SELECTED PLANT SPECIES TO BE PROMOTED IN SABAH

Garlic (Allium sativum)

History

Garlic has been around fr thousands of years. Its origin is unknown, but believed to be originated from Siberia then spread to the Mediterranean area, becoming naturalised to the process. Today, garlic is widely planted in Spain, China and the USA. In UK, garlic is cultivated in
Isle of Wight in north western England where a Garlic Festival in held each year. The quality of garlic is very much attributed to soil nutirent contents, relative humidity and the amount of sunshine . Thus, countries of the Asian region provide all these necessities for garlic cultivation in big scale.

Description

Garlic is a perenial crop. It has long, flat, solid leaves and culinary bulb. Its greyish leaves are about 12 inches long and up to an inch wide. A round-stemmed flower stalk originates from the centre of the plant and produces a ball-shaped, compact collection of white flowers that are sometimes tinged with lavender. Each bulb multiplies during th egrowing season, producing highly flavoured segments called cloves. Each segments as well as the 4 and 15 cloves comprising a bulb is wrapped in a white papery sheath. Some varieties have a reddish sheath. The height of normal growth of garlic is around 60cm to 90cm. A full sun is needed for growth and will die under shade. Growth will be further accelerated with rich, moist and well-drained soil with a pH of 4.5 to 8.3. Garlic can also tolerate poor soil and can be grown indoors.

Chemical Constituents

The chemistry of garlic is very complex. A soon as a raw garlic is mechanically disrupted i.e. by crushing or cutting, a chemical known asallinase acts upon alliin to form a polysulphide called a llicin (Josling, 1997).

Medicinal Uses

Garlic has a very long folk history of use in a wide range of ailments, particularly ailments such as ringworm, candida and viginitis where its fungicidal, antiseptic, tonic and parasiticidal properties have proved of benefits. The plant produces inhibitory effects on gram-negative germs of the typhoid-paratypoid-entritis group, contains outstanding germicidal properties and can keep amoebic dysrentery at bay. It is also said to have anticancer activity. It has also been shown that garlic aids detoxification of chronic lead poisoning. Daily use of garlic in the diet has been shown to have a very beneficial effect on the body, especially the blood system and the heart.

Recent research has also indicated that garlic reduces glucose metabolism in diabetics, slows the development of arteriosclerosis and lowers the risk of further heart attacks in myocardial infarct patients. Externally, the expressed jiice is an execelent antiseptic for treating wounds. The fresh bulb is much more effective medically that stored bulb, storage greatly reduces the antibacterial action. The bulb is said to be anthelmintic, anticholesterolemic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, stimulant, stings, stomachic, tonic, vasodilator.

TABLE 2.2: THE VARIOUS USES OF GARLIC AND ITS EFFECTS.

Aloe Vera (Aloe vera)

History

Aloe vera is a plant originated from warm, dry climate of Africa is a member of the lily plant – the family as garlic and onions. In Latin, Aloe vera means true aloe. Today, Aloe vera is found world-wide. From Europe, the Spanish carried aloe to their New World possessions In South America and the Caribbean. In US, Canada and Japan particularly aloe vera is used both internally as a drink and in cosmetics and ointments. Japan currently imports over fifty million dollar of aloe per year to treat people with ulcers and digestive problems.

Description

Aloe vera is a perennial crop of around 30 to 80 cm in height and grow very well in sandy soil and rocks. Both the leaves and the seed can be eaten which taste a bit bitter. A gel in the leaves is sometimes used as an ingredients of commercial jelies.

Processing the plant with high heat destroys many of the beneficial ingredients of aloe. The best products should be cold processed using the whole leaf with the aloin removed. Aloin is the irritating chemical in the plant that can cause diarrhoea or intestinal cramping.

Chemical Constituents

The active ingredients of aloe vera is called mucopolysaccharide (MPS)

Characterised by long chain of sugars that bond with water (Anon, 1997). Over 95% of the aloe products on the market are either diluted or improperly processed. Using only the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf provides a lower concentra of MPS. The outer leaf and rind have 200% more of the active ingredients than the inner gel. Table 3.3 shows the various chemical constituents presence in aloe ver.

Table

Medicinal Uses

Aloe vera is a fairly well known herbal preparations, it makes an excellent treatment for burns and oother skin disorders. It is available in proprietary herbal preparations. The leaves are cut transversely at hteir base and the liquid that exudes from the cut is dried and used medically. Alternatively, the leaves can be cut in half along their length and the inner pulp rubbed over the affected skin This has an immediate shooting effect on all sorts of burns. The plant is emmenagogue, emolient, laxative, purgative, stimulant, stomachic, tonic, vermifuge, vulnerary. Extracts of the plant have antibacterial activity. Apart from its external use on the skin, aloe vera is also taken internally in the treatment of cronic constipation, poor appetite, digestive problems, etc. It should not be guiven to pregnant women or people with haemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome. The plant is strongly purgative so great care should be taken over the dossage. The plant is used to test if there is n blood in the faeces. This plant has a folk history of treatment in cases of cancer. Table 3.4 presents the micellaneous research on aloe vera conducted world-side.

Table:

Aloe vera has also been used extentsively in the cosmetic industry. Table 2.5 lists out the common aloe vera products found in market.

Table

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

History

Ginger is listed in the family of plant species known as Zigiberceae of which 150 species or 50% of the 23 genera existed in Malaysia (Hooi, 1995). In the country wild gingers are a characteristic component of the herbaceaous ground flora of the forest. It was said that ginger is a native Asia and was introduced to America by the Spaniards in 16^th century. Today , ginger is widely cultivated in west Indies, Jamaica and Africa.

Description

Ginger is a perennia root which creeps and increases underground, in tuberous joints; characterised with narrow lanceolate leaves. The height of the plant is around 2 feet high . The flowering stalk rises directly from the root, ending in an oblong scallop spike; from each spike a white or yellow bloom grows.

Commercial ginger is called black or white, according to whether it is peeled or unpeeled; for both kinds the ripened roots are used, after the plant has died down. Ginger flowers have an aromatic smell and the bruised stem a characteristic fragrance, but the root is considered the most useful part of the plant, and must not be used under a year’s growth. The odour of ginger is penetrating and aromatic, its taste spicy, hot and biting; these properties are lost by exposure.

Chemical Constituents

Volatile oil, acrid soft resin, resin insoluble in ether and oil, gum, starch, lignin, vegeto matter, asmazone, acetic acid, acetate of potassa, sulphur (Grieve, 1997).

Source: IDS Project Report, Biotechnology Application in Sabah, April 1998