SEDINGIN (CRAPE GINGER)

Nama saintifik: Costus Speciosus

Kegunaan/Khasiat:

Melawas kencing, bengkak, demam kuning dan merawat sakit lutut.

Cara kegunaan:

Minum air rebusan rizom

BALUNG AYAM (PLUMED COCKSCOMB)

NAMA SAINTIFIK: CELOSIA CRISTATA
Kegunaan/khasiat:
Untuk merawat bengkak, bisul , luka
Cara penggunaan:
Ranting ditumbuk lumat dan tampal

Kegunaan/khasiat:
Batuk berdarah, buasir, penyakit keputihan, batuk
Cara penggunaan:
Ranting dan bunga yang dikering, rebus dan minum

Kegunaan/khasiat:
Jangkitan saluran kencing, terlalu banyak darah haid, dissenteri dan batuk
Cara penggunaan:
Seluruh bahagian pokok direbus dan diminum.

Sumber: Taman Herba Negeri Perak

QUINCE

Quince flowers

For your information, I had always thought that Quince was a character in a television series. Then I thought again, that character was Quincy and not quince. But now I know better that quince is a type of fruit after I saw an advert featuring this fruit in the newspaper.

Information about the Quince
The Quince (pronounced /kwɪns/), or Cydonia oblonga, is the sole member of the genus Cydonia and native to warm-temperate southwest Asia in the Caucasus region. It is a small deciduous tree, growing 5-8 m tall and 4-6 m wide, related to apples and pears, and like them has a pome fruit, which is bright golden yellow when mature, pear-shaped, 7-12 cm long and 6-9 cm broad.
Reported Uses
Quince has many uses, such as, pies, jellies, jams, marmalades, flavorings, ice creams, and cakes.Traditionally, quince fruit syrup has been commonly added to beverages to treat diarrhea, dysentery, and sore throat. The decoction from the seeds is taken internally in the treatment of dysentery, gonorrhea, and thrush; it is also used as an adjunct in boric acid eye lotions and in skin lotions and creams. Anecdotal data exist for these uses; no clinical human data are available. The mucilage of quince seeds has been used as a suspending agent in such pharmaceutical and toilet preparations as mouthwashes for canker sores, gum problems, and sore throats. Although the quince seeds are thought to be useful in treating cancer probably because of amygdalin’s cyanogenetic action-no studies have confirmed this effect.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quince
http://www.health-care-tips.org/blog/herbal-medicines/quince
http://www.webgardenguide.com/History_Of_Quince_9833_582_2.html

TERUNG SUSU KAMBING (Solanum mammosum)

KEGUNAAN

Dalam perubatan tradisional melayu terung susu kambing digunakan untuk mengubat penyakit seperti darah tinggi, kencing manis, buasir dan barah buah dada. Untuk penyakit darah tinggi, bahagia yang digunakan ialah buahnya.Sebiji buahnya dilubangkan dengan jarum pada bahagian hujungnya.Ia kemudiannya direbus hingga mendidih dan airnya diminum 2 gelas sehari.

POKOK TAPAK KUDA

NAMA SAINTIFIK: BAUHINIA KOCKIANA

KEGUNAAN

1. Untuk merawat bisul, ramas daun dan tampal.
2. Untuk meredakan panas badan, hancur daun dan jaram di kepala.
3. Untuk merawat sakit lutut dan sendi, ramas daun dalam air panas bersama daun bawang tanah dan daun pisang batu. Sapukan pada bahagian yang sakit.

Sumber: Taman Herba Negeri Perak

TAMAN HERBA NEGERI PERAK

Saya bersama tiga rakan sekerja mengiringi 30 orang pelajar sekolah ke Taman Herba Negeri Perak yang terletak di Kampung Kepayang dekat bandaraya Ipoh pada 17 Jun 2009. Ini merupakan lawatan sambil belajar untuk mereka. Masuk ke taman pada 16 dan 17 Jun sempena upacara perasmian Taman oleh Sultan Perak adalah percuma.

On 17 June, I along with 3 of my colleagues accompanied 30 students from our school on a field trip to the Perak State Herbal Park. The entrance fees to the park was waived on the 16 and 17 of June in conjunction with the opening ceremony of the Park by His Royal Highness, the Sultan of Perak.

Mencuba ice blended roselle di salah satu gerai Herba.
Trying a blended ice Roselle drink at one of the Exhibition Booths.
Pn Bazuaniza

Encik Bala (dengan cap), field manager Taman Herba

Lidah naga

Tn Haji Hasnin dengan sebahagian daripada pelajar sekolah

Keremak merah

BEBUAS

The herbs in the Taman Herba of my school are not merely planted for people to see. There are actually teachers and staff who come and pluck the herbs use as medicine or as ingredients for their meals. This afternoon, Puan Bazuaniza plucked the Bebuas leaves. She said that she would be making ulam for her family. Besides the Bebuas leaves, she also plucked the Kaduk leaves which would also be added to the ulam.
When eaten as a salad or ulam, the bebuas helps to rid the body of wind. So don't be overly worried if you start breaking wind after eating this herb. To get rid of worms from the body, one can drink the water of the bebuas shoots which have been boiled. Drinking the water would also help nursing mothers to produce more milk for their babies.

MAKLUMAT HERBA

Nama Tempatan: Bebuas
Nama Saintifik: Premna Cordiflora
Famili:Verbenaceae

Keterangan:
Bebuas banyak dijadikan ulam oleh masyarakat melayu terutamanya. Pucuknya yang rangup dan mempunyai rasa sedikit pahit menambahkan selera makan. Pokoknya sederhana besar tetapi ada yang boleh mencapai ketinggian 7 -8m. Daunnya tumbuh tunggal dari batang dan dahan. Bersaiz sederhana beerbentuk hati dan warnanya hijau muda. Pucuk rangup dan mempunyai rasa pahit untuk menambahkan selera makan.

KEGUNAAN:
Sebagai ulam dengan cara mencelur dahulu. Berkhasiat membuang angin dalam badan dengan cepat, masalah kecacingan, menambah susu ibu.
Antara khasiat pokok bebuas bila dimakan mentah sebagai ulam ialah ia dapat membuang angin dalam badan dengan cepat, masalah cacing, menambah susu ibu.  Air rebusan pucuk bebuas pula boleh menolong untuk 

Sumber: http://www.melur.com/myherba.asp?plant_id=61&cat=HERBA

VELD VINE 四方藤

There is the owner of a hardware store in Kampung Simee, Ipoh who loves planting herbal plants outside his premise and he would dry the herbs and give them away for free to anyone who wants them. Since my mum is a regular customer, I would often accompany her there. I enjoy looking at the herbs that the owner has planted and would sometimes get some herbal plants from him to plant in the school herb garden. Last weekend, I managed to get some Veld Vine to plant. According to one of the workers at the store, the herb is good for treating boils, tumours and broken bones. In Chinese it is known as four angled vine.

Here is some information about the herb.

Common name: Veld Vine, Winged treebine, Bone setter, Veldt grape
Scientific name: Cissus quadrangularis, Vitis quadrangularis

Description:

Succulent vine with tendrils, fleshy 3-lobed leaves and quandrangular 4-winged stem and grape-shaped leaves 2 inches long (5 cm). The flowers are also typical of the grape family are greenish white and come at the end of the summer. A good basket plant. Cissus quadrangularis is an indigenous medicinal plant of India. The use of this plant by the common folk for promoting fracture healing process.

Traditional Uses:

Cissus quadrangularis is an indigenous medicinal plant of India in the grape family (Vitaceae) that has traditionally been used as an Asian culinary vegetable for curries and chutneys and as an herbal remedy in traditional Ayurvedic medicinal practice (where it is known as asthisandhana).

Current uses:

Recent studies show that an extract of Cissus quadrangularis (syn. Vitis quadrangularis ) aerial stems can help produce weight loss, lower blood glucose, and reduce total and LDL (bad) cholesterol in obese patients.

Source: http://www.theherbspiral.com/supps/herbpages/CissusQuadrangularis.htm

Use of Veld Vine in Curing Diseases :
It is mainly used in treatment of fractured bones, asthma and cardiac problems.
It is anthelmintic, digestive and analgesic.
It is useful in eye and ear diseases and in irregular menstruation.
It is useful in colic, leprosy, ulcers, tumours and skin diseases.
It is helpful in back and spine problems
Source: http://www.motherherbs.com/cissus-quadrangularis-extract.html

One visitor to this blog wrote in to ask me how to get hold of the Terung Susu Kambing plant as her mum was suffering from breast cancer and the fruit is one of the recommended traditional cures. However I have to say that it is rather difficult to get hold of the plant or the fruit. The plant that we have in the Herb Garden is not growing too well and has not borne fruit at all.
As an alternative, I suggested that she try to get hold of the Jarum Bintang Tujuh Plant or Cancer Plant as it is commonly found and very easy to grow. I remember one religious teacher who taught in my school was diagnosed with the disease and she went for homeopathy treatment. Besides following the diet recommended by her therapists, she also ate two of the leaves of this Cancer plant each day. The Ustazah recovered and she has since transferred to another school in another state.

Here is more information about this lifesaving plant:

Scientific name: Pereskia sacharosa/saecnarosa
Common names: Jarum Bintang Tujuh, Bintang Tujuh, Cancer Plant, Rose Cactus, Wax Rose, Bastard Rose, Mu Qi Lin 木麒麟, Chat Sim Chan
Family: cactaceae

How to grow:
From cuttings and seeds

Medicinal uses:
Besides being used to treat cancer, it is also said to be a traditional cure for high blood pressure, diabetes, dizziness and backaches. The plants have also been claimed to have anti-tumor, anti-rheumatic, anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory properties.

How to use:
Just pluck two of the crunchy leaves from the plant, wash them and eat them.
Can be one of the ingredients in a salad or ulam.
You can make tea out of it to cure colon, nose and other types of cancer. Just put two leaves in a glass of water and let it brew. As simple as that.

References:
http://nswong.50webs.com/07040101.htm
http://juariahhjyunus.fotopages.com/?entry=1145207

PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS: OPUNTIA

There is a Cactus Garden in my school and this morning I went to check up on the plants there to make sure that they are okay. There is a teacher in my school who is an avid gardener and he would take care of the plants and so they are in safe hands. Do you know that the Opuntia, the cactus in the first picture, is very useful? It can be made into a dish and also used as medicine.
Here is some information about the medicinal value of the Opuntia
Health Benefits of the Opuntia

Listed below are some health benefits of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia cochinellifera):

• Helpful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes
• Helps in the treatment of hyperlipidemias (increased or abnormal level of lipids in the blood)
• Contains anti-inflammatory properties
• Helps manage conditions of overweight and obesity
• Prevents cancer
• Helps treat BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) symptoms

The prickly pear, also known as Opuntia is a very popular herb. Forming an important part of the ancient Mexican culture, the prickly pear is abundant in “flavonoids” which are an important antioxidant property. Antioxidants have a detoxifying effect on the body thereby preventing cellular damage which is the path to cancers, ageing and other health problems.
Source: http://herbs.ygoy.com/medicinal-value-of-cactus/

ORCHID MEDICINE

The dragon-like "faces" of Dendrobium officinale

Orchid flower tea from Dendrobium chrysotoxum flowers
Typical dried Dendrobium stems as they are used as herbal tea.

Orchids, particularly the species Dendrobium officinale, have been used as medicinal herbs for centuries. New research has discovered many new applications of the different orchid species, and today there are at least 50 orchid species used especially in traditional Chinese medicine formulas.
The use for dried orchids ranges from immune system build-up, to cancer treatment, eye-sight improvement, regaining strength after healing (for healers) and quick recovery after sex.The parts of the orchids used most frequently are the stems and bulbs, as they are designed to keep the plant alive during dry season, and hence are rich in nutritive substances.

SOURCE: http://natureproducts.net/Forest_Products/Orchids/Medicine/medicine.html

MALAY TRANSLATION

Okid, terutamanya spesis Dendrobium officinale, telah digunakan sebagai herba untuk perubatan untuk beratus-ratus tahun. Kajian baru telah mendapat banyak kegunaan baru untuk spesis okid yang lain. Hari ini terdapat sekurang-kurangnya 50 spesis okid digunakan dalam formula dalam ubat China tradisi.

Kegunaan untuk okid kering adalah seperti untuk sistem immune, rawatan kanser, penglihatan dab sebagainya. Bahagian okid yang paling banyak digunakan adalah batang dan ubi.

BEAUTIFUL ORCHIDS

Enjoy looking at the pictures of the beautiful orchids on display at the Ipoh Orchid Show at the Indera Mulia Stadium which just ended today. My mum, aunt and I had a lovely time visiting all the stalls selling the orchids. There was also an Orchid Exhibition.

MALAY TRANSLATION

Gambar-gambar bunga okid di atas ditangkap semasa Ipoh Orchid Show yang baru berakhir hari ini. Saya dan keluarga saya dapat melihat dan juga memberi okid-okid yang dijual di gerai-gerai yang didirikan di luar Stadium Indera Mulia, Ipoh. Terdapat juga Pameran Okid.