THE TONGKAT ALI IS POTENT AS GINSENG?

By: Jamaludin Ismail *

Tests by two local universities on rats with extracts of the tongkat Ali found that the animals going into an overdrive in their sexual activities.
The biological test by the Biochemical Department of the Medical Faculty of University Malaya found that the male rats fed with extracts of the well-known aphrodisiac from the Malaysian jungles performed more mounting and that there were more births when compared with the controlled group.
Similar results were also obtained by a group of scientists of the Pharmacuetical Science Centre of University Sains Malaysia.
The Biochemical Department of UM also conducted test on the production of testosterone, the principal male sex hormone, in the rats and human beings.
The results showed there was an increase in the testosterone when the subjects were fed with drinks mixed with extracts from the root that has pride of place in Malaysian herblore.
These test could lead to the conclusion that the Tongkat Ali can stimulate the production of testosterone, and thus enhance one’s sexual ability as is widely believed by the Malay society.
According to the reports, which were produced in the seminar recently, the plant, which scientific name is Eurycoma Longifolia Jack of Simaroubaceae family, is also widely found in the Malaysian jungles as well as peat land.
The increase in the testosterone level in the tests is among the factors that heighten sexual drive among the rats due to possess aphrodisiac properties.
Although it is too early to say that these tests showed, without a shadow of doubt, that extracts of the root can hike up one sexual desire or prowess, they can form the basis for more researches on human.
What is certain that these tests had shown that Tongkat Ali is safe for consumption because it does not contain any toxin that can cause death.
The studies at the fundamental level found that extract from Tongkal Ali contain chemical properties such as saponine and alkaloid, which can prevent malaria. What is not known is the actual composition of these chemicals in the root.
What is certain is that some of the chemical elements are found in all sections of the plant and is not confined to the roots only.
These basic findings cannot support the claim that Tongkat Ali has aphrodisiac qualities but rather it has the potential to treat malaria.
Whatever it is, the fame of the root is synonymous with traditional medicine. The ardent believers of Tongkat Ali have crowned the root as the "ginseng Malaysian".
In some cases, the local name for "Eurycome longifolia" differs from one state to another.
Among them are penawar pahit, tunjang bumi, bedara pahit, bedara merah, hempedu bumi, payung Ali, tongkat Banginda, tongkat Rasul and pasak bumi.
There are also claims by traditional medicine practitioners that Tongkat Ali belongs to Polythia bulatta.
However, the scientists, especially those in Botany say that Tongkat Ali should refer to the Eurycoma longifolia. For Polythia bullata species, they are to be known as "Tongkat Ali hitam" because of the black colour of the roots.
How to distinguish the Tongkat Ali from the other plants? Tongkat Ali is small with a straight trunk of dark green, usually without branches. It can grow to about 10 metres in height.
The leaves stalks are dark red, and grow like "bunga manggar" (or mango flower) around the trunk. It leaves are elongated, reaching a length of one meter from the stem, and are also tough, not being, easily torn or crumpled.
The trees do bear flowers at the tip. The flowers of 15 to 20 mm insize are red, oval-sharped and its seeds have a hard shell.
The roots, which taste very bitter, are tap roots, creamy in colour, long and straight with no secondary roots.
Used mainly by the Orang Asli and rural folks, the roots are chipped and boiled with water to make a drink.
The concoction is said to be potent enough to enhance a man’s sexual vitality, ease rhuematism and energize the body.
Ethnobotany and Ethnomedicine studies on the roots had been carried out by Western researchers when in 1930s, Burkill and Foxworthy did their researche on the Tongkat Ali in the Malay and Orang Asli communities.
In general the research found that the roots could be used to prevent or treat malaria, ulcer, boils, postnatal blue, bleeding gums and lower back pain besides being an antihistamine, a tonic and energy-enhancer.
Its uses are not confined only to the roots but also its trunk and leaves.
Studies among the Malays in the northern part of the country found that members of the community used the squashed leaves of the Tongkat Ali in their bath to counter worms or to remove the itch caused by caterpillar. Its barks are used to treat boils, wounds and cough.
Nowadays, Tongkat Ali are processed into various form like pills, tonic and "jamu", the latter being take-away herbal preparation for ailments or plain aphrodisiac.
What is certain is that many people are waiting for more confirmation by experts on the quatities of Tongkat Ali, to ascertain myth from reality.


This paper was based on the article published in Borneo Post in 1999. The writer at that time was a Research Officer at Forest Research Institue of Malaysia (FRIM). Study areas are forest economic and ethnomedice.