Dragon Blood Benefit, Rare resin for Health
Dragon blood plant or jernang rattan is a type of plant where the rattan is often used as a woven material and the resin from the fruit is used as traditional medicine. This plant can be found in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, especially on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. In this article, we will explain about the dragon blood tree, the content of active chemical compounds in dragon blood and dragon blood benefits.
ABOUT DRAGON BLOOD TREE
In its taxonomy, Dragon blood belongs to the Arecaceae family and has the scientific name Daemonorops draco. This plant has other names according to the region of origin, such as kelukup rattan or rambai jernang. Dragon Blood is a type of rattan plant that can grow on various types of soil in the tropics. In general, jernang rattan produces fruit after 2 years of age.
The description of the dragon blood tree is as follows:
1) Has a small stem, long, and can spread to a height of about 15 meters;
2) It has leaves that are midrib, pinnate, slightly pointed at the end, finely spiny, and reddish green in color;
3) The fruit of the jernang rattan is round in shape with a fruit diameter of 0.7-1.0 cm, which is shiny black-brown in color, contains jernang resin, with a smooth fruit skin surface. If the jernang resin on the rind of the fruit has been extracted, then the rind of the jernang rattan looks scaly, in the shape of a vertical trapezoid like a salak fruit. The size of fruit scales varies, the bigger the fruit, the bigger the scales. If the skin of the fruit is peeled, we will see the contents of the fruit and if the fruit is opened, the seeds will be found.
4) Its flowers that form panicles and are arranged in a bunch.
DRAGON BLOOD CONTENT
The part of dragon blood that is often used as traditional medicine is the resin or sap from the fruit or often called jernang. The content of active compounds from the sap of this plant is as follows:
- The Dracorhodin is the main compound found in dragon blood. Dracorhodin is a natural anthocyanin compound and is used as a potent pharmaceutical substance because of its biological and pharmacological activities such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, and cytotoxic and anticholesterol activities.
- Nordracorhodin and nordracorubin compounds;
- Abietic acid, dehydroabietic acid, isopimaric acid and pimaric acid;
- Flavonoid compounds;
- The dracorubin compound;
- Polysaccharides;
- Dracoalban, dracoresene, and dracoresinotannol;
- Dammaradienol compounds;
- The dracooxepine compound;
- Dracoflavan A;
- Moisture content of 3.5 percent;
- Ash content as much as 1.9 percent;
- Benzene compounds as much as 1.22 percent;
- Decan E as much as 59.75 percent.
DRAGON BLOOD BENEFITS
The benefits of dragon blood in the health sector are nothing new, both as traditional medicine and modern medicine also use it. Some of the benefits of dragon blood are as follows.
1) Dragon blood fruit resin contains antioxidants which are useful in preventing free radicals and oxidative stress that can enter the body and damage cells and tissues in the body. These antioxidants also play a role in increasing stamina and immunity so as to avoid disease and prevent premature aging.
2) Its benefits as anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Dragon blood resin can fight several bacteria such as mycobacterium smegmafis, bacillus subtilis, klebsiella pneumoniae, and the fungus aspergillus flavus which have the potential to cause infection in the body. Some infections that can be cured by this resin are urinary tract infections, eye infections, respiratory infections, throat infections, pneumonia, lung disease, and inflammation of the lungs.
3) Cure boils, scabies, and skin infections. The resin from dragon blood fruit can fight some bacteria and fungi that cause inflammation or skin infections such as Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and Candida albicans fungi. Thus, this resin can be used to cure boils, scabies, itchy skin, and skin infections or inflammation caused by bacteria or fungi.
4) As a prevention of cancer growth. This is a very distinctive dragon blood benefit. The content of dracorhodin or red pigment found in dragon blood resin can fight cancer cells in the body. The dracorhodin compound can prevent the growth and development of cancer cells and kill cancer cells in the body, such as leukemia cancer cells.
5) Improve blood circulation. The resin from dragon blood fruit has antiplatelet and antithrombotic activity which can destroy blood clots in the body. It also helps to improve blood circulation in the blood and prevent narrowing of the arteries
6) Protects the heart. The resin from dragon blood fruit which contains antithrombotic activity can protect the liver because this activity prevents narrowing of the arteries and blood clots. This is of course very good for the heart because the blood flow to the heart is not disturbed and prevents disturbances from occurring to the heart such as a heart attack
7) Heal headaches and toothaches. The resin from dragon blood fruit can be used to relieve headaches. This plant has been used in several regions in Indonesia to treat headaches. This resin can also relieve toothache or swollen gums and clean teeth.
8) Heal inflammation and pain. The resin from dragon blood fruit can be used to treat inflammation. The content of flavonoids in the resin from this plant plays an active role in reducing swelling and water accumulation in inflammation. In addition to inflammation, this resin can also be used to relieve various aches in the body. Several regions in Indonesia have used this resin to treat postpartum pain.
9) Heal wounds. The resin from dragon blood fruit can be used to heal wounds on the skin. This resin can help to dry the wound, prevent infection due to bacteria, and reduce pain. The nano fibers contained in this resin have been used in Indonesia as an antibiotic ingredient to heal skin wounds.
10) Heal digestive disorders. The resin from dragon blood fruit can reduce watery stools and overcome bacteria that cause dysentery and food poisoning. This means that this resin can be used to treat dysentery, stomach ache, and diarrheal diseases. In addition, this resin has also been used to treat digestive disorders.
11) Helps to overcome decubitus ulcer disease. The resin from dragon blood fruit can treat decubitus ulcers or wounds on the skin and tissues under the skin caused by lying too long. This disease is a complication disease suffered in patients with Parkinson’s disease or ischemia. This resin can help to treat decubitus ulcer disease.