Anisomeles indica (L.) Kuntze

Celangking (Anisomeles indica) is an aromatic herb up to 1-1.5 meters tall of the Lamiaceae family, widely distributed across Asia and long used as traditional medicine in India, Sri Lanka, and China. Its essential oil is used in hair care and perfume blends, besides flavoring sago cakes. Celangking is also believed to help relieve stomach acid, mild fever, and toothache.

This plant grows in sunny, open locations, grasslands, teak forests, and moist soil along riverbanks and irrigated rice fields, sometimes found at elevations of 600-1,800 m above sea level.

• Stem square, green in color.
• Leaves broadly oval, widening at the base, tapering leaf tip, and serrated leaf edges. Leaf length 3-7 cm, width 2.5-4.5 cm, and petiole length 3 cm.
• Flowers tube 4-5 mm long, with 5 sepals 2 mm long with finely hairy edges, and pale pink corolla.
• Fruit 9-10 mm long, greenish to white in color, with a dark red line inside but sometimes purple or blue.
• Seeds nearly round, 1.2 x 1 mm in size, shiny black in color.

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

Triterpenoid (anisomelic acid), flavonoid, propanoid, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, apigenin, ovatodiolides, essential oil (α-pinene, β-pinene, δ-limonene), isoacteoside.

Treats stomach acid, mild fever, urinary tract infections, coughs and colds, stomach ache, toothache, bad breath, colds, treats rheumatism, hypertension, uterine infections, venomous animal bites, relieves digestive disorders, colic and fever in teething children. Has antimicrobial and anticancer activity.

• Collect fresh leaves then wash thoroughly.
• Air-dry with the help of sunlight or a drying cabinet.
• Grind into a fine powder.

Ki hileud, Patuk bangkong.