Know the herbs

Scientific name

Brucea javanica (L.) Merr.

Family

Simaroubaceae

Local name

Melada pahit

Description

Melada pahit is a shrub or small tree up to 5 m in height, with the younger parts of the plant being softly pubescent. The leaves are compound-paripinnate with 5–11 leaflets, oval to lanceolate in shape, measuring 5–10 cm long and 2–4 cm wide. The leaf margins are serrate, and both leaf surfaces are densely hairy, especially on the lower side. The flowers are small, greenish-white to greenish-red or purple, and arranged in numerous cymes or small clusters on axillary panicles. The fruit and seed sections show a drupe-type fruit containing 1–4 seeds together, ovoid in shape, turning black when ripe, with yellowish seeds.

Usage

The fruit part of melada pahit is used to treat amoebic dysentery, malaria, and genital warts, possesses antipyretic (fever-reducing) and detoxifying properties, and is widely used to treat lung, prostate, and gastrointestinal cancers. As for the root part of the plant, root decoctions are used to treat high fevers, postpartum stomach aches, and food poisoning.