Background Interactions between humans and diseases for a long time have encourage people to construct concepts related to the disease and create strategies to prevent and treat the disease. The aim of this study is to document philosophy and practice of ethnomedicine of Tetun ethnic people in the prevention and treatment of malaria. Methods This research was a field study using ethnobotany and anthropology approaches. It was conducted among the Tetun people who settled in the Belu and Malaka districts from April to December 2017. A total of 94 informants consists of public healer, home healer and traditional medicine users were involved in semi-structured interviews and discussions. Results Tetun ethnic has local knowledge that malaria is caused by naturalistic factors that affect the hot–cold balance in the body. Prevention and treatment of malaria are intended to maintain and restore the hot–cold balance in the body. They use various local medicinal plants for the treatment of malaria, by drinking, bathing, massage, inhalation and cataplasm. Plants used have been proven scientifically to have pharmacological activity as true antimalarials and/or indirect antimalarials. Conclusion Ethnomedicine practice of Tetun people on malaria is proven to contain scientific truth, although it is built on the basis of concepts that are different or even contrary to the true etiology of malaria.

Riparian vegetation has a very important ecological role i.e. maintaining water quality, as a supplier of litter, as a habitat, and as a natural filter for various pollutants. Riparian vegetation is found along the side of the river, such as along the Talau, Belu river. The purpose of this study was to determine the composition and diversity of riparian vegetation. The research area consisted of three riparian types, namely teak plantations (A Station), mixed forest (B Station), and processed land (C Station). The method used was the quadrant method. Determination of sample size was based on the species-area curve. Data were calculated using the Shanon-Wiener diversity index. The research results revealed that at A station there were 29 species consisting of 24 families; at B station there were 53 species consisting of 31 families, and at C station there were 25 species consisting of 21 families. The highest diversity (H') was found at station B with a good diversity category, followed by A station with medium and low categories, and C station with a low category.

Gizi merupakan komponen penting dalam bahan pangan untuk menunjang kesehatan manusia. Salah satu bahan pangan yang dikonsumsi adalah makanan tradisional dari desa Simatalu yaitu Tambelo. Makanan khas Tambelo ini belum diketahui kandungan gizinya. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui kadungan gizi yang terdapat pada Tambelo (Bactronophorus sp.) hasil pembudidayaan masyarakat desa Simatalu. Sampel Tambelo segar diperoleh dari sungai Simatalu yang merupakan hasil budidaya. Sampel tersebut kemudian dianalisis kandungan karbohidrat, protein, lemak, dan mineral yang dilakukan di Laboratorium Fakultas MIPA Universitas Negeri Padang. Penetapan kandungan kabohidrat menggunakan metode Spektrofotometri, protein menggunakan metode Kjeldahl, dan lemak menggunakan metode Soxhlet. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kandungan gizi Tambelo memiliki presentase gizi rata-rata karbohidrat 1,49%, protein 0,46% dan, lemak 6,4%. Kandungan gizi Tambelo yang dibudidayakan masyarakat desa Simatalu memiliki presentase karbohidrat dan protein yang rendah. Hal ini dipengaruhi oleh faktor media (kayu) tempat Tambelo hidup.