Medicinal Plants

Lantana camara L.

Tembelekan

Verbenaceae

Location in the garden Main
Photo 1 of medicinal plant Lantana camara (Tembelekan) Photo 2 of medicinal plant Lantana camara (Tembelekan) Photo 3 of medicinal plant Lantana camara (Tembelekan)

Summary

Tembelekan (Lantana camara) is a shrub up to 4 meters tall of the Verbenaceae family, originating from tropical America and now spread across nearly every tropical continent. Besides being popular as a hedge and ornamental plant, tembelekan also functions as a natural insecticide in gardens. Traditionally, this plant is believed to reduce fever, stop bleeding, and relieve rheumatism and swelling.

Agroecology

Generally found in many places from lowlands to highlands up to elevations of 1,700 m above sea level, in open areas exposed to sunlight.

Morphology

  • Roots taproot, round, yellowish-brown, with root hairs growing from the main root.
  • Stem shrubby, woody, upright, branching, thorny stem.
  • Leaves opposite, green, egg-shaped, upper surface densely hairy and lower surface sparsely hairy. Edges serrated and coarsely hairy, 5-8 cm long and 3-5 cm wide.
  • Flowers clustered, arranged in dense spikes at leaf axils. Colors vary: white, yellow, red, pink, orange.
  • Fruit clustered at the tip of the stalk, small, round, green when unripe, bluish-black and glossy when ripe.

Cultivation

  • Propagated generatively (by seed) and vegetatively (stem cuttings).

Chemical Content

  • Roots: verbascose, ajugose, lantanose, α, β, theveside, theveiridoside, shanzhiside methyl ester and lantanolic acid.
  • Leaves: euphene, triterpene, lactone, lantadene A, B, oleanolic acid, betulic acid and lantabetulic acid.
  • Flowers: volatile oil humulene (sesquiterpene curcumene, safrole), α-terpinene, gamma-terpinene, α-pinene, β-pinene and p-cymene.

Benefits

  • Fever reducer (antipyretic), antidote (antitoxic), pain reliever (analgesic), treats TB, stops bleeding (hemostatic), rheumatism, swelling, bruises, gonorrhea, mumps (parotitis), skin conditions related to emotional disorders (neurodermatitis), skin inflammation, eczema, skin fungus (tinea), boils, bleeding wounds, scalds, insect bites, stomach ache, vaginal discharge.

Simplisia

  • Wash fresh leaves thoroughly with running water.
  • Cut the leaves into small pieces and air-dry for 7 days until the leaves are dry. Grind into powder.
  • Store in a closed, airtight container, at room temperature.

Local Names

Bunga pagar, Tahi ayam (Malay), Tai hayam, Cente (Sunda), Waung, Wileran (Java), Kamanco, Tamanjho (Madura).

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 Stomach Ache from Tembelekan

1. Stomach Ache

  • Wash 9 fresh tembelekan berries thoroughly then eat raw.
  • Eat 3 times a day.
Traditional recipe Eczema from Tembelekan

2. Eczema

  • Prepare 1 handful of fresh tembelekan leaves. Wash the leaves thoroughly then boil together with 3 glasses of water until it boils for 15 minutes.
  • Remove and let it cool until warm. Use this herbal concoction water to wash the skin affected by eczema.

Reference Sources

  1. Situsbunga. Cara Menanam dan Budidaya Bunga Lantana. http://situsbunga.com/cara-menanam-dan-budidaya-bunga-lantana/ 15-12-2019.
  2. Hidayati. 2008. Chemical constituents and antiinflammatory test of ethanolic extracts of Lantana camara L. on white male rats (Rattus norvegicus L.). J. Biotek. 5(1).
  3. Dalimartha S.1999. Atlas Tumbuhan Obat Indonesia. Trubus Agriwidya, Jakarta.
  4. Kalita S, Kumar G, Karthik L, Rao KVB. 2011. Phytochemical composition and in vitro hemolytic activity of Lantana Camara L. (Verbenaceae) leaves. Pharmacologyonline 1: 59-67.
  5. Pradeep, B.V., M. Tejaswini, P. Nishal, G. PArdhu, S. Shylaja, K.K. Ch. 2012. Phytochemical screening and anti microbial activities of plants extract of Lantana camara. Journal of Enviromental Biology 34: 645-649.
  6. Sousa EO, CMBA Miranda, CB Nobre, AA Boligon, ML Athayde, JGM Costa. 2015. Phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activities of Lantana camara and Lantana montevidensis extracts. Industrial Crops and Products 70: 7–15.
  7. Ved A, Arsi T, Prakash O, Gupta A. 2018. A review on phytochemistry nd pharmacological activity of Lantana camara Linn. I.J.P.S.R. 9(1): 37-43.
  8. Widiastuti, Nurhanifah. Werkstruk Lantana camara, diakses pada tanggal 16 Desember 2019 melalui https://www.academia.edu/8199671/Werkstruk_Lantana_camara_L._tembelekan_?.
  9. Kelompok Masyarakat Desa Simasari. 2008. Tumbuhan Obat Halimun (Sakit Perut). Yayasan Peduli Konservasi Alam Indonesia.
  10. Cindy Wijaya. Resep Herbal Eksem Redakan Gatal dan Sakit di Kulit akses. https://www.deherba.com/resep-herbal-eksem.html 28-05-2020.