A PRELIMINARY SURVEY OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE WEST COAST AND INTERIOR OF SABAH
by Julius Kulip
Forestry Research Centre, P.O. Box 1407, 90715 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
The uses of traditional medicinal plants in relieving symptoms of disease and curing various infections date back many centuries. In recent years, considerable interest has developed in Asian countries in the collection and extended use of indigenous and introduced lants for medicinal purposes (Guntavid 1992, Kulip 1996). Knowledge of medicinal plants has been the key for the survival of the ethnic groups who live in the interior. Peoples who live far from towns and in forest still rely on traditional cures handed down to them through the generations. They use these plants in one form or another to cure or alleviate a variety of ills, for example, tootache, stomach-ache and malaria.
This report describes a number of plants still being used for medicinal purposes in various districts of Sabah, especially where the people cannot avail themselves to hospital facilities. It was prepared to meet the growing need to learn about local medicinal plants in Sabah, and also to provide an ethnobotanical basis for chemical and pharmacological studies. o gaher information, a botanist interacted directly with the villaers experienced in the preparation and administration of various plants remedies. The survey was conducted in varoius district in the west coast and interior parts of Sabah, namely Kota Marudu, Pitas, Ranau, Kuala Penyu, Papar, Tambunan, Penampang, Tenom, Sipitang, Sook and Pinangah. Thirteen villages in eight districts were involved.
Specimens of plants, known for their cures of specific illnesses, were collected and recorded by their local names. Voucher hernarium specimens were identified and lodged at the State Herbarium in Sandakan.
Table 1. Ethnobotanical applications of Sabah medicinal plants
| Medicinal use | Botanical name | Tribal name | Part used |
| Antidote | Aralia montana (Araliaceae) Bambusa vulgaris (Bambusaideae) Barringtonia so. (Lecytidaceae) |
Golungsng (Kd) Tamahang (Kd) Tampalang (Kd) |
Young leaves Outer bark powder Inner bark |
| Antihelminthic | Coix lachryma-jobi (Gramineae) Paedaria verticellata (Rubiaceae) |
Tigiu (Kd) Taud (Kd) |
Root Any part |
| Antimalarial | Menispermaceae Alstonia angustiloba (Apocynaceae) Brucea javanica (Simaroubaceae) Panicum palmifolium (Gramineae) |
Babas (L) Tombirong (Kd) Monomopuru (Kd) Tandaki (Kd) |
Sap Latex Ripe fruit Young leaves |
| Alopecia | Euphorbiaceae | Taagong (L) | Leaves |
| Asthma | Costus sp. Costaceae Drynaria sparsisora(Polypodiaceae) Cassia sp. (Leguminosae) Merremia gracilis (Convovulaceae) |
Silok (L) Tongkur-ongkur (Kd) Tapako (Kd) Wollu (Kd) Mangalatas (Kd) |
Sap Young shoot Rhizome Stem Sap |
| Beri-beri | Ampelocissus imperiales (Vitaceae) Cassia alata (Leguminosae) Cinnamomum sp. (Lauraceae) Etlingera punicea (Zingirberaceae) |
Tabai (Kd) Kayabau (K) Mangkalabau (Kd) Tuhau (Kd) |
Young leaves Root Young leaves Young shoot |
| Burnt skin | Lycopodium sp. (Lycopodiaceae) | Pogou (Kd) | Stem, twig & leaves |
| Chest complaint | Dillenia excelsa (Dilleniaceae) Fagrea racemosa (Loganiaceae) |
Doingin (Kd) Todopon puok (Kd) |
Sap Root |
| Colic | Fissistigma latifolium (Annonaceae) Flacourtia rukam (Flacourtiaceae) |
Sumbum (Kd) Peripot (Kd) |
Sap Root |
| Cough | Ellipanthus tomentosus(Compositae) Ficus sp.(Moraceae) Rinorrea sp. (Violaceae) Centella asiatica (Umbiliferae) Coix lachryma-joci (Gramineae) Justicia gendarussa (Acanthaceae) |
Bidon (Kd) Tongkungkop (Kd) Posiou (Kd) Salapid (Kd) Dalai (Kd) Tolonsi (Kd) |
Root Sap from the root Fruit leaves Smoke to be inhale Young stem Young leaves |
| Diabetes | Plantago major (Plantoginaceae) | Bunga (L) | Whole Plant |
| Eczema | Menispermaceae | Babas (L) | Leaves |
| Febrifuge | Cucurbita sp.(Cucurbitaceae) | Timun belanda (L) | Fruit |
| Gastritis | Compositae | Udu amek (L) | Root |
| Germicide | Mallotus macrostachys (Euphorbiaceae) | Dahu (Kd) | Root |
| Headache | Justicia gendarussa (Acanthaceae) Flacourlia sp.(Flacourtiaceae) |
Sikapapar (Kd) Peropot (Kd) |
Leaves Leaves |
| Hemophilic | Hanguana sp.(Hanguanaceae) | Tambaka (Kd) | Whole plant |
| Intsia palembanica (leguminosae) | Tupin (Kd) | Leaves | |
| Influenza | Amydrium medium (Araceae) Brucea javanica (Simaraoubaceae) Coix lachryma-jobi (Gramineae) Costus sp.(Costaceae) |
Kulimpiau (Kd) Kuinin (Kd) Dalai (Kd) Sidbu-sidbu (Kd) |
Entire plant Fruit Root or young leaves Young shoot |
| Insect repellent | Acorus calamus (Araceae) | Guo sanit (R) | Rhizome |
| Komburongoh (Kd) | |||
| Intensive cleanser/Wound | Plantago major (Plantaginaceae) Liliaceae |
Bunga (L) Bawang sia (L) |
Whole plant Seed |
| Jaundice | Fibraurea tinctoria (Menispermaceae) | Tonsisilou or Takop (Kd) | Stem |
| Measles | Alocasia sp. (Araceae) Croton sp. (Euphorbiaceae) |
Tanom (Kd) Kalayon (Kd) |
Stem Root |
| Myorelaxant | Hanguana malayana (Hanguanaceae) | Nalu kapar (Kd) | Leaves |
| Pancreatitis | Alphitonia incana (Rhamnaceae) | Pukudita (Kd) | Leaves |
| Blumea balsamifera (Compositae) | Tawawo (Kd) | Leaves | |
| Merremia gracilis (Convovulaceae) | Gatas-gatas (Kd) | Sap | |
| Tetrastigma sp. (Vitaceae) | Lipoi (Kd) | Sap | |
| Homalanthus sp. (Euphorbiaceae) | Tombubuto (Kd) | Stem | |
| Hoya coronaria (Asclepidaceae) | Wida (Kd) | Young leaves | |
| Rheumatism | Homalanthus populneus(Euphorbiaceae) | Dolimato (Kd) | Young leaves |
| Uvaria sp. (Annonaceae) | Langad-langad (Kd) | Whole plant | |
| Ring worm | Cassia alata (Leguminosae) | Manggarut (Kd) | Leaves |
| Shivering | Ficus elliptica (Moraceae) | Hintotobu (Kd) | Root |
| Skin cancer | Liliaceae | Bawang sia (L) | Leaves |
| Sprain | Abutilon indicum (Malvaceae) | Tindokot or Tondorupang (Kd) | Root and leaves |
| Stomach-ache | Barringtonia sp.(Lecythidaceae) | Tampalang (Kd) | Bark |
| Brucea javanica(Simaroubaceae) | Magapas or Tinimug di ikus (Kd) | Ripe fruit | |
| Eurycoma longifolia (Simaroubaceae) | Tombuid or Monompuru(Kd) | Root or leaves | |
| Sida acuta (Malvaceae) | Bulitotok (Kd) | Whole plant | |
| Costus speciosus(Costaceae) | Linsabu (MT) | Young stem | |
| Mallotus sp.(Euphorbiaceae) | Dahu (Kd) | Bark | |
| Fibrauria chloroleuca (Menispermaceae) | Tapa buawang (Kd) | Stem | |
| Styptic | Dillenia sp.(Dilleniaceae) | Rungin (R) | Root |
| Dinochloa sp.(Gramineae) | Wadan (Kd) | Young shoot | |
| Gomphostemma sp. (Labiate) | Bunga susun (M) | Leaves | |
| Mallotus sp. (Euphorbiaceae) | Dahu (R) | Bark | |
| Fibrauria chloroleuca (menispermaceae) | Tapa buawang (Kd) | Stem | |
| Swelling body | Dillenia excelsa (Dilleniaceae) | Pampan (R) | Young leaves |
| Hoya coronaria (Asclepidaceae) | Lunau-lunau (Kd) | Leaves | |
| Phyllanthus sp.(Euphorbiaceae) | Mongkolongkoi (R) | Twig and leaves | |
| Stenochlaena palustris (Blechnaceae) | Lomiding (Kd) | Leaves and frond | |
| Tonic | Agelaea macrophlla (Connaraceae) | Kalam-malam (M) | Root |
| Averrhoa bilimbi (Oxalidacaceae) | Tulod-ulod (Kd) | Root | |
| Croton sp. (Euphorbiaceae) | Rolok taragang (R) | Bark | |
| Cymbopogon citratus (Gramineae) | Capai-pimping (M) | Root | |
| Dalbergia parvifolia (Leguminosae) | Tampan kalabau (Kd) | Bark | |
| Dichapetalum sp. (Dichapetalaceae) | Akar urat (M) | Leaves | |
| Dioscorea sp. (Dioscoreaceae) | Akar urat (M) | Leaves | |
| Fissistigma manubriatum (Annonaceae) | Gagon (Kd) | Root | |
| Gardenia sp. (Rubiaceae) | Marabingo (Kd) | Root | |
| Albizia sp. (Leguminosae) | Sapang (Kd) | Root or stem | |
| Gnetum macrostachyum (Gnetaceae) | Kokos (Kd0 | Stem | |
| Octomeles sumatrana (Datiscaceae) | Binuang | Bark | |
| Uvaria sorsogonensis (Annonaceae) | Sogombong (Kd) | Root | |
| Metroxylon sago (Palmae) | Rumbio (Kd) | Young shoot | |
| Loranthaceae | Surni sohod (Kd) | Root | |
| Womb cleanser | Desmodium heterocarpus (leguminosae) | ||
Source: Journal of Tropical Forest Science 10(2):271 - 274 (1997)