Premna serratifolia L..

Buas-buas (Premna serratifolia) is a shrub up to 10 meters tall of the Lamiaceae family with a very wide distribution, from East Africa to South-Southeast Asia, Northern Australia, and Polynesia. In Malaysia and Singapore, its young shoots are commonly boiled as a side dish or cooked in curries. Its leaves and roots are also traditionally used in Indonesia and India to relieve fever and rheumatism.

Grows wild in humid lowlands up to an elevation of 200 m above sea level. Commonly found in secondary forests, forest edges, and near coastlines. This plant favors rocky and sandy soil.

• Trunk has grayish-brown bark, heavily branched.
• Leaves ovate with a somewhat rounded base, about 10-15 cm long and 5-8 cm wide, with a petiole 6-9 cm long, hairy and strongly aromatic when crushed.
• Flowers greenish-white, very small. The corolla is two-lipped, the upper lip with two lobes, and the lower lip with three short lobes.
• Fruit round, about 3-6 mm long, green turning black when ripe.

Propagated generatively (by seed) or vegetatively (by stem cuttings).

Flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, phenylpropanoids, saponins, essential oil, phytosterol compounds.

Relieves fever, cough, headache; treats stomach ache, rheumatism, joint inflammation, and colic; lowers cholesterol levels; has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibiotic, anticancer, and antidiuretic activity.

• Collect fresh buas-buas leaves, wet-sort to remove unwanted debris, and wash under running water.
• Dry the leaves in indirect sunlight or using an oven at 40 °C for 30 hours.
• Grind the dried leaves into a powder.
• Store the dried material in a dry, tightly sealed container.

Buas-buas (Batak), Rogo (Sulawesi), Bebuas (Malay)