Indonesia was once called “Spice Island” by Portuguese explorer in the 15th century (Schelander, Hsu, & Brown, 2000). Indonesia was known to have been using spices and herbs through many centuries for their life sustainability. Spices and herbs are one of the oldest Indonesian heritage that still commonly used in modern days for health benefit, medicine, and food additive. However, “kunyit” or commonly called turmeric, has been considered as one of the greatest healing herbs among other herbs (Ravindran, Babu, & Sivaraman, 2007. p, 1). Therefore, synthetic drugs should be replace by turmeric-based drugs if possible.
Turmeric is a common name for Curcuma longa; a species of plant from the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Turmeric grows in tropical
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Due to it orange-yellow color properties in the rhizomes, turmeric create a strong influenced the culture life and food in Southeast Asia region before knowing the health benefit of turmeric (Ravindran et al., 2007, p. 1). In Indonesia ancient civilization, turmeric was used for cosmetic, especially for noble society. According to Qhuang (2013), they used turmeric as a traditional scrub called “lulur” (traditional Javanese body scrub) for their beauty and skin appearance. He describes that scrubbing their body with turmeric lulur is believed to give a golden-glow healthy skin, cure inflammation cause by insects, and mitigate allergies. Moreover, he said it is believed by ancient society to ward off bad luck and magical hexes. In some region, turmeric has been used for wedding culture by giving turmeric lulur treatment to bride and groom one day before the feast. In India turmeric was used to dye clothes (cotton, silk, and wool) (Ravindran et al., 2007, …show more content…
2). However, the main active constituents that responsible for the coloring in turmeric is curcumin and other two pigments that accompanying curcumin which are demehtoxycurcumin and demethoxy curcumin as proposed by Srinivasan (1953, p. 448) in his observation on the constituents of coloring matter in turmeric, sample of turmeric were extracted to column of chromatography and the resolved fractions were analyzed through absorption characteristics, physical properties, and color-forming chemical
Makeup and skincare products are very important as a mile stone in our history, it also symbolizes the development of human civilization. Around 3000 BC, the Egyptian have had already discovered the every possible cosmetic products we are using today. The Ancient Egyptians were famous for their knowledge of beauty and their practice in cosmetic products. Until recent years the remains of their enormous palace, temples and monuments like the Pyramid attract archeologist and tourists alike. The Egyptians are well-renowned for their precision and techniques in the field applying methods that even modern day technologies wouldn’t be able to reproduce. Their pursue for perfection was not only contained in their monuments but also to the perfection of their self-appearances. The Egyptians were the first ancient culture that was recorded to apply and develop skim care and techniques. They had creams for stretch marks and to counter aging. They used oils to hydrolyze their skin and they had array of perfumes which all exemplify a well-developed civilization in terms of luxurious social culture. Their sense of beauty is deeply related to their religion. It is believes that presenting an attractive appearance is the best way to embrace the god and get closer to the god.
In today’s world, many people assume that the latest medical technology and treatments are always the best option. However, all over the world, different techniques for curing diseases and aliments are being used. These methods fall under the category of complementary and alternative medicine.
Traditional African medicines, and the spiritual healers that administer these medicines are an important part of African society. For many centuries and even millenniums these healers with there spiritual and naturalistic remedies have been responsible for taking care of the African world as we know it. Traditional African medicines have been a greater help to all of society and modern science, but still lie at the root of much controversy over its ability to be a valid healing tool. Some doctor’s and scientist believe that a possible placebo effect may be the root of what makes these remedies and rituals work; but there is also evidence that suggest that many of the ingredients found in our medicines today are also found in the natural animal and plant products used by the healers. In fact many pharmaceutical companies have recently been looking at the content of these natural substances in hope of finding chemical compounds that can help modern science in producing modern medicines to cure disease. Despite modern day societies use of the healers remedies in modern medicine, there still seems to be some confusion as to who the healer really is and what their motives are. Many people using naïve thought process perceive the healer as one practicing witchcraft. This may be due to the disbelief that natural substances are capable of healing, or the belief that ritualistic and spiritualistic ceremonies and practices stem from evil or voodoo. Despite all of this opposition and change into a more scientific world, the healer remains as one of the most sought after people in the African world, and even in large African cities were western heal...
Ultima, an elderly curandera, teaches a young boy about herbal remedies by gathering plants growing in the llano to cure the sick. She uses herbs like juniper, yerba del manso, oregano, manzanilla, and osha. Juniper can be used for nausea, headaches, and even some bug bites. It is also used for ceremonial fires. “Of all the plants we gathered none was endowed with so much magic as the yerba del manso” (Anya 39). Yerba del manso could cure burns, sores, piles, colic in babies, bleeding dysentery, and even rheumatism. Oregano can be used for coughs, fever, asthma, and bronchitis. “We wandered on and found some oregano, and we gathered plenty because this was not only a cure for coughs and fever but a spice my mother used for beans and meat" (Anya 40). Ultima also gathers an herb called manzanilla. Manzanilla is used to calm anxiety and settle stomachs. It also eases heartburn, nausea, and vomiting. Ultima uses it to cure a man’s mollera illness. “We were also lucky to find some osha, because this plant grows better in the mountains . It is like yerba del manso, a cure for everything” (Anya 40). Osha helps with coughs, colds, cuts, bruises, stomach troubles and rheumatism. It can also keep poisonous snakes
But with a growing evidence that wild edible plants are often superior in comparison to processed foods (Somnasang and Moreno-Black, 2000), provide substantial nutritional and dietary benefits in remote rural areas to tribal populations (Sundriyal and Sundriyal, 2001) and can be used to prevent chronic and under nutrition diseases (Green, 1993) ethno botanical studies are becoming increasingly important (Sundriyal and Sundriyal 2000, 2004; Bhattarai and Chaudhary, 2009). The role of ethno-medicinal plants as the prerequisite of culturally pertinent and economically affordable health care in creating both sustainable livelihoods and the critical conservation of biodiversity is gaining an unprecedented importance and consequently a strong emphasis has now been laid on the need to broaden the biological diversity in human nutrition as well as to document and conserve the indigenous knowledge associated with these plants (Javaid M Dad,
Herbal medicine have played an every important place in the health of living beings for thousands of years. Indeed, according to different archaeological evidences, humans have been using medicinal plants since approximately 60,000 years and even non-human primates ingested used to treat illness by ingesting medicinal plants. Furthermore, centuries later, herbalism was used all around the world to cure diseases. For example, near 4,000 BC In India, Ayurveda medicine used many herbs like turmeric, moreover, in 2,000 BC, Chinese started prescribing over 365 herbal medicines including ephedra, hemp and chaulmoogra, and around 1500 BC, Ancient Egyptians used over 850 medical plants such as garlic, juniper, cannabis, castor bean, aloe, and mandrakeand. Even though herbalism has been known to be effective for thousands of years ago, modern society has a lot of prejudices concerning medical plants, like cannabis. Those prejudices make the
As our Society becomes more educated on how our food choices affect our health and wellbeing, Allopathic medicine needs to recognize its value. Since the beginning of mankind, people have used foods to not only fill their stomachs, but also to heal their bodies. Food can affect our health and even our emotions in both positive and negative ways. Allopathic medicine, evidence based science, looks at food mainly for its caloric value: using food to heal is looked and frowned upon, as “Alternative” medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic medicine though practiced for centuries have found their way into Western Cultures, becoming more popular as a way to become healthier.
There is a large body of research into herbal medicines. Great progress has been made in the isolation and identification of the constituents of medicinal plants using high pressure liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. Research to identify the main active components is carried out either in a search for new drugs or to enable claims to be made for proprietary herbal preparations. Medicinal plants have been generally shown to have not one but a combination of active principles. Once these principles are found, the next step is learning how to synthesize it
Traditional herbal medicine comes from many different areas of the world (Indian, Chinese, African, Western, Native American herbs, Ayurvedic and other indigenous medicines) and in most all of them they are still b...
So from last many thousands years the medicinal plant being used by humans for different therapeutic purpose and are changed to modern medicine like many modern drugs originated from plant source. Many of the life saving drug are isolated/extract from medicinal plant examples include Vincristine (Vinca), digoxin (Digitalis), quinine (cinchona bark), Atropine (Datura), Artimicine (Artimisia annua), morphine (from the opium poppy) (Vickers and Zollman, 1999). As per WHO the uses of herbal drug was increased day by day to two- three time more as compared to conventional drug in different form like nutraceuticals, ayurvedic drugs, traditional chinse medicine, Functional food etc (Evans, 1994).
During the early 19th century, scientists’ started to study chemical components of herbs known. They then enhanced and make their own version of plant compounds. This is the reason why there is an existing rivalry between herbal and therapeutic medicines (Herbal Medicine).
Durian is the fruit of several tree species belonging to genus Durio and the family Malvaceae. The name durian comes from the Indonesia and Malaysian word duri (thorn) together with the suffix -an (for building a noun in Indonesia and Malaysia). It is one of the most famous and controversial fruits in the world and highly valued and desired throughout South-East Asia. Although considered as delicacy by many, it also received its fame because of its unique and indescribable odour. Durian is the ‘King of Tropical Fruit’ which refers to two facet of the fruit: its superlative flesh, which is highly nutritional; and its appearance, which resembles the thorny thrones of the Asia kings of old (Subhadrabandhu & Ketsa, 2001).
Herbal remedies’ qualities are widespread availability, lower cost, effective for chronic conditions. Herbal remedies are the use of plants or plant extract to treat a person’ overall health. Herbal treatments are prominent for developing countries for instance, “in Africa up to 90% and in India 70% of the population depend on traditional medicine to help meet their health care needs” (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011), due to their low cost and availability. Herbal remedies have gained attention in the past decades, and expanding their uses due to the increased interest of natural therapies (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011). Herbs used on the remedies grow in the wild throughout the world, therefore making it easy to
Frequently a person believes that herbal medicine is more naturally safe and soothing than drugs. Nevertheless, there’s no reasonable defense about this. Though many consumers trusted herbal medicine much more than the synthetic medicine because it’s safe and effective, but like anything else, it has its own limitations too. There are several hostile issues related to herbal medicine that has been quite alarming. Notwithstanding, majority of the most popular herbs are at least nearly safe.
Traditional Medicine: A Modern Context. Modern medicine is finally starting to accommodate traditional medicine, though traditional medicine is still overlooked or regarded as a primitive form of treatment, providing nothing but placebo effects. According to the American National Cancer Institute, modern medicine is: A system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. NCI, para. -. 1)