Ficus septica Burm.f.

Awar-awar (Ficus septica) is a tree 1-5 meters tall, able to reach 25 meters in forests, of the Moraceae family, distributed from Japan to northern Australia. Its beautifully patterned wood is used to make keris sheaths, while almost every part of the plant is used as traditional medicine despite the risk of dangerous side effects from excessive consumption. Awar-awar is traditionally believed to address boils, shortness of breath, and act as a fish poison antidote.

Awar-awar is commonly found growing in secondary rainforests, thicket vegetation, open forests at elevations up to 1,800 m above sea level. This species often grows along riverbanks and is able to grow in various soil types.

• Stem crooked, soft, twigs round cylindrical, hollow, hairless, exudes yellowish-white sap. Stem surface pale brown to yellowish-brown.
• Leaves single, stalked, alternate or opposite leaf position. Blade ovate or elliptical shaped, with a cordate (heart-shaped) to tapering base, tapering leaf tip, flat leaf edges, upper surface glossy dark green, with many pale spots, underside light green, hairless. Has reddish stipules.
• Flowers compound, pot-shaped arrangement in pairs, short-stalked, at the base has 3 bracts that are light green or grayish-green in color.
• Fruit pot type, fleshy, ripe fruit whitish with yellowish spots, rough and bumpy texture.
• Seeds numerous and small.

Propagated generatively (seed) and vegetatively (cuttings).

Root: sterol and polyphenol. Stem: phenanthroindolizidine (ficuseptin B, ficuseptin C, ficuseptin D, 10R,13aR-tylophorin N-oxide, 10R,13aR-tylocrebrin N-oxide, 10S,13aR-tylocrebrin N-oxide, 10S,13aR-isotylocrebrin N-oxide, and 10S,13aS-isotylocrebrin N-oxide). Leaves: flavonoid compounds genistin and kaempferitrin, coumarin, phenolic compounds, pyrimidine, alkaloid antofin, 10S,13aR-antofin N-oxide, dehydrotylophorin, ficuseptin A, tylophorin, 2-demethoxytylophorin, 14α-hydroxyisotylocrebrin N-oxide, triterpenoid saponin, sterol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, alkaloid isotylocrebrin, and tylocrebrin.

Treats skin disease, appendicitis, addresses boils, venomous snake bites, shortness of breath (asthma), fish poison antidote, remedy for vomiting, swelling, headache, colds, cough, fever, dysentery or diarrhea, urinary tract infections, addresses dengue fever, prevents cancer, heals wounds, food poisoning, addresses trichomoniasis. Has antirheumatic, antioxidant, and diuretic activity.

Kiciyat (Sunda), Barabar (Madura), Sirih popar (Ambon), Bei, Loloyan (Minahasa), Tobotobo (Makassar), Dausalo (Bugis), Bobulutu (North Halmahera), Tagalolo (Ternate), Kayu karet.