Poikilospermum suaveolens (Blume) Merr.

Poikilospermum suaveolens or mentawan is a woody liana widely distributed from India, Indochina, to the Indonesian archipelago and the Philippines. Various ethnobotanical studies record its traditional use to treat eye ailments, itching, fever, and postpartum care, consistent with findings of antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic activity in this plant.

P. suaveolens is found up to elevations of 1,500 m asl, and prefers open forests and thickets, but is rarely found in seasonal forests. Grows easily in moist, well-drained, fertile loamy soil, under full sun to partial shade.

• Leaves alternate and petiolate, blade broadly ovate-oblong, 10-60 by 2-25 cm in size, with purplish veins below.
• Flowers small, male flowers 1.5-2 mm long, and female flowers 3-7 mm long, pink. Flowers borne on branched head-like clusters, male clusters 2.5-3.5 cm wide, and female clusters 5-9 cm wide.
• Fruit oblong-obovoid, warty achenes, 3-5 mm.

Propagation is done generatively from seed or vegetatively with stem cuttings.

Flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and triterpenoids.

Relieves or treats eye ailments, as a cooling remedy for fever, for itching, beriberi, used in postpartum herbal bath preparations, for gastritis, applied to wounded skin, for postpartum treatment.

Besto (Jawa), Areuy kakejoan (Sunda), Akar rundang.