Sirih

Sirih merupakan tanaman asli Indonesia yang tumbuh merambat atau bersandar pada batang pohon lain. Sebagai budaya daun dan buahnya biasa dimakan dengan cara mengunyah bersama gambir, pinang dan kapur. Namun mengunyah sirih telah dikaitkan dengan penyakit kanker mulut dan pembentukan squamous cell carcinoma yang bersifat malignan.

Sirih digunakan sebagai tanaman obat (fitofarmaka); sangat berperan dalam kehidupan dan berbagai upacara adat rumpun Melayu.

Ciri-ciri batang, daun, dan bunga/buah

Tanaman merambat ini bisa mencapai tinggi 15 m. Batang sirih berwarna coklat kehijauan,berbentuk bulat, beruas dan merupakan tempat keluarnya akar. Daunnya yang tunggal berbentuk jantung, berujung runcing, tumbuh berselang-seling, bertangkai, dan mengeluarkan bau yang sedap bila diremas. Panjangnya sekitar 5 - 8 cm dan lebar 2 - 5 cm. Bunganya majemuk berbentuk bulir dan terdapat daun pelindung ± 1 mm berbentuk bulat panjang. Pada bulir jantan panjangnya sekitar 1,5 - 3 cm dan terdapat dua benang sari yang pendek sedang pada bulir betina panjangnya sekitar 1,5 - 6 cm dimana terdapat kepala putik tiga sampai lima buah berwarna putih dan hijau kekuningan. Buahnya buah buni berbentuk bulat berwarna hijau keabu-abuan. Akarnya tunggang, bulat dan berwarna coklat kekuningan.

Kandungan dan manfaat

Minyak atsiri dari daun sirih mengandung minyak terbang (betIephenol), seskuiterpen, pati, diatase, gula dan zat samak dan kavikol yang memiliki daya mematikan kuman, antioksidasi dan fungisida, anti jamur. Sirih berkhasiat menghilangkan bau badan yang ditimbulkan bakteri dan cendawan. Daun sirih juga bersifat menahan perdarahan, menyembuhkan luka pada kulit, dan gangguan saluran pencernaan. Selain itu juga bersifat mengerutkan, mengeluarkan dahak, meluruhkan ludah, hemostatik, dan menghentikan perdarahan. Biasanya untuk obat hidung berdarah, dipakai 2 lembar daun segar Piper betle, dicuci, digulung kemudian dimasukkan ke dalam lubang hidung. Selain itu, kandungan bahan aktif fenol dan kavikol daun sirih hutan juga dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai pestisida nabati untuk mengendalikan hama penghisap[2].

Kegunaan

Batuk

Sariawan

Bronchitis

Jerawat

Keputihan

Sakit gigi karena berlubang (daunnya)

Demam berdarah

Bau mulut

Haid tidak teratur

Asma

Radang tenggorokan (daun dan minyaknya)

Gusi bengkak (getahnya)

Membersihkan Mata

Bau ketiak

Pemakaian luar

Eksim

Luka bakar

Koreng (pyodermi)

Kurap kaki

Bisul

Mimisan

Sakit mata

Perdarahan gusi

Mengurangi produksi ASI yang berlebihan

Menghilangkan gatal

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Antanan or Pegagan (Centella asiatica)

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Spermatophyta

Class: Dicotyledone

Order: Umbillales

Familia: Umbilliferae (Apiaceae)

Genus: Centella

Species: C. Hydrocotyle asiatica asiatica &

Pegagan (Centella asiatica) 

It is very often  considered as a plant pest in rice fields rather wet, so this plant is only in the cast or in the exhaust, but it turns out these plants can serve as a powerful drug. Medicinal plants originated from tropical Asia region, spread across southeast Asia, including Indonesia, India, People's Republic of China, Japan and Australia and then spread to various other countries. Commonly known name for this medicinal plant Centella asiatica is a leaf other than the horse's legs and Antanan.

Since time immemorial, gotu kola has been used for medicinal skin, nervous disorders and improve blood circulation. West Java community recognize this plant as one of the plant for vegetables.

Local Name

Pegaga (Aceh), leaves hooves (Malay), antanan (Sunda), Gagan, Gagan, Rendeng (Java), taidah (Bali) sandanan (Irian) broken copper coin, buabok (UK), paardevoet (Netherlands), gotu kola (India), ji xue cao (Simplified)

Type of Centella asiatica

Centella asiatica is an annual herb that grows plants and flowers spread throughout the year. Plants will flourish if the land and the environment is suitable to be used as pennutup soil. Type of Centella asiatica Centella asiatica is often found is the red and green Indian pennywort. Centella asiatica, also known as red antanan antanan rock garden or as many found in the rocks, dry and open. Medicinal plants growing vine with red Pegagan stolon (geragih) and has no stem, but have rhizoma (rhizome short). While green gotu kola is often found in many areas paddies and grass on the sidelines. Place a green that is preferred by kola rather damp places and open or slightly shaded. In addition, plants like Centella asiatica or antanan there are four kinds of flowers antanan, antanan beurit, antanan antanan mountains and water.

Contents

Centella asiatica is simplisianya known as Centella Herba contains asiaticoside, thankuniside, isothankuniside, madecassoside, brahmoside, brahmic acid, brahminoside, madasiatic acid, meso-inositol, centelloside, carotenoids, hydrocotylin, vellarine, tannins and mineral salts such as potassium, sodium, magnesium , calcium and iron. Allegedly triterpenoida glycoside called asiaticoside is antilepra and wound healing is remarkable. Substance vellarine is giving a bitter taste.

Nature and Benefits

Medicinal plant Centella asiatica taste sweet, be cool, has the function of cleaning the blood, blood circulation, peluruh urine (diuretic), fever (antipiretika), stop the bleeding (haemostatika), increased neural memory, anti-bacterial, tonic, antispasma, antiinflammatory, hypotensive , insecticides, allergy and stimulants. Saponin which is inhibiting the production of excessive scar tissue (keloids inhibit)

Other gotu kola benefits of improving blood circulation to the arms and legs; prevent varicose veins and wrong; improve memory, mental and stamina, and decreased symptoms of stress and depression. Centella asiatica on research in rsu dr.soetomo surabaya can be used to lower blood pressure, not decrease drastically, so suitable for elderly patients.

Processing

Most of Centella asiatica fresh vegetables are consumed, but there are dried to be used as tea, take capsules or extract to be processed into a cream, ointment, acne medication, and body lotion.

Source: wikipedia.org

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