Medicinal Plants

Pterospermum javanicum Jungh.

Bayur

Malvaceae

Location in the garden Woody Plants
Photo 1 of medicinal plant Pterospermum javanicum (Bayur) Photo 2 of medicinal plant Pterospermum javanicum (Bayur) Photo 3 of medicinal plant Pterospermum javanicum (Bayur)

Summary

Bayur (Pterospermum javanicum) is a giant tree up to 59 meters tall of the Malvaceae family, distributed from India to Papua New Guinea, with distribution in Indonesia covering Sumatra, Java, and Kalimantan. Its wood is highly commercially valuable, while the Sasak tribe of Lombok processes its root and stem into the traditional drink Tuak Bayur, believed to treat diabetes. Excessive exploitation has made the bayur population in the wild increasingly threatened.

Agroecology

Bayur grows and spreads mainly in lowland forests. This plant is also distributed in secondary forests at elevations of 600-1,400 m above sea level. Bayur is usually found growing on hill ridges, riverbanks and also in limestone (chalk) soil. Prefers open area conditions, where bayur requires light for its growth, and moist soil conditions that are not waterlogged nor dry, with a wet to dry climate.

Morphology

  • Root a taproot.
  • Stem woody, brown in color, rough stem bark surface.
  • Leaves single, alternately arranged, simple, underside brownish-white, hairy, asymmetric leaf base, tapering leaf tip.
  • Flowers large in size (diameter +/- 100 mm), short flower stalk (pedicel), yellowish in color arranged in clusters with long, narrow corolla petals. Inflorescence type a raceme.
  • Fruit capsule-shaped, green-brown in color, finely hairy which then disappears when the fruit ripens.
  • Seeds numerous and winged.

Cultivation

  • Propagated generatively (seed) and vegetatively (shoot cuttings).
  • Seed dispersal is aided by wind.

Chemical Content

Lupeyl acetate, p-n-amylphenol, lauric acid, n-(methyl-d2)-aniline, pentanal, stigmast-4-en-3-one, γ-sitosterol, 4,22-cholestadien-3-one.

Benefits

Treats dysentery, gum inflammation, toothache, boils, sprains, stomach disorders, diabetes, hemorrhoids. Has antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activity.

Simplisia

  • Wash fresh flowers with running water until clean then drain.
  • Cut the flowers into small pieces to ease and speed up the drying process.
  • Dry without direct sunlight exposure for several days until the material is completely dry.
  • Store the flower simplisia in a closed, airtight container.

Local Names

Cayur (Sunda), Bayur, Wayur, Wadang, Walang (Java), Phenjur (Madura), Bolang (Bali), Buli (Sulawesi), Damarsala (NTT), Teunggi leuyan (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 Toothache from Bayur

1. Toothache

  • Prepare bayur root and bark, wash thoroughly.
  • Grind into a paste.
  • Place the material paste on the cavity-affected tooth.
Traditional recipe Hemorrhoids from Bayur

2. Hemorrhoids

  • Prepare bayur root then wash with running water.
  • Boil with water until boiling.
  • Strain the root decoction.
  • Drink.

Reference Sources

  1. Royal Botanical Garden. 2021. Plant of the World Online: Pterospermum javanicum Jungh. http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:824770-1. 05-09-2021.
  2. Flora Fauna Web. 2020. Pterospermum javanicum. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/4/6/4621. 05-09-2021.
  3. Andila PS dkk. 2021. Ethnobotanical and Phytochemical Study of Bayur (Pterospermum javanicum Jungh.) on Sasak Tribe around Mount Rinjani National Park, West Lombok as a Conservation Effort. Journal of Tropical Biodiversity and Biotechnology 6(1). DOI: 10.22146/jtbb.61008.
  4. Tropical Plants Database. 2021. Useful Tropical Plants: Pterospermum javanicum. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Pterospermum+javanicum. 05-09-2021.