MAYANA

Latin name: Coleus scutellarioides

Other name(s): Mayana, tzai ya cao (C). Indonesian. Iler

Symplicia name: Colei scutellarioidei Folium (leaves), Indonesian: Daun Iler

Iler is commonly cultivated as decoration or healing plant in home yards. This annual herb can also be found growing wild in dump and open spaces aside gutters or at the edges of rice fields or roadsides of villages up to a height of 1,000 to 1,300 meters above sea level.

It grows leaning or lying on its stem base and can reach a height of 1 – 1.5 meters tall with roots driving out from parts of the stem that touches the ground. If squeezed, the whole plant produces a pleasant smell. The hairy stem is square with deep grooves on each side, multi branches and is reddish purple in color.

The mono-foliate leaf has 3 – 4 cm long stalks, ovoid with a round or a bit curving base and a sharp tip forming a heart shape with spiny edges. The veins of the leaf show a clear net pattern. This soft hairy leaf has a bit shiny surface with a dimension of 7 – 11 cm long and 3.5 – 6 cm wide. Its color can be brownish purple to dark purple

The white flowers grow opposite to each other at the tip of a branch. It has two petals, the upper and the lower, with the lower petal hanging down. Iler has ovoid, hard and smooth fruits.

Iler can be found in many colors and shape, but the one that possesses therapeutic effects is the reddish brown colored leaves.

This plant is native to South East Asia and can be cultivated by seed planting or stem cutting    

MEDICINAL PART: Roots and leaves

THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS: Iler has a pleasant smell, bitter in taste and is cold in nature. It is effective as: emenagogue; appetite stimulant; antitoxic agent; antiseptic; hemodialytic; boil maturation; vermicide

INDICATION: Leaves: hemorrhoids; menorrhagia (late periods); leucorrhea (white vaginal discharge); fever; post-partum fever; diabetes; constipation; indigestion, ascariasis. Root: stomachache; diarrhea

DOSAGE AND USAGE: General: Decoction: Bring to boil 5 – 15 pieces of leaves and drink the liquid. Topical or external use:

(a) Fine grind the leaves and apply directly onto the boils, abscesses, ulcers, infected wounds with pus, headache, fever, post-partum fever, snake and insect bites. It is also used as poultice for post-partum recovery

(b) Clean wash the leaves then soak with boiling water. Fine grind the leaves, and tap the sap. Use the liquid as eardrops or antiseptic when cutting the umbilical cord of a newborn.

(c) Bring the leaves to boil in water for 15 minutes, let it cool down. Use this as eye drops for the inflamed eyes or for wound washing

SPECIFIC USAGE:

Hemmorrhoids

(a) Clean wash 35 grams of the leaves and bring it to boil in two glasses of pure water for about 15 minutes. Add 5 grams of palm sugar and stir well. Strain after cooling, and drink the decoction at once

(b) Clean wash mayana, caricature plant (Graptophyllum pictum) and green chiretta (Andrographis paniculata) leaves, 7 pieces each. And bring them to boil in 3 glasses of pure water, and let it boil until left to 1 glass. Strain after cooling. Add a tablespoon of honey as taste enhancer. Drink this decoction at once. Do this 2 times a day until condition gets better

Boils, abscesses and ulcers

Clean wash and fine grind 10 pieces of mayana leaves. Add a little water while stirring it evenly until you get a mushy mixture. Apply this mixture directly onto the boils, abscesses or ulcers and cover with a bandage. Do this 2  - 3 times a day

Boils

Clean wash a leaf of mayana, let it dry, then spread the leaf with coconut oil. Droop the oily leaf on a little heat and apply the drooped leaf directly onto the boils while still warm. Repeat

this 3 times a day.

Fever, post-partum fever

Ingredients:

Mayana leaves (Coleus scutellarioides - folia, daun iler) - ¼ handful

Caraway leaves (Coleus ambonicus – folia, daun jinten) - ¼ handful

Green chiretta leaves (Andrographis paniculata - folia, daun sambiloto) - ¼ handful

Indian privet leaves (Vitex trifolia - folia, daun legundi) - ¼ handful

Coral jasmine leaves (Nyctanthes arbortristis - folia, daun srigading) - ¼ handful

Greater plaintain leaves (Plantago major - folia, daun sendok) - ¼ handful

Old tamarind (Tamarindus indica - asam kawak) – the average chicken egg size

Palm sugar – 3 finger-size cuts

Clean was all the leaves and bring all the ingredients to boil in 4 glasses of pure water. Let boil until left to 2¼ glasses. Strain after cooling, and drink the decoction ¾ glass 3 times a day.

Otitis media

Clean wash and fine grind 10 pieces of fresh mayana leaves. Squeeze the mushy substance with a piece of cloth. Collect the sap and use it as eardrops. Drop the affected ear with this remedy, 2 – 3 drops 4 – 6 time a day. Make a new mixture on the following day

Constipation

Ingredients
Mayana leaves (Coleus scutellarioides - folia, daun iler) – 5 pieces

Caraway leaves (Coleus ambonicus – folia, daun jinten) – 5 pieces

Gotu kola leaves (Centella asiatica – folia, daun pegagan) – ½ handful

Abrus precatorius (daun saga) – ½ handful

Papaya leaf (Carica papaya - folium, daun papaya) – ½ leaf

Turmeric rhizome (Curcuma domestica, rimpang kunyit) – ½ finger-size cut

Round turmeric rhizome (Curcuma xanthorrhiza, rimpang temulawak) – ½ finger-size cut

Palm sugar – 3 finger-size cuts

Clean wash the leaves and rhizomes, chop them to smaller pieces and bring them to boil in 4 glasses of pure water. Add the palm sugar and let it boil until left to 2 glasses. Strain after cooling. Drink the decoction 1 glass 2 times a day

Menorrhagia – late periods

(a) Clean wash 6 pieces of mayana leaves and bring it to boil in 2 glasses of pure water. Let boil until left to 1 glass. Strain after cooling and drink the decoction at once.

(b) Clean wash 7 pieces of fresh mayana leaves and 1 finger-size cut of turmeric (Curcuma domestica) and a little salt and find grind them in a mortar. Add 1 tablespoon sour lime juice (Citrus aurantifolia) and 3 tablespoonfuls boiled water. Stir well, squeeze the mixture nad strain of. Drink the sap at once. Do this twice a day, morning and afternoon. 

Ascariasis

Clean wash and fine grind 7 pieces of fresh mayana leaves. Add ½ cup of drinking water and 1 tablespoon honey. Stir this mixture evenly, squeeze and strain. Drink the sap at once in the evening before bedtime for 3 consecutive nights 

Diabetes

Ingredients:

Mayana leaves (Coleus scutellarioides – folia, daun iler) – 6 pieces of fresh leaves

Salam leaves (Syzygium polyanthum – folia, daun salam) – 6 pieces of fresh leaves

Green chiretta leaves (Andrographis paniculata – folia, daun sambiloto) – 6 pieces of fresh leaves

Clean wash the leaves and bring them to boil in 3 glasses of pure water. Let it boil until left to 1 glass. Strain after cooling and drink the decoction at once on an empty stomach. Do this twice a day, morning and afternoon

Leucorrhea

Clean was 7 – 10 pieces of fresh mayana leaves and bring them to boil in 3 glasses of pure water. Let boil until left to 1½  glass. Strain after cooling and add 1 tasblespoon honey and stir well. Divide the decoction into 3 portion to be taken in the morning, noon and afternoon. 

Stomachache, diarrhea

Clean wash 3 cuts of mayana roots and cut to smaller pieces. Bring the roots to boil in 2 glasses of pure water. Let it boil until left to 1 glass. Strain after cooling, and drink the remedy ½ glass 2 times a day

Indigestion

Clean wash 10 pieces of fresh mayana leaves. Bring them to boil in2 glasses of pure water. Let it boil until left to 1 glass. Strain after cooling and drink the remedy ½ glass 2 times a day

CONTRA-INDICATIONS: Pregnant women should not take remedies containing mayana, since it may cause miscarriage or abortion.

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