What is it about?
One form of traditional knowledge that continues to be preserved is the use of plants as medicine. The Malay people, one of the largest ethnic groups in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, still maintain their traditional knowledge regarding plant-based healing—including the use of plants for postpartum care.
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Why is it important?
Based on interviews with traditional healers, information was obtained regarding 14 types of plants used by the Malay community in Bentunai Village for postpartum care: Blumea balsamifera, Mallotus paniculata (Lam.) M), Euphorbia sp., Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr & L. M. Perry, Piper nigrum L., Piper retrofractum Vahl., Physalis angulata L., Curcuma longa L., Curcuma zanthorrhiza Roxb, Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Roscoe ex Sm.), Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiber purpureum Roscoe, Kaempferia galanga L., and Zingiber sp.. The benefits and processing of these plants vary.
Perspectives
Our ancestors possessed a wealth of knowledge—a treasure that we ought to preserve. It should not merely be passed down as folklore; rather, it can be developed into medicinal treatments that could benefit people all across the globe.
Ruqiah Ganda Putri Panjaitan
Universitas Tanjungpura
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Postpartum Medicinal Plants of the Malay Tribe in Bentunai Village, Selakau Sub-District, Sambas District, Current Traditional Medicine, September 2025, Bentham Science Publishers,
DOI: 10.2174/0122150838333430250220043549.
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