Medicinal Plants

Eurycoma longifolia Jack

Pasak Bumi

Simaroubaceae

Location in the garden Main
Photo 1 of medicinal plant Eurycoma longifolia (Pasak Bumi) Photo 2 of medicinal plant Eurycoma longifolia (Pasak Bumi) Photo 3 of medicinal plant Eurycoma longifolia (Pasak Bumi)

Summary

Pasak bumi, or tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia), is a tree up to 10 meters tall of the Simaroubaceae family, native to the inland forests of Kalimantan, also distributed in Sumatra, Malaysia, and Indochina. Its bitter root has long been used for generations by inland Kalimantan communities as a natural aphrodisiac. In addition, pasak bumi is also believed to boost immunity and help prevent bone loss.

Agroecology

Grows in lowlands up to an elevation of 1,000 m above sea level. Usually found in coastal forests (both primary and secondary), mountainous areas, hills or ridges, and sloped terrain. Favors acidic soil, pH 4.5-5, sandy and well-drained, average temperature of 25 °C, and air humidity of 86%.

Morphology

  • Roots taproot.
  • Trunk unbranched, or with one or two branches, brown, smooth, 15 cm in diameter.
  • Leaves compound, stiff, thick, will not crumble or tear when crushed, pinnate, dark green, finely fibrous.
  • Flowers bell-shaped, arranged in panicles, emerging in the leaf axils, reddish, stamens longer than the sepals, stigma shield-like with 5-6 lobes.
  • Fruit oblong, yellow turning red when ripe, 1-2 x 0.5-1.2 cm in size.

Cultivation

Propagated generatively by seed and by uprooting wild seedlings from the forest and replanting them, and vegetatively by shoot cuttings.

Chemical Content

Alkaloids, saponins, tannins, canthin compounds, eurycomanone compounds, quassinoid compounds, strychnine, brucine, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, adenosine, guanosine, thymidine.

Benefits

Has aphrodisiac activity (male virility), anticancer, antimalarial, antileukemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibiotic; boosts immunity (in HIV patients); improves blood circulation; helps prevent bone loss; reduces fever; treats stomach pain and stomach ache.

Simplisia

  • Wash pasak bumi root thoroughly, then drain.
  • Cut into pieces 7 x 2 cm and 2 cm thick.
  • Dry in an oven at 50 ºC for 5 days.
  • Once dry, grind finely, then sift through a 50-mesh sieve.
  • Place and store the dried material in an airtight package.

Local Names

Bulung besan (Karo), Tongkat ali (Phakpak), Horis kotala (Simalungun), Tengku ali (Toba), Ungkek ali (Minangkabau), Petola bumi (Riau), Empedu tanah (Jambi), and Merule (East Kalimantan).

Traditional Recipes

The following recipes reflect traditional knowledge passed down through generations, not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or advice. Consult a healthcare provider before use.

Traditional recipe Low Libido from Pasak Bumi

1. Low Libido

  • Boil a 9 cm piece of root in 2 cups of water (do not wash it first) until boiling and reduced to 1 cup. Let cool and drink while warm.
  • Drink twice a day.
  • The root can be reused as long as it still tastes bitter. After the first use, air-dry until dry, then store.

Reference Sources

  1. Bhaat R, Karim AA. 2010. Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia Jack): A review on its ethnobotany andpharmacological importance. Fitoterapia. 81(7): 669–679.
  2. Edwar F. 2015. Permen dan jelli sebagai produk inovasi dari pasak bumi (Eurycoma longifolia Jack). Jurnal Litbang Industri. 5(1): 45-52.
  3. Effendy NM, Mohamed N, Muhammad N, Mohamad IN, Shuid AN. 2012. Eurycoma longifolia: medicinal plant in the prevention and treatment of male osteoporosis due to androgen deficiency. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: 1-9.
  4. Nurviana V, Nurkhasanah, Nurani LH. 2015. Screening active fraction of ethanolic extract of pasak bumi (Eurycoma longifolia Jack) root as antioxidant. Journal of Indonesian Medical Plant. 7(1): 41-47.
  5. Prosea. 2016. https://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Eurycoma_longifolia_(PROSEA) 07-11-2019
  6. Sulistiowati A, Supriyanto, Siregar IZ, Subiakto A. 2012. Perbanyakan tanaman pasak bumi (Eurycoma longifolia Jack) melalui teknik stek pucuk. Foresta Indonesian of Journal Foresty 1(1): 25-29.
  7. Keputusan Menteri Kesehatan Nomor HK.01.07/MENKES/187/2017. 2017. Formularium Ramuan Obat Tradisional Indonesia: Lemah Syahwat.
  8. National Parks. Flora & Fauna Web. Eurycoma longifolia Jack. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/FloraFaunaWeb/Flora/2/8/2890 20-01-2021