Traditional uses of aroids as medicinal plants among the rural people in machang and kota bharu district in kelantan

• Main Author: Syafini Hamzah, -
• Format: Undergraduate Final Project Report
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://discol.umk.edu.my/id/eprint/5591/

Herb plants are the methods that use by the local people in curing some illness. The herb plants being a major role in primary health care as therapeutic remedies in ancient. Aroids plant is one of the medicinal herbs that use by our ancestor as therapeutic remedies. This study was conducted to identify and documented the aroids species that have medicinal values. The questionnaire survey was done among the people in Machang and Kota Bharu in order to know and collected the aroids species. Based on the interview with 270 informants within the study area, information on the traditional medicinal plants was classified according to their vernacular and local names, scientific names, part of plants used and application methods. From the survey, seven medicinal aroids were documented in Machang and Kota Bharu, namely Homalomena truncata (Keladi Kemoyang), Alocasia longiloba (Keladi Candik), Alocasia macro rrhizos (Keladi Birah), Typhon/um trubelutum (Keladi Tikus), Armotphallus prainii (Keladi Sarek), Calocasia esculenta (Keladi Pinang) and A/ocasia gigantea (Keladi Gajah). The most popular aroids species used in traditional herbs is Homalomena truncata (Keladi Kemoyang). In study area, most of aroids species used in treating external wound. According to the result, most people in study area are aware the medicinal value of aroid, however they prefer to use modern medicine in curing some illness. It was also found the popularity of aroids plants with traditional uses among the people in Kota Bharu district was fading as compared to Machang districts due to lost interest of younger generations and heavy dependence on modern medicine. Further research should be carried out in order to conserve this knowledge from being eroded by the time.