Artocarpus lacucha Buch.-Ham.

Mobe (Artocarpus lacucha) is a tree up to 15-18 meters tall of the Moraceae family, commonly found in forests of Tapanuli, North Sumatra, and used as a seasoning in signature Batak Toba dishes. Its wood and root produce a yellow textile dye, while its heartwood extract shows potential as a natural skin whitener. Mobe is traditionally believed to treat stomach ache, tapeworm infection, and constipation.

Mobe is commonly found in tropical regions, at elevations of 0-1,300 m above sea level. Prefers places with well-drained soil conditions, annual temperature 22-32°C, rainfall 1,500-3,000 mm/year, pH 5-6.5.

• Stem rough bark, twigs covered with pale brown to velvet-like yellow hair.
• Leaves single, oval-elliptical shaped, tapering tip and base, pinnate vein arrangement, finely and densely hairy surface, flat edges and stiff surface, large in size, 10-30 cm long, 5-15 cm wide, upper surface green, underside brownish.
• Flowers small, male flowers yellowish-orange, while female flowers reddish in color.
• Fruit irregularly round, sweet-sour taste, green when young turning yellow when ripe then pink, 5-10 cm in diameter.
• Seeds irregular shaped, covered with a thin white skin.

• Propagated using seed and root cuttings.
• Root cuttings 5 cm long, minimum 3 buds.

Flavonoid, phenolic acid, aryl-benzofuran, stilbenoid, xanthone phenolic derivatives, tannin, glycoside, saponin, steroid/triterpenoid, artocarpin, norartocarpin, norcycloartocarpin, cycloartocarpin, resorcinol, oxyresveratrol.

Treats stomach ache, headache, tapeworm infection, lower back pain, constipation, skin disease, antiviral, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer.

• Pick fresh, non-rotten mobe leaves.
• Wash thoroughly with running water then drain.
• Slice thinly and air-dry in the shade for 7 days.
• Grind the dried leaves and sift using a 40 mesh sieve.
• Store the simplisia in a clean, closed container at room temperature.

Dadak (Dayak), Lakuca.