Cymbopogon nardus (Serai Wangi)

Scientific name: Cymbopogon nardus (L.) rendle

Synonym: Andropogon nardus L..

Common name: Citronella

Local name: Serai wangi

Family: Graminae

Plant: Citronella is a tall fragrant perennial grass, growing up to a height of 1 - 1.5 m

Leaves: The leaves are sessile, simple, green, linear, equitantly arranged and can grow to an average size of 60 cm long x 2.5 cm wide. The leaf is glabrous, venation parallel with an acuminate apice and sheathing base

Stem: There are no true stems. The leaf sheath is tubular and acts as a pseudostem.

Root/rhizome: The rhizome is stout, creeping, robust and creamish yellow in section.

PLANT PARTS USED: Leaves

Crop maturity: 2.5 - 3 months

Harvesting method: The crop is normally cut about 5 cm above the leaf sheath (pseudostem). The leaves are left to wilt in the sun until the water level is reduced by 30 -50 % before it is sent for oil extraction. Subsequent harvest is carried out after a period of 1.5 months.

USES IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

• Stomach complaints: essential oil is rubbed topically for comfort


• Insect repellant: the dried or injured leaves used to ward off insects


• After childbirth wash: A decoction of the citronella leaves with Gendarussa and betel-pepper used.

INDUSTRIALLY IMPORTANT CHEMICALS

Caryophyllene
citronellol

Morinda citrifolia (Noni, Mengkudu)

Scientific name: Morinda citrifolia Linn. Common name: Indian mulberry,

Noni Local name: Mengkudu

Family: Rubiaceae

Plant: Morinda citrifolia is a small evergreen tree with a conical crown, growing up to a height of 7 m.

Leaves: The leaves are simple, arranged in opposite pairs, entire and are elliptical-lanceolate in shape. They are dark shiny green in color, glabrous with an acuminate apice and base. An average leaf measures about 30 - 35 cm in length and 13 - 15 cm in width. At each leaf axile there is a green tongue-like shaped stipule measuring about 1.5 cm in length.

Stem: The bark of this tree is greyish in color, shallowly fissured and has quadrangular branchlets

Inflorescence/Flower: The flowers are borne on inflorescence that look like fleshy heads (resembling the fruits). The flowers are bisexual, fragrant with funnel-shaped corollas. The stamens are inserted at the mouth of the corolla. The fruits are fleshy, very uneven drupes; more or less oblong in shape and when ripen they change to creamish white in color.

PLANT PARTS USED: Fruits, leaves and roots

Promote menstruation: ripe fruits eaten Increase menstrual flow: the decoction of roots consumed

Diabetes: Juice of fresh fruits consumed

Hair cleanser: The pulp of the fruit applied on the hair

INDUSTRIALLY IMPORTANT CHEMICALS

Alizarin
Asperuloside

Phyllanthus niruri Linn (Dukung Anak)

Scientific name: Phyllanthus niruri Linn.
Common name: Seed on the leaf / pick-a-back
Local name: Dukung anak
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Plant: Dukung anak is a small erect annual herb growing up to a height of 50 - 70 cm.

Leaves: The leaves are bipinnate compound in nature. The leaflets are green, entire and alternately arranged with an elliptical blade, measuring about 6 - 10 mm. The leaflet stalk is absent while the compound leaf petiole is present and is green in color

Stem: The stem is glabrous, green and erect with spreading branches.

Inflorescence/Flower: The flowers are borne solitary on the underside of the leaves. The bracts are triangular in shape, scaly with each bract holding one flower. There are 2 types of flowers; the male and the female, both of which are very minute, measuring only 1 mm in length. There are 5 corolla lobes, which are polypetalous, glabrous and cream-green in color. There is a single laminar shaped stamen, which is inserted near base of corolla tube. There is one style.

PLANT PARTS USED: Whole herb


Kidney problems : decoction or juice of leaves and roots taken orally Coughs: decoction of young leaves taken orally Cuts, bruises and ulcers : leaf poultice is applied topically

INDUSTRIALLY IMPORTANT CHEMICALS

• Geraniin


• Niruriside


• Phyllanthin


• Rutin
  

Traditional use:

• water boiled with the plant is taken to treat diarrhoea.


• reported to lower hypertension and purify the bloodeffective in healing wounds and scurf.


• when boiled with goat’s milk and given to children or babies it is said to cure jaundice. It has been reported that hepatitis was cured when goat’s milk boiled with the plant was consumed for a period of 1-2 months.


• according to scientific study, the plant contains a bitter compound, phyllanthin and hydrophyllanthin. Other compounds are tannin, saponine,phyltetralin, nirtetralin, niranthin and calcium oxalate.


• Precaution- as it contain calcium oxalate which is hazardous if taken by patients suffering from stones in the bladder