Table 2 The list of 14 Malaysian medicinal plants and its traditional claims and treatments
Family | Plant species | Local name | Traditional claims by the Malays and aborigines | Voucher specimen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Asteraceae | Vernonia amygdalina | Pokok panjang hayat, Daun bismillah | Leaf: Used as a remedy for the management of diabetes, hypertension and hypercholestrolaemia. | PID231114-18 |
Simaroubaceae | Brucea javanica | Melada pahit | Leaf: Used as a poultice for scurf, ringworm, boils, centipede bites and over enlarged spleen in fever. Root: Used as a decoction for colic, dysentery, fever, bodily pain and labour pain. Fruit and leaf: Used as an infusion to cure malaria. | UKMB40227 |
Leeaceae | Leea indica | Mali-mali, memali | Leaf: Used as a poultice in skin complaints caused by poisonous caterpillars and body pains. | PID241114-18 |
Lauraceae | Cinnamomun iners | Kayu manis hutan, Teja lawang | Root: Used as a decoction after childbirth, fever. Leaf: Used as a poultice for rheumatism. | PID271114-18 |
Verbenaceae | Vitex negundo | Lenggundi, Lemuni hitam | Leaf: Used as a remedy for cleansing the birth canal and increase the production of milk after childbirth. | PID261114-18 |
Combretaceae | Terminalia catappa | Ketapang | Bark: Act as astringent in dysentery Leaf: Act as a sudorific and applied to rheumatic joints, used internally for headache and colic. | PID251114-18 |
Rubiaceae | Morinda elliptica | Mengkudu kecil, Mengkudu hutan | Leaf: Added to rice for loss of appetite, taken for head ache, cholera, diarrhoea and fever. Applied in a pounded condition upon the spleen and wounds. A lotion for haemorrhoids and upon the body after childbirth. | MTM193 |
Annonaceae | Annona muricata | Durian belanda | Leaf: Used as a poultice or an infusion externally for skin complaints in children, and for coughs and rheumatism. | MTA174 |
Asteraceae | Elephantopus scaber | Tutup bumi, Tapak sulaiman | Used as a decoction (leaf or root) for preventive medicine after childbirth, in tonics, to drive out round worm, for coughs and veneral disease. The leaf decoction used as an antihelmintic, as a diuretic and for abdominal pains. The root decoction also used to arrest vomiting. | MTE174 |
Zingiberaceae | Curcuma mangga | Temu pauh, Temu manga | Rhizome: Used as stomachic and as a mixture for continuous fever. | RZ14/10 |
| Â | Curcuma zedoaria | Temu kuning, Temu putih | Rhizome: Used in decoction as a tonic and for indigestion. | MTC0071 |
| Â | Curcuma aeruginosa | Temu hitam, Temu erang | Rhizome: Used as a tonic, for a cough and asthma. Externally used (pounded in coconut oil) for scurf. | RZ18/10 |
| Â | Alpinia galanga | Lengkuas | Rhizome: Used as a decoction to cure malaria. Carminative, stomachic and ointment for skin eruptions. | MTA0059 |
| Â | Curcuma phaeocaulis | Temu merah | Rhizome: Used by the local to treat tumours | RZ19/10 |