Scientific name Labisia pumila Rank Species | Genus Labisia Higher classification Labisia | |
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Similar Longjack, Eurycoma, Myrsinaceae, Kudzu, Ficus deltoidea | ||
Labisia pumila (kacip Fatimah, /ˈkɑːtʃɪpfɑːtɪmɑː/) is a flowering plant in the Primulaceae family native to Malaysia. It is a small, woody and leafy plant with leaves of 20 cm (7.9 in) in length, and grows widely in the shade of the tropical forest floor. The plant is used in traditional medicine of the Malay community, in which it's believed to contain benefits relating to women's health.
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Description
Labisia is a herbaceous plant that grows in low clusters, with solitary or rarely branching stems and fine, hairy roots. The leaves are oblong-shaped, hairy on its underside and can grow to 20–40 cm (7.9–15.7 in) in length. The inflorescence are brown and 5–6 cm (2.0–2.4 in) long. The plant thrives under the shade, away from direct sunlight, and grows well in moist or loamy soil. It propagates by its rhizomes, leaves and/or seeds, and when cultivated is harvested about a year after planting. The plant is indigenous to Malaysia, but also found in Sumatera, Java and Borneo. Three varieties of Labisia have been described: var. Alata, var. Lanceolata dan var Pumila.
The popular name for the plant is kacip fatimah ("Fatimah's betel cutter"; compare to tongkat ali, i.e. Ali's walking stick). Other common names of the plant include "Selusoh Fatimah", "pokok pinggang", "rumput palis", "tadah matahari", "mata pelanduk rimba", "bunga belungkas hutan", "remoyan batu" and Sangkoh.
Uses
Labisia is used in the food, beverage, and traditional medicine of the region that is its native habitat, and in the Malay community is considered beneficial to women specifically. In such cases, the entire plant is boiled, and the water extract is consumed as a drink or used as a herbal bath. The traditional uses of the plant include easing of childbirth, as a post-partum medication to contract the birth channel, regulation of the menstrual cycle, and alleviation of menstrual symptoms. The plant's extract has also been formulated for consumption in capsule and tablet form. While Labisia has a reputation in the Malay community to be the herb for women, its counterpart for men is the Tongkat Ali.
Pharmacology
There has been some scientific research investigating potential health benefits of Labisia. From various in vitro studies, the plant's extract has been reported to display estrogenic activity, immunomodulation activity, and antioxidant activity.
Chemical constituents
Despite its long history of traditional use, the active components and mode of action have not been well studied, though some preliminary research has been published. It has been reported that Labisia contains two novel benzoquinoid compounds, as well as gallic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, and myricetin. One study claims that the leaves contain significantly higher level of saponins compared to its stems and roots.
