COMPARING MEDICINAL PLANTS USE FOR TRADITIONAL AND MODERN HERBAL MEDICINE IN LONG NAH VILLAGE OF EAST KALIMANTAN

Sari

The purpose of this research is to describe the
equivalence of local knowledge and scientific knowledge
or western knowledge in terms of medicinal plant
usage for traditional medicine (TM) or ethnomedicine
and modern herbal medicine or jamu (MM), and the
recognition of both. This descriptive-comparative research
was accomplished using the case study method.
The research used participant observation and semistructured
interview techniques to collect data and
information from traditional healers, community
leaders, and villagers. The research results show that
on the one hand, local people particularly traditional
healers (dukun) have developed knowledge of medicinal
plants and TM compounds. This knowledge
has been based on the existence of illnesses in the
community and availability of medicinal plants in their
environment. On the other hand, rural community
has known, acknowledged, and consumed MM as a
complement to TM produced by traditional healers
(dukun). Comparison of medicinal plants used for TM
and MM is not appropriate to prove the equivalence
of local knowledge and scientific knowledge, because
different plant species may
have the same efficacy. On
the other hand, different local communities may use
different plants with similar efficacy for TM. Likewise,
different MM industries may use different plants for
MM to have the same efficacy.
Key words: Local knowledge, ethnomedicine, medicinal
plants, NTFPs, East Kalimantan Indonesia