The benefits of medicinal plants for diseases have been believed for a long time. Parts of plants that are used as medicine can be in the form of leaves, stems, flowers, tubers, or roots.
The benefits of medicinal plants for disease vary greatly, depending on the type of plant and the part used. Medicinal plants have become part of traditional medicine. Apart from being considered free of harmful chemicals, medicinal plants are also cheaper, and easy to obtain and process.
Types and Benefits of Medicinal Plants for Diseases
Pak has a variety of medicinal plants that are believed to be useful for preventing or treating various diseases. These medicinal plants can be processed into herbs, extracts, and herbal teas.
The following are some of the types and benefits of medicinal plants for diseases that are common and often used:
1. Ginger
The gingerol compound in ginger is useful for treating flatulence, nausea in pregnant women, and stomach cramps during menstruation .
The benefits of medicinal plants for this disease can also be felt by diabetics. This rhizome can help keep blood sugar levels stable by maximizing the process of digestion and absorption of sugar.
2. Kencur
Kencur is often processed into herbal medicine. Medicinal plants for this disease are believed to be effective in lowering blood sugar levels in diabetics.
According to research, kencur is also thought to be able to help cure tuberculosis , prevent osteoporosis, and inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
3. Cinnamon
Not only does it improve the taste of food, cinnamon is also able to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes and reduce cholesterol levels.
Medicinal plants for this disease are also believed to have other benefits, such as reducing complaints due to urinary tract infections, relieving joint pain due to rheumatoid arthritis , and preventing dementia .
4. Turmeric
Consuming turmeric or processed turmeric products is believed to reduce pain and swelling in people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis .
In addition to reducing arthritis, the benefits of this medicinal plant as an anti-inflammatory are also believed to be able to prevent and treat various types of chronic diseases. Some of these diseases are diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and cancer.
5. Ginseng
Ginseng is one of the medicinal plants for diseases that are believed to be able to lower blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes sufferers. In addition, ginseng is also believed to be able to overcome erectile dysfunction , boost the immune system, increase stamina, and reduce the risk of cancer.
6. Cardamom
Research shows that cardamom has high levels of antioxidants . This makes cardamom effective in lowering blood pressure .
The benefits of medicinal plants for this disease can also reduce bad breath, prevent cavities, treat stomach ulcers, fungal infections, bacterial infections, and inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
7. Cat mustache
Cat’s whiskers are one of the herbal plants for kidney stones . This plant is thought to be able to prevent the formation of stones in the kidneys.
Although further research is needed, cat whiskers are also often used for the treatment and prevention of several diseases, such as inflammation, diarrhea and digestive disorders.
8. Curcuma
Besides being believed to be able to increase appetite, temulawak is often used as medicine to cure various kinds of diseases ranging from fever in children, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, rheumatism, to liver disease.
However, most of the benefits of this medicinal plant still require further research.
9. Guava leaves
The benefits of guava leaf medicinal plants to cure dengue fever have been widely used. This benefit is obtained from the quercetin content contained in guava leaves as an antiviral. This content will inhibit the replication of the virus that causes dengue fever.
10. Betel leaves
The habit of chewing betel leaves is believed to be useful for preventing bad breath, as well as maintaining healthy teeth and gums. In addition, betel leaf can also be used as a mouthwash or used to brighten the face .
In traditional medicinal practices, betel leaves are also used to wash the vagina to treat leucorrhoea.
The various benefits of medicinal plants for this disease are obtained from the properties of betel leaves as antibacterial and antifungal. According to research, betel leaf is proven to be able to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi, which are the masterminds of the various health problems previously mentioned.
Although there are various benefits of medicinal plants for disease, their effectiveness and side effects are still not known with certainty. In addition, medicinal plants cannot be used as a substitute for primary medical treatment.
