Bael or Aegle marmelos Corrêa is considered a sacred tree by Hindus and is offered to Lord Shiva while worshipping. It grows in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia and is called by various names in different regions. Bael has been used as a traditional medicine in India and other Southeast Asian countries to treat various ailments, including diarrhea, chronic dysentery, constipation, gonorrhea, catarrh, diabetes, deafness, inflammations, ulcerated intestinal mucosa, intermittent fever, melancholia, heart palpitation, and also to control fertility. The ethnomedicinal properties of Bael are owing to its ability to synthesize alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, anthocyanins, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, lignins, quinones, coumarins, proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, reducing sugars, fats, and oils. The aegeline, auroptene, umbelliferone, psoralene, marmin, imperatorin, xylorhamnoarabinogalactan I pectic polysaccharide and skimmianine are synthesized by different parts of Bael, and they have shown antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-allergic, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, anticancer, cardioprotective and neuroprotective activities in various experimental models. The present review has been written consulting various publications, and different websites including Google Scholar, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and Google.
This article explores ethnomedicine or traditional medication written in palm-leaf manuscripts in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Most of the manuscripts in Lombok are written on palm leaf or lontar. One genre of palm-leaf manuscripts is USADA or traditional medication. These USADA manuscripts, serving as guides for traditional healers (dukun and balian), contain valuable information on diseases, treatments, herbal remedies, and incantations. The study reveals that ethnomedicine remains a relevant and respected practice in Lombok, often considered on par with modern medicine. Many residents rely on traditional healers for healthcare, particularly for minor illnesses. The research also highlights the living nature of the manuscript tradition, with continued recitation, copying, and teaching of these texts to younger generations. However, challenges persist in preserving these manuscripts and promoting wider appreciation for this unique cultural heritage.
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