Purwoceng, Viagra from java

Purwoceng is one of traditional medicinal plants known efficacious as a powerful medicine men. Therefore, purwoceng also got the title 'Java Viagra'. Why is this so?

Purwoceng actually classified as rare plants, but now can be saved by using the method of cultivation in vitro culture. Problems purwoceng cultivation was once described Ireng Darwati, S3 students study program Agronomy, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) is currently defending his dissertation titled "Culture of Callus and Root Hair Culture purwoceng to Generate Secondary Metabolites and Plant Development purwoceng Hope for the Future," on Campus Darmaga IPB, Bogor (Voice Reform, 23.02.2007).

Latin name is Pimpinella pruacan purwoceng originally, but later revised to Pimpinella Alpina. This plant is found in the Alps in Switzerland, at an altitude of 2000-3000 meters above sea level. Regarding the growing purwoceng in Indonesia originally known to grow wild in Dieng area at an altitude of 2000-3000 m above sea level. But according to the Forestry Research and Development Agency (1987), distribution purwoceng plants in Indonesia now covers Central Java, East Java and West Java.

Wahyuni et al. (1997) states that purwoceng can grow outside of its habitat, such as in Gunung Putri, West Java and is able to produce seeds for conservation materials. Purwoceng crop potential is big enough, but is still hampered by the scarcity of seed supply and limited land suitable for these plants (Yuhono 2004). In addition to the Dieng, purwoceng also grows in the mountains Iyang, East Java (known as suripandak brother). At Mount Tengger named gebangan depok. Despite its Latin name designation change, the researchers have the same conclusion that purwoceng including medicinal plants.

What Are Benefits purwoceng?
Eni May Sukmasari Hayani and never explained, the entire section purwoceng plants can be used as traditional medicine, especially the roots. Roots have diuretic properties and is used as aprosidiak (Forestry Research and Development Agency in 1987), namely the properties of a drug that can enhance or increase stamina. In general, plants or nutritious crops as aprosidiak containing compounds derived saponins, alkaloids, tannins, and other compounds are efficacious as the reinforcement of the body and the circulation of blood. In Indonesia, plant or medicinal plants used as aprosidiak more just based on the beliefs and experiences (Hernani and Yuliani 1991).

The use of medicinal plants in the field of medicine, in principle, remain based on the principles of such therapy on the use of modern medicine. Therefore the information content of the active compounds of medicinal plants are absolutely necessary. Rare medicinal plants generally have a single compound materials, making it difficult to ensure active content which berkasiat for the treatment of certain diseases. For example savor plant roots purwoceng (Pimpinella Alpina), which is known from the experiences of people later become known as aprodisiak berkasiat image, turned out to contain compounds derived from plant sterols, saponins and alkaloids (Caropeboka and Lubis, 1985).

Sidik, et al. (1985) says that the root purwoceng compounds containing coumarin derivatives used in the modern drug industry, but not for aprodisiak but for anti-bacterial, anti fungal and anti cancer. Hernani and Yuliani (1990) pointed out that the most active ingredient purwoceng located at the root.

Purwoceng plants have aprodisiak material content which is causing increasingly sought-after its existence. At first, purwoceng plants used by residents of surrounding mountains Dieng (homelands) only for health maintenance or improvement of health status. However, in line with research developments and issues exhaled, these plants developed into a commodity that is "salable" as aprodisiak materials, even recently been popularized by the community and local farmers' group called "Java Viagra."

The existence of an increasingly rare plants not only because being pressured by rapid demand, as well as procurement takes time. On the basis of scarcity and the issue price aprodisiak is happening now is very high.