PRICKLY AMARANTH

Latin name: Amaranthus spinosus

Other name(s): le xian cai, prickly amaranth, thorny amaranth, bayam duri

Bayam duri usually grow wild in open fields or empty gardens, along the side roads on lower grounds up to 1,400 meter above sea level. This annual herb grows erect up to 30 – 100 centimeters high, multi-branch with a spiny, red greenish stalk, which is smooth on the base and a little fuzzy at the top. The single leaf has a long stalk, egg-shaped with a blunt tip, smooth edges and is 1.5 - 6 centimeters long and 1 – 3 centimeters wide and green in color.

At the leaf joint grows a pair of fragile thorns. The female flowers rise from the leaf joint, blooming round and close to each other, while the white greenish male flower is cone shaped, rising out in branches at the leaf joint or tip of the stalk. It has a green tubular fruit with black, small round seeds.

Bayam duri roots has a bitter sweet and cooling taste that enters the meridian of the heart and kidneys. It contains amaranthine, rutine, spinasterol, tanine, potassium nitrate, potassium oxalate, phosphate salt, ferrum, vitamin A, B, K and B6 (pyridoxin)   

MEDICINAL PART: Roots and leaves

THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS:  Root: antipyretic, diuretic, emenagogue, antitoxic, reduce swelling, blood cleansing                                                                                                            

INDICATION: Root: dysentery, diarrhea; laryngitis, toothache, fever; bronchitis; scrofuloderma (lymph tuberculosis); leukorrhea; infection of the uterus; amenorrhea; scanty urination (oliguria); gonorrhea; gallstone. Leaves: chest pain; acute bronchitis; anemia and lack of lactation.

DOSAGE AND USAGE: Decoction: boil 10 – 15 grams of dried root or 30 – 60 grams of the fresh roots, cool off and drink. Or boil ½ to 1 handful of the fresh whole herb, cool off and drink. External use: boil adequate amount of the whole herb, and use the liquid to wash the affected part e.g. warts, cuticles, hemorrhoids, eczema, bleeding gums, to stimulate lactation (lactagogue), fever, burn wounds, snakebites. For patients with rheumatism: soak the affected joint or ankle in the liquid while warm.

Usage and dosage for some specific conditions are as follows:  

Dysentery: Wash 30 grams of bayam duri fresh roots and cut to small pieces. Boil in 2 glasses of water and add 15 grams of palm sugar, stir well and wait until left to ½ glass. Strain after cooling, and drink at once before meal. Do this twice per day until the condition gets better.

Leukorrhea: : Wash 30 – 60 grams of bayam duri fresh roots and cut to small pieces. Boil in 3 glasses of water and add 15 grams of rock sugar, stir well and wait until left to1 glass. Strain after cooling, divide into 2 portion to be taken twice a day, morning and afternoon.

Laryngitis: Wash 45 grams of bayam duri fresh roots and cut to small pieces. Boil in 3 glasses of water until left to1 glass. Strain after cooling. Drink ½ glass 2 times a day, in the morning and afternoon.

Bronchitis: Wash ½ handful of bayam duri root and grind to a fine mush. Add 3 tablespoon boiled water and a little salt, stir well, squeeze and strain the sap. Drink at once and repeat this 2 times per day.

Toothache: Wash bayam duri root, and chew it in the mouth

Amenorrhea: Wash 50 grams of the root and cut to small pieces. Soak it in adequate amount of red wine, then steam about 15 minutes. Drink at once while warm.

Scrofuloderma: Wash 30 – 60 grams of the whole herb and cut to small pieces. Boil with 1.5 glasses of water and 1.5 glasses of white wine until left to 1 glass. Strain after cooling. Drink ½ glass 2 times a day.

Oliguria (scanty urination): Wash one root of this herb and cut to pieces. Boil with 2 glasses of pure water until left to 1 glass. Strain after cooling, and drink at once in the morning

Warts: Wash adequate amount of bayam duri leaves and stalk, cut to pieces. Grind to a fine mushy substance. Add 1 teaspoon of honey and stir well until even. Apply to the wart and surrounding area and put on a bandage. Change the bandage and remedy 3 times a day.

Hemorrhoids: Wash and boil adequate amount of fresh leaves and stalk. Apply steam to the hemorrhoid and then soak the hemorrhoid in the remaining liquid.

Eczema: Wash the whole herb and cut to pieces. Soak in adequate amount of water and let it boil for 15 minutes. Add a little salt and stir well. Use the water to wash and compress the affected area.

Bleeding gums: Burn the whole dried plant using a ceramic plate, and then grind to powder. Apply this black powder to the affected gum frequently until the condition gets better.

Lactagogue: Wash a stalk of bayam duri and then fine grind the herb to a mushy substance. Apply to breast and surrounding area. Do this 3 – 4 times a day until lactation becomes smoothly.

Fever: Wash and grind a handful of bayam duri leaves and stalk. Add adequate amount of hot water, stir until a mucus substance and apply on forehead and temple as compress

CONTRA-INDICATIONS: None

IMPORTANT NOTE

The recipes and techniques mentioned in this page are not meant to replace diagnosis and treatment of a medical practioner. Before using any of these recipes, the author recommends to consult a physician. All the recipes has been used without any side effects and are considered safe. However, since some people have more sensitive skin or digestive system than others, and since the user’s actual recipe preparation is beyond the control of the author, the author accept no liability with regard to the use of recipes or techniques contained in this page

TROPICAL SPINACH

Latin name: Amaranthus tricolor

Other name(s): Amaranthus gangeticus, Chinese spinach, bayam,  bayam merah, bayam siti

Bayam is native to tropical America and is at present found in tropical and sub tropical areas all over the world. In Indonesia bayam is an all season herb and can be found during the whole year up to the level of 5,000 meters above sea level, in warm as well as in cool climates, but preferably in open lower grounds with a relatively higher temperature.

This annual herb grows erect, a little bit inclined, with branches, up to a height of 0.4 to 1 meter tall. The weak and succulent stalk holds egg-shaped and flexible leaves of 5 – 8 centimeters long, with blunt tips of either, green, red or white greenish in color. The cone shaped flowers rise from the leaf joint, blooming at the tip of the stalk

Bayam is commonly sold in the market place and is consumed as vegetables. The three variants under Amaranthus tricolor are the green, red (Blitum rubrum) and white-greenish (Blitum album). These three variants are indicated by the respective color of leaves and stalk. In fact, there are plenty bayam variants, most of them grow wild anywhere. The commonly consumed and cultivated ones are the Amaranthus tricolor and Amaranthus hybridus variant.

One of the wild growing variant of bayam, Amaranthus spinosus will be discussed separately, since it is known to be one of the healing herb with more specific therapeutic effects.

Bayam contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, potassium, ferrum, amaranthine, rutine, purine and vitamin A, B, C

MEDICINAL PART: Leaves and roots

THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS: Improve renal function, cholagogue, dysentery (root). Since bayam contains real fiber, it is used to ease defecation, and is recommended to be consumed for patients with large intestine cancer, diabetes, high blood cholesterol and to lose weight. 

INDICATION: Leaves: blood cleanser after giving birth; hair root strengthener; low blood pressure; anemia; renal failure. Root: dysentery

DOSAGE AND USAGE: General: boil or steam 25 – 30 of fresh bayam leaves, and consume with peanut sauce (bumbu kacang) or liquid palm sugar to add taste.

Another way is to make bayam juice using the fresh bayam leaves and stalks. Or you may as well prepare the common ‘sayur bening’ (meaning clear vegetable soup) with the following ingredients:

Bayam 2 bunches

Corn 1 stalk, cut to 6 pieces

Lesser galangal 1 little finger cut   

Kunci 2 little finger cut

Sugar 1 teaspoon

Salt as needed

Wash and boil the vegetables in 1 liter water, add the sugar and salt, and serve for meal

For external use: grind adequate amount of fresh bayam to a fine mushy substance, and apply to wound or insect or snakebites.

Usage and dosage recommended for some specific conditions are as follows:

To improve renal function, blood cleansing after birth: use the above ‘sayur bening’ recipe

Anemia: wash 3 handfuls of bayam leaves, grind to a fine mushy. Add 1 tablespoon jeruk nipis sap (Citrus mitis, calamondin), stir well and strain. Then add 1 tablespoon honey and 1 yolk of chicken egg, stir well and drink. Repeat this once a day for a week. Continue twice a week until the condition gets better.

Dysentery: clean wash 10 pieces of red bayam root, grind to a fine mushy substance. Add a little salt, stir well, strain and drink at once.

Hair root strengthening: wash 1 bunch of bayam leaves and grind to a fine mush. Add a little salt and stir well. Squeeze out the sap, strain and drink at once. Do this 2 – 3 times a week

CONTRA-INDICATIONS: Bayam is contra-indicated for patient with high blood levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia) and gout since bayam contains purine which will be metabolized to uric acid in the body, thus aggravating the condition.

REMARKS: As remedial, red bayam is more effective than the green one.

IMPORTANT NOTE

The recipes and techniques mentioned in this page are not meant to replace diagnosis and treatment of a medical practioner. Before using any of these recipes, the author recommends to consult a physician. All the recipes has been used without any side effects and are considered safe. However, since some people have more sensitive skin or digestive system than others, and since the user’s actual recipe preparation is beyond the control of the author, the author accept no liability with regard to the use of recipes or techniques contained in this page

JAMU FOR OTITIS MEDIA

Jamu Recipes for Otitis Media

PATHO-PHYSIOLOGY: Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear, whose tiny bones pick-up vibrations from the eardrum or tympanic membrane and pass them along to the inner ear. It is usually accompanied by a common cold or flu or another type of upper respiratory tract infection. The infection in the upper part of the respiratory tract passes the Eustachian tube, a narrow canal that connects it to the middle ear.

INDICATIONS: Symptoms of middle ear infection: earache which can be either a sharp and sudden pain or dull continuous pain; fever and chills; nasal congestion; feeling of fullness in the ear; nausea and diarrhea accompanying earache; muffled hearing. In children: restlessness; irritability; loss of appetite; nasal discharge; fever; and crying at night when lying down

Recipe #1

INGREDIENTS:

Cotton seeds (Gossypium herbaceum, biji kapas) - 1 tablespoon

Mayana leaves (Coleus scutellarioides, daun iler) – ¼ handful

Turmeric (Curcuma domestica, kunyit) – 1 fingersize cut

PREPARATION AND DOSAGE:

Ear drops: Clean wash all ingredients and grind to a fine mush. Boil the ground materials in 2 glasses of pure water until left to 1 glass. Cool down and strain. Use the decoction as eardrops: 2 – 4 drops 4 times per day

Recipe #2

INGREDIENTS:

Jimson weed leaves (Datura metal, daun kecubung) – 10 leaves

Coconut oil (Oleum cocos, minyak kelapa) – 2 tablespoons

PREPARATION AND DOSAGE:

Eardrops: Clean wash and fine grind the jimson leaves. Warm up the coconut oil for a while and add to the ground leaves. Squeeze the mixture, and then strain to tap the liquid. Drip the liquid into the affected ear: 5 drops 3 times a day.

REMARKS:

-       If body temperature rises above 38.3 – 38.9 dC, you should suspect a more serious condition that needs the presence of a medical profession.

-       Frequent relapse of otitis media may lead to hearing loss or more serious infections 

IMPORTANT NOTE

The recipes and techniques mentioned in this page are not meant to replace diagnosis and treatment of a medical practioner. Before using any of these recipes, the author recommends to consult a physician. All the recipes has been used without any side effects and are considered safe. However, since some people have more sensitive skin or digestive system than others, and since the user’s actual recipe preparation is beyond the control of the author, the author accept no liability with regard to the use of recipes or techniques contained in this page

JAMU FOR NASAL POLYPS

Jamu Recipes For Nasal Polyps

PATHO-PHYSIOLOGY: Nasal polyp is the distension of the swollen lining of the mucous membrane of the inside of the nose. It creates protuberances that look like small, pearly grapes and can appear singly or in clusters. It is harmless, but may often block the nasal passages making it difficult to breath and sometimes affecting the sense of smell. Nasal polyps are caused by an over production of fluid in the mucous membrane lining in the nose. People with chronic allergies and sinus infection are at the highest risk to have them

INDICATIONS: Symptoms of nasal polyps: chronic blockage of nasal passage; difficult breathing through the nose; difficult smelling; headache; nose bleeding.

INGREDIENTS:

Betel leaves (Piper betle, daun sirih) – 7 pieces

Pine leaves (Casuarina equisetifolia, daun cemara) – 1 handful

Turmeric (Curcuma domestica, kunyit) – 1 finger-size cut of rhizome

PREPARATION AND DOSAGE:

Peel the turmeric rhizome then scrape. Clean wash all the ingredients and put it altogether in 10 glasses of pure water. Boil until left to 8 glasses. Pour the hot liquid into a pan. Put the head above the pan and cover the head over the pan with a towel, then inhale the evaporation of the liquid. Do this twice a day.

REMARKS: The best causal therapy is to remove the polyp surgically.

IMPORTANT NOTE

The recipes and techniques mentioned in this page are not meant to replace diagnosis and treatment of a medical practitioner. Before using any of these recipes, the author recommends to consult a physician. All the recipes has been used without any side effects and are considered safe. However, since some people have more sensitive skin or digestive system than others, and since the user’s actual recipe preparation is beyond the control of the author, the author accept no liability with regard to the use of recipes or techniques contained in this page