Have you heard the name snake wood? Kayu Ular Papua is a type of plant originating from Papua. Having the Latin name Strychons Lucida, the whole stem of this plant has a bitter taste.
Get to know Kayu Ular Papua
Kayu Ular Papua is a plant that resembles an orange plant and lives in dry, rocky areas close to the coast. This plant has an irregular branch shape, hence the name snake wood.
Kayu Ular has a strong and hard wood character and can grow up to a height of 12 meters above ground level.
This tree is a small tree with irregular branches, upright, up to 12 m high, growing wild in the forest near the beach.
Single leaf, stemmed, alternate layout, oval shape, flat edge, pointed tip, 6-12 cm long, 3.5-8.5 cm wide. Flowers come out from the end of the stalk, round fruit, + 4 cm in diameter, reddish yellow.
The trunk has hard and strong wood that is pale yellow and odorless. And all parts of this plant taste bitter.
If in Papua this plant has the name snake wood, but in Java this plant is known as sea bidara, mountain bidara, and white virgin.
Benefits of Kayu Ular Papua
Previously, this plant was believed by the people of Papua to treat malaria, by boiling and drinking the water. In addition, there are also several other ingredients that can cure several diseases.
Some of the ingredients of this snake wood include gallic substances and tannins, which function to reduce fever, anti-inflammation, and expedite urination.
While other compounds, namely saponins (steroids and triterpenoids) are believed to lower blood sugar.
1. Maintain Digestive Health
We can find the benefit of kayu ular to maintain digestive health. Antimicrobials present in snake wood have been widely used as a treatment to maintain digestive health.
This wood contains alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins and triterpenoids.
These various ingredients can help inhibit bacterial growth by damaging cell membranes and their ability as an antibacterial.
2. Maintaining the Immune System
The second benefit of snake wood is to maintain one’s immune system.
Kayu Ular Papua contains alkaloids with alkaline properties and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which are beneficial to health.
Alkaloids are considered to be able to help the immune system stay awake. Even great, kayu ular considered to improve our body fitness.
3. Reducing Back Pain
The third benefit of snake wood is to reduce back pain. As the times progress, many people today spend time sitting for long periods of time to work.
This condition can cause pain in the waist. In addition, back pain can also be a sign of disease, such as kidney disease.
To relieve it, this plant is believed to have the benefit of reducing pain in the waist.
4. Reducing Fever
The fourth benefit of snake wood is to reduce fever. As is well known, fever is one of the symptoms of malaria. By consuming snake wood, fever due to malaria can be reduced.
5. Prevent Cancer Risk
The fifth benefit of snake wood is to prevent cancer risk. Even though it tastes bitter, this snake wood has very effective benefits for inhibiting cancer-forming cells.
This cannot be separate from the presence of anticancer activity in snake wood plants.
Anticancer activity has been investigated against the HepG2, HuCCA-1, A549, and Molt-3 cell lines.
In particular, the ethyl acetate extract showed inhibitory activity on Molt-3 cells, cells found in leukemia patients.
6. Overcome Free Radicals
The next benefit of snake wood is to overcome free radicals. Kayu ular can be use as an antioxidant that can help the body to fight free radicals.
Antioxidants will fight free radicals before they cause damage to the body.
How to Use Snake Wood
If you want to use this Papuan snake wood as medicine, the steps to take are very easy.
First, prepare boiling water, then add the snake wood chunks for about 2 minutes to remove any adhering dust and then throw away the water.
Before boiling, split or cut the Papua snake wood into several parts. Or it could also be shave. Cook until the water turns like tea. Strain the water then drink.
If you want it a little sweet, you can mix it with honey because the taste of this wood is very bitter.
After that, save the piece of Kayu Ular Papua. Boil again when needed. The estimated use of this wood can be for hundreds of times of boiling.