6 Herbs the Health Ministry Recommends to Boost Immune System

"There are a number of reasons that affect our body's resistance to disease, including environmental factors, sleep cycles, hygiene, and nutrition from the food or drinks we consume. There are some plants that are empirically or traditionally known by the community to increase stamina."

Published by : Wahyu untara - 16/09/2024 10:42 WIB

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It has been over a year since Indonesia was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and there is no certainty when this pandemic will end. Slowly but surely we have started to adapt new habits to protect ourselves and those around us from Covid-19. In addition to efforts to guard from the outside, of course, we need to guard from within the body by consuming immune-boosting foods.

Our forefathers have passed on a wealth of knowledge to maintain good health. There are many kinds of herbal plants known to be immunomodulators. The following are immune-boosting herbs recommended by the Ministry of Health.

Pegagan (Centela asiatica)

Pegagan (Gotu kola) is a plant with immunomodulatory benefits in diseases that require cellular and humoral immune system defence. The content of triterpenoid glycosides and asiaticoside compounds accelerates the regeneration of skin cells and increases non-specific immune defence.

Garlic (Allium sativum)

Garlic has the benefits of maintaining health by regulating blood flow, increasing sex drive, and many others. Garlic also has an immune-boosting function as it contains allicin which helps to destroy bacteria and infections.

Temulawak (Curcuma xanthorrisa Roxb.)

Temulawak is well-known to have a positive effect on boosting the body’s immune system. Temulawak has a number of chemical compounds contained in its rhizome, including fellanderan and turmerol or often called volatile oils. Other contents are essential oils, chamfer, glucosides, foluymetic carbinol, and curcuminoids. Curcuminoids consist of curcumin and desmethoxycurmin that are useful for neutralising toxins, relieving pain, antibacterial, and preventing fatty liver cells, as well as antioxidants.

Meniran (Phyllanthus niruri L.)

Meniran is empirically prescribed for the treatment of kidney disorders, mouth ulcers, malaria, high blood pressure, diuretics, kidney pain, urinary stones, and bile disorders. Meniran is also antidiarrhoeal and antipyretic. In the pharmaceutical world, meniran extract has been clinically tested as an immunomudulator (immune enhancer).