Dayak onions from Kalimantan which turned out to be useful for women

Since then until now, Indonesian people, especially the people of Kalimantan, often use Dayak onions as herbal medicine which is said to be effective in treating various diseases. Starting from infectious diseases to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, constipation, kidney stones, to stroke. Have all the benefits of Dayak onions been properly proven by modern health science or are they just suggestions?

The origin of the Dayak onions

Dayak Onions or Sabrang Onions (source: feminim.id)

The name Dayak onion is taken from the Dayak tribe, native to the island of Borneo, who have long cultivated these tubers for natural remedies for various diseases. This onion has other names diamond onion, sabrang onion, and tiwai onion.

The Latin name for Dayak onions is Eleutherine palmifolia (L.) Merr or Eleutherine bulbosa Mill. Its appearance is not much different from ordinary shallots, it's just that the bulb size of the Sabrang onion is smaller, the color is more bright red, and the skin surface is smoother.

The sabrang onion plant itself is about 30-40 cm tall with long, smooth green leaves but sharp tips. One other feature that distinguishes Dayak onions from ordinary shallots is the presence of small white flowers on their stems that usually bloom at night.

Interestingly, in addition to Kalimantan, Dayak onions also grow in several regions of Brazil, in the southern part of Mexico and in the Amazon rainforest, as well as on the border between Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Latin Americans alike have cultivated this onion for a long time because of its potential medicinal properties.

Sabrang onions can be consumed in many ways. Whether it's eaten whole when it's fresh, used as pickles or sweets, as a cooking spice, until it's dried and mashed until it becomes a powder mixed into food or brewed as a warm drink.

The benefits of Dayak onions have been proven by medical science

Dayak Onions or Sabrang Onions

Actually, there is very little medical research that specifically proves the benefits of Dayak onions as a remedy for chronic diseases. However, so far the sabrang onion is believed to have the strongest potential for:

1. Overcoming infection

A study published in 2018 from a collaboration between a research team from Jenderal Soedirman University in Purwokerto and the Health Polytechnic of the Ministry of Health, East Kalimantan, reported that Dayak onions are rich in a number of antioxidants such as flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, triterpenoids, steroids, and tannins.

The row of antioxidants above work effectively to inhibit and kill the growth of viruses, bacteria, and fungi that cause disease. The above research specifically found that sabrang onions were most effective against bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), B. cereus , Shigella sp., and P. aeruginosa.

Bacteria Staph , MRSA, and P. aeruginosa are some examples of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Staph and MRSA can cause many diseases ranging from skin infections, sepsis, pneumonia, to blood infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a transient cause of UTIs, pneumonia, and kidney infections Shigella sp is a bacterial infection that causes shigellosis and dysentery.

The research also strengthens the previous findings of Jenderal Achmad Yani University which reported the same thing. The research team at Jenderal Achmad Yani University found that the antimicrobial properties of the Dayak bulb extract applied to the skin can inhibit bacterial growth. Staph and Trichophyton rubrum, which is often involved in the formation of wounds and ulcers.

2. Increase bone density in menopausal women

Postmenopausal women are at risk for osteoporosis, aka bone loss problems. Menopause occurs when the body is no longer able to produce as much estrogen as it did at a young age. Quoting the NHS UK, women can lose up to 20% of their bone density in five to seven years after menopause.

Besides functioning to regulate fertility, the hormone estrogen also helps protect bone strength. That's why when estrogen levels drop dramatically during menopause it can cause a loss of bone density over time. The incidence of early menopause can even further increase a woman's risk of bone loss.

Well, a study published in 2018 from the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, FKUI found that giving high doses of Dayak onion extract (18 mg / 200 g) for 21 consecutive days has the potential to greatly increase bone calcium levels, bone weight (bone mass), and bone length.

Even so, the results of this study are still limited to being observed in lab rats whose ovaries are deliberately removed through the ovariectomy procedure to stop the production of the hormone estrogen in the body (hypoestrogen).

Researchers argue that these findings can be the basis for developing Dayak bulb extract as an alternative to hormone therapy drugs for menopausal women in the future. Still more in-depth scientific research is needed regarding the benefits of this Dayak onion.

3. Reducing the risk of uterine cancer and heart disease after menopause

The benefits of Dayak onions again seem to have the greatest potential for various problems related to menopause.

The shrinkage of estrogen levels in the body during and after menopause will undeniably affect women's health in general. That's why some women choose to use hormone therapy to treat their menopausal symptoms.

Unfortunately, hormone therapy drugs such as tamoxifen have been reported to increase the risk of uterine cancer in menopausal women. This risk arises because the addition of the hormone estrogen can cause a thickening of the uterine wall which can lead to uterine cancer. On the other hand, estrogen hormone therapy can also increase blood lipid levels which are associated with an increased risk of postmenopausal heart disease.

Well, a different study but still from the University of Indonesia reports that Dayak onions are rich in an active compound called eleutherinol which can bind strongly to the alpha estrogen receptor (ERα). Researchers found that eleuterinol can trigger an increasing effect of the hormone estrogen similar to the drug tamoxifen but without the risk of thickening the uterine wall.

This study examined the effect of sabrang onion extract on rats that had been deliberately made menopause by removing the ovaries (ovariectomy). The result, these menopausal rats did not experience thickening of the uterine wall. This means that Dayak onions do not increase the risk of uterine cancer like medical estrogen hormone therapy.

In addition, the menopausal mice also did not experience an increase in blood lipid levels. Dayak onion extract actually appears to reduce blood lipid levels so that the risk of heart disease decreases. This shows that Dayak onions have the potential to be a safer substitute for estrogen hormone therapy.

Do not consume Dayak onions if you have allergies

Not everyone can freely use Dayak onions in their daily life. According to an article in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, there are some people who have garlic intolerance or allergy. So if you are one of them, chances are that you are also not advised to use or consume other types of onions, including Dayak onions.

People who have an onion allergy can experience red and itchy eyes to itchy skin rashes if they touch the onions. Meanwhile, people with onion intolerance can experience flatulence, heartburn, gas, nausea and vomiting after eating onions. Onions of any kind can also worsen GERD (chronic stomach acid reflux) if consumed in excess.

Dayak onions are not a substitute for medical drugs

The potential health benefits of Dayak onions cannot be underestimated. However, it is important for you to know that medicinal plants should not be a priority and the only choice for treating disease. Herbal medicine is also not to be used as a substitute for medical drugs.

Alternative medicine by utilizing medicinal plants is complementary or complementary. Herbal medicine should also be consumed only to maintain health, recover from disease, or reduce the risk of disease - not to cure it. To cure the disease, a doctor's prescription is still needed.

We recommend that you keep consulting your doctor before using any herbal remedies. Herbal plants may not have a uniform effect on each person who consumes them. Each person's reaction to the action of the biological compounds in plants can differ from one another. Even though you have the same complaints, it is not certain that one herbal medicine that turns out to be suitable for you will provide the same benefits to your partner or neighbor.

x