''Labisia pumila'' (kacip Fatimah, ) is a

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the family

Primulaceae The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the evening primrose family), are a family of herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants and wildflowers. Most are perennial though som ...

native to

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

. It is a small, woody and leafy plant with leaves of in length, and grows widely in the shade of the tropical forest floor. The plant is popular in the traditional medicine of the Malaysian and Indonesian community, in which it is believed to be the female version of the equally well-known ''

tongkat Ali ''Eurycoma longifolia'' (commonly called ''tongkat ali'', ''pasak bumi'', or ''longjack'') is a flowering plant in the family Simaroubaceae. It is native to Indochina (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam) and Indonesia (the i ...

'', i.e.

Ali ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam ...

walking stick A walking stick or walking cane is a device used primarily to aid walking, provide postural stability or support, or assist in maintaining a good posture. Some designs also serve as a fashion accessory, or are used for self-defense. Walking st ...

Description

''Labisia'' is a herbaceous plant that grows in low clusters, with solitary or rarely branching stems and fine, hairy roots. The leaves are oblong-shaped, hairy on its underside and can grow to in length. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphology (biology), Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of sperma ...

are brown and long. The plant thrives under the shade, away from direct sunlight, and grows well in moist or loamy soil. It propagates by its rhizomes, leaves and/or seeds, and when cultivated is harvested about a year after planting. The plant is indigenous to Malaysia, but also found in Sumatra,

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...

and

Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...

. Three varieties of ''Labisia pumila'' have been described: var. ''alata'', var. ''lanceolata'' and var. ''pumila''. The popular name for the plant is ''kacip Fatimah'' ("

Fatimah Fāṭima bint Muḥammad ( ar, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد}, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, ...

's betel cutter"; compare to ''

tongkat ali ''Eurycoma longifolia'' (commonly called ''tongkat ali'', ''pasak bumi'', or ''longjack'') is a flowering plant in the family Simaroubaceae. It is native to Indochina (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam) and Indonesia (the i ...

'', i.e.

). Other common names of the plant include ''selusoh Fatimah'', ''pokok pinggang'', ''rumput palis'', ''tadah matahari'', ''mata pelanduk rimba'', ''bunga belungkas hutan'', ''remoyan batu'' and ''angkoh''.

Uses

In folk medicine ''L. pumila'' was thought to be useful for a number of applications, including

labor induction Labor induction is the process or treatment that stimulates childbirth and delivery. Inducing (starting) labor can be accomplished with pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical methods. In Western countries, it is estimated that one-quarter of pregnan ...

and treating

venereal disease Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are Transmission (medicine), spread by Human sexual activity, sexual activity, especi ...

and flatulence. The plant has been researched for use in making

cosmeceutical Cosmeceuticals are cosmetic products with bioactive ingredients purported to have medical benefits. In America, there are no legal requirements to prove that these products live up to their claims. The name is a portmanteau of "cosmetics" and " ...

products. The plant's extract has been commercially formulated for consumption in capsule and tablet form, as well as an ingredient in energy drinks. In Malaysia ''Labisia pumila'' was highlighted in 2010 as one of five local herbs to developed commercially on a large scale via the

Economic Transformation Programme The Economic Transformation Programme is an initiative by the Malaysian government to turn Malaysia into a high income economy by the year of 2020. It is managed by the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU), an agency under the Prime ...

Chemical constituents

Despite its long history of traditional use, the active components and mode of action have not been well studied, though some preliminary research has been published. It has been reported that ''Labisia'' contains two novel benzoquinoid compounds, as well as

gallic acid Gallic acid (also known as 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid) is a trihydroxybenzoic acid with the formula C6 H2( OH)3CO2H. It is classified as a phenolic acid. It is found in gallnuts, sumac, witch hazel, tea leaves, oak bark, and other plants. I ...

caffeic acid Caffeic acid is an organic compound that is classified as a hydroxycinnamic acid. This yellow solid consists of both phenolic and acrylic functional groups. It is found in all plants because it is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of lignin, one ...

rutin Rutin, also called rutoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside and sophorin, is the glycoside combining the flavonol quercetin and the disaccharide rutinose (α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranose). It is a flavonoid found in a wide variety of pl ...

, and

myricetin Myricetin is a member of the flavonoid class of polyphenolic compounds, with antioxidant properties. Common dietary sources include vegetables (including tomatoes), fruits (including oranges), nuts, berries, tea, and red wine. Myricetin is struc ...

. One study claims that the leaves contain significantly higher level of saponins compared to its stems and roots.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q14468414 Medicinal plants of Asia Primulaceae Taxa named by Celestino Fernández-Villar Taxa named by Carl Ludwig Blume