Abstract. Rahmawati N, Mustofa FI, Haryanti S. 2020. Diversity of medicinal plants utilized by To Manui ethnic of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 375-392. The present study reports the utilization of medicinal plants as medicines for the treatment of various diseases among the people of To Manui tribe in Central Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. Data collecting was conducted based on purposive random sampling to five selected traditional healers who fulfilled some inclusion criteria. The results showed as of 89 species of medicinal plants distributed in 50 families and 80 genera have been documented to have any pharmacological effects against 37 diseases and illnesses. Curcuma longa L. was determined as the most frequent medicinal plant used by traditional healers in To Manui for treating diabetes mellitus as well as after-birth treatment. However, conservation of some medicinal plants needs to be initiated in the study area especially Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. as it is recognized in International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as Least Concern (LC) of conservation status.

The herbal extracts combination of turmeric (Curcuma domestica), cardamom pods (Amomum compactum) and sembung leaf (Blumea balsamifera) has potential gastroprotective effects.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Pulasari stem bark (Alyxia reinwardtii) and Sembung leaf (Blumea balsamifera) are traditionally used to treat gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of the study was to investigate gastroprotective effect of hot water extracts combination of those herbal against aspirin-induced gastric ulcer model in rats. The combination consisted of fixed doses of Licorice 273 mg/kg BW and Sembung leaf 457.5 mg/kg BW, and also consisted of Pulasari stem in various doses i.e. 100 mg/kg BW (first group), 200 mg/kg BW (second and sixth group) and 300 mg/kg BW (third group). The fourth grup rats received sucralfate 360 mg/kg BW. Ten minute after seven consecutive days of drug administration, the rats were induced with aspirin 450 mg/kg BW except sixth group rats. The fifth group rats only received aspirin without any protective agents. The number and area of gastric ulcers were evaluated macroscopically. Whereas, histopatological observation was used for evaluation of mucosal damage score, and the number of eosinophils and mast cells. In the study, herbal extracts combination markedly exhibited protective effects indicated by less number and smaller area of gastric ulcers in comparison to those of aspirin group (P < 0.05). The score of mucosal damages were also decreased in herbal extracts combination groups. The number of eosinophils and mast cells of herbal combination groups were observed to be smaller than those of aspirin group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, herbal combination of Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Pulasari stem bark (Alyxia reinwardtii) and Sembung leaf (Blumea balsamifera) is potential to develop as a gastroprotective agent.

Abstract. Mustofa FI, Rahmawati N, Aminullah. 2020. Medicinal plants and practices of Rongkong Traditional Healers in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 642-651. Ethnomedicine reflects the fusion of tradition, natural resources, and local knowledge of the community in maintaining health. However, this knowledge is facing the threat of disappearance due to poor documentation and socio-cultural alteration. This study was conducted to find out information about species of plants used and related practices by traditional healers to overcome health problems. The study was conducted in Rongkong, North Luwu District, South Sulawesi Province. A semi-structured questionnaire was developed to obtain informants demographic data, species of medicinal plants, traditional medicine ingredients, parts used, methods of remedies preparation and use, as well as various ailments that can be treated by medicinal plants. The data were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively, by calculating the family and species use-value. The study revealed medicinal plants used and practices by Rongkong traditional healers to treat 31 ailments. They used a total of 62 species of medicinal plants distributed among 33 botanical families and 55 genera. Allium cepa has the highest UV among all medicinal plants in Rongkong. Both traditional knowledge and medicinal plant diversity possessed by Rongkong community are valuable local assets that must be maintained and developed for greater benefits.

ABSTRACT Medicinal plants for health effort and diseases treatment has been used by ethnic groups in South Sulawesi for years. One of them is for diarrhea treatment. South Sulawesi is one of the top five provinces with the highest incidence and period prevalence of diarrhea in Indonesia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the species of medicinal plants used by traditional healer in South Sulawesi for anti-diarrhea and their scientific evidence. The data was obtained from the exploration of local ethnomedicin knowledge and medicinal plant based on community in Indonesia in 2012-2015 and 2017. The data was analyzed to find out the fidelity level, used value (UV), choice value (CV), and factor of informant’s consensus (FIc). The result reported  information about thirty medicinal plants used for diarrhea treatment, including the plants name, part used, and preparation method that obtained from 48 traditional healer of 19 ethnic groups in South Sulawesi. The fidelity level were 41,67% for Psidium guajava, 8,33% for Mangifera sp, 6,25% for Curcuma domestica and C. Zedoaria, 4,17% for Allium cepa, Anacardium officinale, Syzigium cumini, and C.xanthorrhiza. The highest UV and CV were 0,42 and 13,84 for Psidium guajava. The informant’s consensus of medicinal plant for diarrhea treatment was 0,38. The commonly used parts was the leaves and most of the used methods were administered orally. The conclusions of this study were ethnic groups in South Sulawesi has various formula of medicinal plants for diarrhea treatment, but P.guajava was the most commonly used. Those formulas information for diarrhea treatment would be an alternative to overcome diarrhea problems in South Sulawesi.   Key words: medicinal plant, traditional healer, diarrhea,   ABSTRAK Pengetahuan lokal dalam pemanfaatan tumbuhan obat untuk mencegah dan mengatasi penyakit telah dimiliki secara turun temurun oleh etnis-etnis di Sulawesi Selatan. Salah satunya adalah untuk mengatasi diare. Sulawesi Selatan termasuk dalam lima provinsi dengan insiden maupun period prevalence diare tertinggi di Indonesia. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengungkap  jenis-jenis tumbuhan obat yang digunakan hatttra di Sulawesi Selatan dalam ramuan anti diare dan bukti ilmiah penggunaan tanaman obat tersebut untuk mengatasi diare. Studi ini menggunakan data sekunder yang diperoleh dari Eksplorasi pengetahuan lokal etnomedisin dan tumbuhan obat berbasis komunitas di Indonesia pada tahun 2012,2015 dan 2017. Analisis data dilakukan untuk mengetahui Fidelity level, Used value, Choice value, Factor of informant’s consensus dan studi referensi ilmiahnya. Hasil studi menunjukkan informasi tentang tiga puluh tanaman obat untuk mengatasi diare yang  diperoleh dari 48 penyehat tradisional yang berasal dari 19 etnis di Sulawesi Selatan. Informasi tersebut termasuk nama tanaman, bagian yang digunakan, dan metode persiapan. Fidelity level yang tertinggi adalah 41,67% untuk Psidium guajava, disusul 8,33% untuk Mangifera sp, 6,25% untuk Curcuma domestica dan C. Zedoaria, 4,17% untuk Allium cepa, Anacardium officinale, Syzigium cumini, dan C. xanthorrhiza. Nilai UV dan CV tertinggi adalah 0,42 dan 13,84 untuk P. guajava. Konsensus informan tentang tanaman obat untuk pengobatan diare adalah 0,38. Bagian yang umum digunakan adalah daun dan sebagian besar cara pemakaian dengan diminum. Dari hasil tersebut dapat disimpulkan bahwa kelompok etnis di Sulawesi Selatan memiliki berbagai formula tanaman obat untuk mengatasi diare, tetapi P.guajava adalah yang paling banyak digunakan. Informasi formula untuk mengatasi diare diharapkan dapat menjadi alternatif untuk masalah diare di Sulawesi Selatan. Kata kunci: tumbuhan obat, penyehat tradisional, diare