Indonesia's Medicinal Plants Go Global

PRESS RELEASE NO.41/SP/TKMG20/11/2022

G20 COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA TEAM

(Jakarta, November 10, 2022) – A pyramid of dozens of red boxes sit on a table in front of a booth owned by the Center for Research and Development of Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicines of Tawangmangu (B2P2TOOT). Several participants of the G20’s 2^nd Health Ministerial Meeting (HMM) meeting were seen approaching this pile of boxes.

These participants seemed enthusiastic to check out the stand. They started to chat with the booth crew while finding out and touching what was inside the rectangular box.

Image by : A number of participants of the 2^nd Health Ministerial Meeting visit B2P2TOOT booth that gives away souvenir box containing medicinal plants, the Unique Repository of Indonesian Plants (URIP). Divided into four spaces, the box is filled with Anyang-anyang (Elaeocarpus grandiflorus Sm.), Winged Beans (Psophocarpus letragonolobus (L) DC), Ules wood (Helicteres Isora L.), and Jali corn (Coix lacryma jobi L.). They seem enthusiastic with the souvenir. (Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy)

They may have never seen the seeds, fruit, and simplicia like those contained in the box before. With great patience, the B2P2TOOT staff member explained to them about the types and benefits of the objects in the box.

The box given away as a souvenir for delegates is the Unique Repository of Indonesian Plants (URIP). Divided into four spaces, the box is filled with Anyang-anyang (Elaeocarpus grandiflorus Sm.), Winged Beans (Psophocarpus letragonolobus (L) DC), Ules wood (Helicteres Isora L.), and Jali corn (Coix lacryma jobi L.). These are medicinal plants developed by research at B2P2TOOT.

"We promote Indonesia’s medicinal plants through artistic creations in the form of souvenirs," said Head of B2P2TOOT Akhmad Syaikhu, to the G20 Communications and Media Team, Thursday, (11/10/2022). These complimentary souvenirs will be distributed to the G20 delegates.

Syaikhu explained, anyang-anyang is empirically used as an antidiabetic and dysentery. Winged bean can help strengthen the immune system against many infections, and is known to aid in the prevention of cancer, diabetes, and asthma.

Image by : An agricultural trainer shows seedling of the Sumatran Cemara (Taxus sumatrana) plant nurtured in Nagari Pandai Sikek, Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra, Saturday (29/10/2022). Local residents take advantage of the endemic plants of Mount Singgalang which are included in the protected flora as medicinal ingredients. (ANTARA FOTO/Muhammad Arif Pribadi/foc).

While ules wood is empirically used as an antipyretic and antioxidant, jali corn seeds help inhibit the growth of cancer cells and improve hormonal function. The 2^nd Health Ministerial Meeting (HMM) which lasted for two days was part of the series of activities In Indonesia’s G20 Presidency. The G20 Summit as the highlight of the event, will take place in Nusa Dua, Bali, on November 15-16, 2022.

The HMM was attended by 190 delegates from G20 member countries and other developed countries such as Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and representatives from several countries representing the region such as ASEAN, Pacific Island Forum, African Union, Caribbean Community, and NEPAD.

A number of international organizations such as WHO, World Bank, GAVI, CEPI, Global Fund, and OECD also attended the event. The G20 event, continued Syaikhu, is a good opportunity for Indonesia to introduce Indonesia’s medicinal plants and traditional medicines. Therefore, more than 50 partners will participate in promoting products made from traditional medicinal plants at the wellness and tourism side event on November 14. They include players in the traditional medicine, beauty and spa industries, including professional organizations in the field of traditional medicine.

The global health architecture is one of the priority issues brought up by the Government of Indonesia in the 2022 G20 Presidency. The other two main issues are the transition to renewable and sustainable energy and digital transformation. The global health architecture, development and utilization of medicinal plants and traditional medicines run simultaneously with government programs and become part of national medicine security.

"Many raw materials for medicine in Indonesia are imported from abroad. This is not good. It’s better if we can independently prepare medicines, including traditional medicines in order to face pandemic and to cater for the nation’s needs and so on," said Saikhu.

Aside to attracting the attention of the G20 delegates, this souvenir is a way to introduce the benefits of medicinal plants that have long been used by the Indonesian people as medicine in the form of simplicia, herbal medicine, and phytopharmaca. Citing data from the IPB University’s page, Indonesia is home to 80 percent of medicinal plants in the world. It is recorded that there are about 25,000 to 30,000 types of plants potentially becoming medicinal plants.

It is hoped that the Indonesian medicinal plants and traditional medicines will contribute to global health issues and invite other countries to participate in the development of medicinal plants and traditional medicines. “India, Arabia, Brazil, South Korea, and a number of European countries have asked how to get these products. Because this is still a raw material, they asked what the products are and so on,” concluded Syaikhu.

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