarong, is selling the traditional Indonesian herbal medicine known as jamu.

Indonesia has the world’s largest biodiversity reservoir with around 140 million hectares of rainforest. Therefore, nature is deeply rooted in the life of the people culturally, socially and economically. Traditional herbal medicine derived from leaves, fruits, roots, seeds, flowers or tree barks, has been widely used since ancient times.

There are thousands of jamu ladies roaming Indonesia’s narrow streets and kampongs (hamlets), offering a glass of freshly prepared herbal medicine, which is usually mixed with raw egg and honey. In addition to the ‘mobile’ jamu ladies, there are also many jamu stalls almost everywhere.

Apart from homemade fresh jamu, the jamu vendors also offer herbal medicine produced by jamu manufacturers. At present, one could easily buy ready-made jamu packed in powder form, as pills, capsules, tonics, oil and ointments. Jamu is used to treat a wide variety of ailments ranging from fatigue and headache to malaria. It also supplies the body with vitamin C, cleanses the blood, keeps the body in good shape, and makes the skin smooth.

Jamu consumers come from every class of society, from the poor to the rich, those who live in villages or those who live in large cities. Indonesians like to consume jamu due to its availability and comparatively cheap price. Jamu is usually consumed in liquid form and in some cases is applied externally such as on the skin or forehead. The traditional methods of making jamu such as by boiling the prepared herbal ingredients still prevail in the country. The popular traditional tools of making jamu such as by using a clay pot and grater are still available in many families.

As part of the national family welfare program, each neighborhood has been encouraged to have a medicinal plants garden to supply residents who need to treat their family members. The garden is also aimed at preserving the medicinal plants and to pass on the traditional knowledge to younger generations.

Among common herbs used in jamu prescriptions are ginger (Zingiber officinale), wild ginger (Curcuma cautkeridza), turmeric (Curcuma domestica), greater galingale (Kaempferia galanga), kumis kucing (Orthosiphon aristatus), bengle (Zingiber bevifalium), secang (Caesalpinia sappan hinn), brotowali (Tiospora rumpii boerl), calamondin (Citrae aurantifalia sivingle), cinnamon (Gijeyzahyza glabra), and alang-alang (Gramineae).

Traditional Cosmetics

In principle there are several types of jamu. For example, one type maintains physical fitness and health, and another type treats various kinds of illness. Jamu for babies is also available, usually in oil form. There are also herbal cosmetics to maintain the natural beauty of women, and special jamu for pregnant women during the pre- and post-natal periods.

An estimated 80 percent of the Indonesian population has tried jamu at some stage of their lives. For Indonesian women, jamu is considered essential to keep them young and beautiful for their husbands. Drinking jamu is a must for women after giving birth, although some might hate its bitter taste. A special treatment for women in their post-natal period is usually a combination of massage, body wraps and tonics to help them regain their figures and eliminate stretch marks.

Almost every woman is concerned that her physical appearance always remains slim and beautiful with an alluring bright smiling face. As a Javanese idiom says, “Ngadi Sarira”, or “to maintain the body to be always in a perfect condition is of prime importance.”

In Javanese culture, the ladies of the royal families have a reputation of inheriting the beauty of goddesses from paradise. Nowadays, many women from outside the palace walls know some secrets of the royal palace culture of Ngadi Sarira. Jamu is widely used to give an inner beauty, which is thought to result from good physical health.

Some jamu products are consumed directly by drinking or eating it. For instance, eating kepel fruit (a brown fruit of a chicken egg size) gives the body - and even the urine - a fragrant odor similar to that of the fruit itself. Some traditional cosmetics include bedak dingin (a cool powder made from tendered rice with special ingredients such as pandanus and kenanga flower) and lulur bathing powder for scrubbing. Finally, a hair oil called cemceman, made of coconut oil with pandanus, kenanga flower, jeruk purut etc. is applied.

Rich in Biodiversity and Cultures

Indonesia is the world’s second richest megacenter of biodiversity, after Brazil. The country, comprising over 17,000 islands, covers only 1.3 per cent of the earth’s surface, but it contains almost 15 per cent of all higher plants and a significant share of the world’s fauna. According to the country study on biodiversity in 1993, the number of species of flowering plants in Indonesia is between 25,000 and 30,000, and 10 per cent of the total flora of Indonesia is thought to have medicinal value. Around 40 million people depend directly on the country’s biodiversity, and the communities make use of around 6000 plant species.

With a population of over 220 million people, Indonesia has at least 336 different cultures, speaking more than 250 languages. Thanks to this diverse culture, Indonesia has many different varieties of traditional medicine, depending on the local geography, ethnic groups and the historical processes of the communities. However, jamu, which originated in Java, and probably dates back to the construction of the world-famous Borobudur Temple in the late eighth and early ninth centuries, is the most wide-spread form of traditional medicine in the country.

In the course of time, jamu spread not only to the whole island of Java and to neighboring Bali, but also to many of the other islands. As a result of the continuous exchange of information between various cultural groups, traditional systems of medicine are not static but dynamic, regularly incorporating new knowledge and uses.

While all the various systems are based on more or less the same plant material, users are limited by what is available in their own locality and the existing knowledge, according to an article titled “Biodiversity, traditional medicine and the sustainable use of indigenous medicinal plants in Indonesia” written by Walter R. Erdelen, Kusnaka Adimihardja, H. Moesdarsono and Sidik. To cure liver infections, for instance, the Indonesian Sundanese ethnic group eats Curcuma domestica, or turmeric, as lalab (a fresh vegetable salad), while the country’s other large ethnic group, the Javanese, use boiled, dried turmeric to treat the same ailment.

Untapped Market

Nowadays, there are around 997 traditional medicine manufacturers in Indonesia, and 98 of them are industries. A few of the big jamu industries have exported their products such as cosmetics, oils and herbal medicines for women and babies to Malaysia, Singapore, India, Pakistan, Europe, the United States, and several Middle Eastern countries.

The proceeds of the herbal medicine sales domestically reached around 2 trillion Indonesian Rupiahs (Rp) annually or about US$225 million, and its export value was only US$5 million, according to data from the Indonesian Food and Medicine Supervisory Body (POM) in 2002. The figure was very small compared with China’s domestic sale value at US$5 billion and its export at US$1 billion. The demand for herbal diet supplements alone is estimated to be worth US$43 billion annually in the global market.

“Business opportunities for traditional medicines are very promising, both in the domestic and international markets. We have not tapped it maximally,” said Eng. Asyiantini, the organizing committee chairman of the Indonesian Biopharmacy Exhibition and Congress (IBEC) that was held in Yogyakarta from July 14 to 18, 2004. She said that the herbal medicine industry uses only around 500 species out of the total 7,000 known medicinal plants available in the country.

Meanwhile, according to Charles Saerang, secretary general of the Indonesian Traditional Herbal Medicines Producers Association (GPJTI), it is quite ironic that in herbal medicine production, the country falls far behind countries such as China, Korea and Japan. Political will from the government is a must for the country to rapidly develop the traditional medicine industry if Indonesia wants to compete with other countries.

Indonesia will host an International Workshop on “Enhancing Cooperation on Herbal Medicine: A Solution for Community Health Problems” and an Herbal Fair in Jakarta, this year. Initially the event was scheduled for July 27 to 30, 2004, but it has been postponed indefinitely. The workshop and exhibition are to be organized by the Non-Aligned Movement Center for South-South Technical Cooperation (NAM CSSTC) and the India-based Center for Science and Technology of Non-aligned and other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Center).

The international workshop and exhibition are expected to address key issues such as enhancing cooperation; covering issues of research, trade, business development, and intellectual property rights; and promoting the use of herbal medicines in the treatment of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and hypertension. It will also discuss solutions for community health problems in which traditional medicine could be used as an alternative to modern medicine due to its affordability, local production, cultural acceptance, and direct benefit to both producers and consumers.

what is jamu

noreply@blogger.com (Indonesian Herbal Medicine) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 02:45:00 +0000

The unique herbal remedies from Indonesia, which evidently potent to cure anything for many centuries.

The name of 'Jamu'
Javanese calls Jamu for herbal remedies, without chemist material as additive. Jamu has traditional connotation, because Jamu is ancient tradition, before modern pharmacology comes in Indonesia. Some formulas have a hundred years old and are used until now.

'Dukun' or 'tabib', a traditional doctor has been introducing this mention in ancient era. From them, drinking Jamu tradition has been popular in common people. And now, almost 80% of Indonesian people ever consume Jamu. For Indonesian people, Jamu is very popular as milk popularity for western.

History of Jamu
The origin of Jamu is obscure. No one really knows its source. However, popular stories link first Jamu to seventeenth century Mataram Hindu Empire, where ladies of the palace who rather preoccupied with keeping themselves young and beautiful for their husband undertook the preparation of Jamu and herbal cosmetics. And Madhawapura's Inscription from Majapahit Empire tells us about 'Jamu maker ' that call as Acaraki.

This tradition was being flourished in the palace of Jogjakarta and Solo princes, those become main reference for manufacturers Jamu in Indonesia. But until the early of 20th century, this tradition is still exclusively, only aristocrat communities doing this. Since 1910, Tan Swan Nio and Siem Tjiang Nio hold Djamoe Industrie en Chemicalen Handel "IBOE" Tjap 2 Njonja in Surabaya to produce Jamu for common people. And history of modern Jamu has begun

Advantage of Jamu
There are many varieties of Jamu formulas. It almost covers all human healthy problems. 'Cabe puyeng' formula is able to cure rheumatics, 'gula asem' to cure vitamin C deficiency, 'beras kencur' for body refreshments and cure fatigue, 'daun papaya' to cure malaria, and 'sawanan' to refresh blood. All of these traditional formulas are well known in Indonesia.

Jamu is not used for medicine only. There are many usabilities of Jamu, e.g. for beauty treatment. For a long time, 'Galian Singset' formula is suitable for body slimming. Another formula is skin whitening, hair treatment, body smell refreshments, etc. Jamu can be healthy supplement too; e.g. formula to keep body in good condition, returns new power and spirit of life, and also a formula to reassures matrimonial happiness, etc.

Jamu's Form
There are many kinds of Jamu formulas that ready to use. Jamu is usually formed in powder. But many Jamus for beauty treatment has a gel/liquid. In recent years, Jamu Iboe has diversified several of its products from the traditional powder form to 100% herbal extract capsules.

The Difference between Jamu and Modern Medicine
The most glaring differences between Jamu and Modern medicine is in material. Jamu uses many kinds of nature herbs, even modern medicines from synthetic alchemy compound. So, Jamu has relatively fewer side effects than modern medicine. In other word Jamu has no alcohols, no narcotics, and no side effects.

Jamu in other countries
Basically, every country and region has same tradition with Jamu tradition in Indonesia. A traditional herb form India, China, or Arab is also well known. This tradition is become a part of their culture for a long year. But Jamu is more distinctive than the others. Indonesian Jamu hails from high quality of rare and unique herb plants. Indonesia is a celestial place for live and growth of many kinds of herbs plants species.

Temulawak and Treatment of Liver Disease

noreply@blogger.com (Indonesian Herbal Medicine) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 02:44:00 +0000

Temulawak is a natural Indonesian herb, but it only grows in Java, Maluku and Kalimantan. Temulawak is considered as bush vegetation and its leaves grow from the root and the height is about 2 – 2.5 m. Its round shaped leaves (similar to Banana Leaves) covered one another and shaped like a stem.

Temulawak grows in low level ground up to 750 m above the sea. It can be harvested after 8-12 months, when the leaves turn yellowish. The tuber grows from stem and has dark-yellowish (brownish) color, 15 cm of length and 6 cm of diameters. This tuber smells balmy and tastes bitter.

It has a yellowish color because it contains curcuma substance that works to degenerate bacteria and as a hepatoprotector. Temulawak also contains atsiri essential oil, which is good to improve digestion system, increase appetite and the production of breast-milk.

Temulawak extract is also proven to be good to decrease cholesterol level in the blood and liver.