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In the Land of Kesum | HerbalEGram | July 2017
HerbalEGram: Volume 14, Issue 7, July 2017
In the Land of Kesum
By
Chris Kilham, Medicine Hunter
At 85 years of age, Ismail looks fit and strong. The former Malaysian military
commando now runs a small farm, overseeing a kesum (Persicaria minor, syn. Polygonum
minus, Polygonaceae) cultivation program that provides one metric ton of
the fresh herb to local markets every day. Ismail’s wife, Su, is more hands-on,
personally working the harvest and keeping watch over other harvesters and the small
group of workers who bundle bunches of fresh kesum plants with rubber bands.
This
kesum farm is purportedly one of the largest of its kind, just a half-hour
drive from Malaysia’s largest city Kuala Lumpur, near the famous Batu caves in
Gombak. Kesum requires 90 days to grow to maturity from seed, according to
Ismail. The aromatic herb, also known as laksa leaf, is popular in Southeast
Asian cookery, loves water, and is best cultivated like rice (Oryza sativa, Poaceae) in paddies. In
the case of Ismail’s farm, the paddy is fed by a stream that flows out of a dense
rainforest.
It
is January 2017, and I am traveling in the company of Nik Fahmi and Tengku
Sharir of Biotropics Malaysia, a Malaysian government-owned botanical
extraction and marketing company that specializes in plants native to the
country. Due to an increased interest in the health benefits of kesum leaves,
the government operation has taken an interest in this plant. As we continue
our exploration of kesum, various other members of the Biotropics team will
join us. Our plan is to investigate this popular savory herb, and to meet with
people who understand kesum’s broad culinary and medicinal uses. Our visit to the
kesum farm kicks off a week of traveling the countryside.
I
stoop to pick a couple of leaves of fresh kesum that is one week from harvest.
Rolling the leaves between my thumb and forefinger releases aromatic compounds
that smell like a blend of oregano (Origanum
vulgare, Lamiaceae) and basil (Ocimum
basilicum, Lamiaceae), with some other notes mixed in. It is an aroma I
recognize from Malaysian, Thai, and Vietnamese dishes. The plant is a slender
shrub with climbing branches that stretch 1-1.5 meters (3.2-4.9 feet), and the
green leaves are long and lanceolate.
After
walking through several acres of cultivated kesum, we are led to a large shed
where men are bundling kesum into bunches and listening to loud music. The men
work quickly, converting large piles of the freshly harvested herb into bunches
that will be sold in local markets later that day. The turnaround is fast.
Kesum is picked, bundled, trucked to market, and sold fresh.
In
Malaysia and in the US Department of Agriculture’s PLANTS database, kesum is
also called pygmy smartweed.1 The plant is a slender creeping shrub
with narrow leaves, which are commonly used in the traditional cuisines of
Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
The
leaf of kesum is used in Southeast Asian cookery in numerous popular dishes.
The name“laksa leaf” refers to its
use in the traditional spicy noodle soup dish laksa. It is also known in
Malaysian cuisine as an ingredient in ulam,
or salad, and is eaten finely sliced with other raw vegetables. It is a main
ingredient in the mango (Mangifera indica,
Anacardiaceae)-based salad kerabu, and
is a principal flavor in the rice dish nasi
ulam.2
The
leaf of kesum is known to contain an array of antioxidant compounds, including
flavonoids, aliphatic aldehydes, and phenols, such as rutin, coumaric acid,
quercetin, and gallic acid.3-5 Studies by Baharum et al. detected 48
compounds in the essential oil of kesum using mass spectrometry .6 These
studies and the work by Partala et al. provide greater insight into the
complexity of the leaves.7
Published
chemical analyses and in vitro pharmacological studies suggest that kesum
leaves have antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, antiviral, cytotoxic, and
cytoprotective properties.2,7
The
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) in Kepong, Selangor, sits amid 544
hectares (roughly 1,344 acres) of landscaped grounds and verdant forest, and is
a brief drive from the center of Kuala Lumpur. Surrounded by Bukit Lagong Forest
Reserve, FRIM is Malaysia’s hub for forestry research and conservation. The
FRIM herbarium contains more than 350,000 voucher samples that feature the
flora of peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. Researchers at FRIM investigate a wide
array of plants, from Malaysian trees to food crops endemic to the region, and
the center in Selangor oversees research stations in various parts of Malaysia.
At
the ethnobotany department of FRIM, researcher Tan Ai Lee shares the latest
developments on kesum. The plant is undergoing a name change, we are informed,
from Polygonum minus to Persicaria minor. We subsequently
confirm this through correspondence with IPNI, the International Plant Names
Index. According to IPNI Editor Kanchi Gandhi of Harvard University: “Polygonum minus and Persicaria minor: both
are correct names, and it is up to an individual to accept” (email, January 23, 2017).
According
to Lee, FRIM has taken the unusual position of developing two kesum-based health
product concepts, neither of which was being sold in the marketplace at the
time of our visit. We are shown packaging, literature, and product samples. The
first, called Kezo Kesum Leaves Seasoning, offers a convenient way to season
local dishes with a mixture of dried kesum leaves and sea salt. The second
product, called Digesto Digestive Drink, is an “antioxidant digestive beverage.”
According to the FRIM literature accompanying this product: “Traditional
medicine claims that a decoction of the fresh leaves of kesum is taken as a
remedy for indigestion, constipation, flatulence and as a remedy for stomach
pains.”
Launching
products is a new idea for FRIM, the staff of which has not previously engaged
in commercial enterprises of this type. A couple of the staff members there
expressed to us that marketing health products was an endeavor far removed from
their usual course of work.
Lee
said that the FRIM product development program with kesum reflects the high
regard with which FRIM researchers assess this traditional herb.
Traditional
Malaysian Medicine Wisdom: A Conversation withDatin Sharifah Anisah
Datin
Sharifah Anisah is popularly regarded as an expert on traditional Malaysian
medicine, with a focus on women’s health. The subject of numerous articles,
Datin Sharifah first provided herb-based therapies and spa treatments in the
1960s. She lectures widely on herbal approaches to health care, has appeared in
popular Malaysian publications, and received the Jati Wanita (Teak Women) Award
in 2003 by the United Malays
National Organization (UNMO).
On a shaded cottage
porch at Taman Botani Negara Shah Alam (TBNSA), a botanical garden where visitors
can also stay in reconstructed traditional wooden Malaysian houses, Datin Sharifah and I sit to discuss
traditional uses of kesum. The location seems perfect for our conversation.
TBNSA sports forest acreage, plantations, and gardens.
“In our country,
kesum is widely used by Malaysians,” she tells me. “The Malays and the Chinese
use it in their food. They believe that kesum is part of health and beauty.”
Datin Sharifah
explains to me that kesum is often added to fish, and that in this manner the
herb is a valuable digestive cleansing agent. “We believe that kesum is very
good for internal cleansing. It helps for flatulence, you known, ‘wind.’”
According
to Datin Sharifah, kesum is often taken as an infusion for medicinal purposes,
and is typically mixed with other herbs. “The Malays use it for the internal
cleansing, especially for mothers after birth,” she said. “It helps to prevent
and overcome postpartum problems.”
From
a cosmetic standpoint, she noted that “kesum is often used for the skin,
especially for stretch marks.”
For
external use, she explained, the kesum leaves are ground into a paste and
applied directly to skin. “You make the paste and you add in rice, and
sometimes you add in turmeric [Curcuma
longa, Zingiberaceae], and sometimes tamarind [Tamarindus indica, Fabaceae] juice. It is very effective to heal the
stretch marks.”
Over
the course of an hour, Datin Sharifah shared with me various traditional
Malaysian approaches to the use of kesum and other herbs, for a broad range of
health needs, from relieving indigestion and ulcers to enhancing vaginal health.
I noted that her easy manner and broad knowledge of traditional herbal preparations
and their uses made Datin Sharifah Anisah a treasure, much in the way that
Amazonian shamans are considered “living libraries.”
Cooking with Kesum:
A Discussion with Chef Ismail Abas
Malaysia,
with its diverse regional cuisines, is not only a foodie paradise, but also a
land where excellent chefs can make a reputation for themselves. Among the
celebrated chefs in the country, Ismail Abas stands out as one of the most
beloved and well-known. Flamboyant, funny, creative, and smart, Chef Ismail
runs Restaurant Rebung in Kuala Lumpur, a mecca for those who seek authentic
Malaysian country food. At noon sharp, when the doors of the restaurant open, a
crowd streams in, mostly women in hijab,
their destination being the seemingly endless buffet.
Chef
Ismail attempts modesty, but all the locals seem to know his celebrity, and
patrons of the Restaurant Rebung look for him just to shake his hand and
express thanks. Chef Ismail has appeared on the Asian Food Channel, Anthony
Bourdain’s “No Reservations,” “Yan Can Cook,” “Aroma,” “Sri Murni,” “Poh’s
Kitchen,” “Hey Good Cooking,” “Wok and Roll,” and a number of other
food-related television programs.
The
food at his restaurant is something to see: the vegetable dishes, soups,
salads, various rice preparations, curries of all types, broiled and otherwise
prepared fish and meats — every dish offers a different color, texture, and
fragrance than the ones around it. There is magic in this cookery, which is aided
by the herbs that Ismail grows on the restaurant terrace, and by his upbringing
in the Malaysian countryside where he learned about herbs and cookery from his
grandmother.
“My
grandparents brought me up with organics, things that grow around the garden
like pumpkins [Cucurbita pepo,
Cucurbitaceae], bananas [Musa spp.,
Musaceae], cassava [Manihot esculenta,
Euphorbiaceae], turmeric, fresh coconut [Cocos
nucifera, Arecaceae], and river fishes,” Ismail explains. “It was very rare
that we had meat.”
“What
were some of the foods that were your favorites when you were a kid?” I ask.
“Oh,
I love pumpkin; I love young bananas; oh, I love young jackfruit [Artocarpus heterophyllus, Moraceae]. My
grandmother would make curries, you know.”
“Was
your grandmother a great cook?”
“She
was limited because she did not travel around, but she cooked the best village
food.”
Ismail
beams when he talks about his grandmother.
On
a table before us, Ismail has laid out in bowls all of the ingredients needed
to make the mango salad kerabu, which uses a large portion of kesum. “Normally
a salad like this we eat when the weather outside is too hot, and we want
something fresh and crunchy…. Kesum is my main ingredient. The leaf, you shred
it very fine.”
As
I watch Ismail perform his culinary magic, he describes every ingredient, and
how all the ingredients are put together, as he concocts the salad. When he is
done, three women who call themselves “The Fit Ladies of Kuala Lumpur” and I
sample the salad. It is savory, citrusy, and fresh. We all pronounce it
delicious. One of the Fit Ladies gets a bit teary-eyed, and comments that she
hasn’t tasted a dish like this since she was a young girl.
We
fly to Kota Bharu, south of Kuala Lumpur in Kelantan state, to visit the
legendary Pasar Siti Khadijah, a very large and colorful market run almost
entirely by women. The dry market features household goods, knives, brooms, and
all manner of general supplies, while the wet market features fish, meat,
fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. A mezzanine level affords a colorful
view of all the food stalls, where a seemingly endless array of fruits,
vegetables, and spices are displayed in large piles.
We
make our way into the wet market, and immediately spot large piles of kesum
stacked at almost every stall. As we stand near one stall, a woman approaches
the vendor, and purchases a generous armload of kesum. We follow her upstairs
to the restaurant area, and watch her finely chop the pile of kesum for the
salads that will be served over the next few hours. She laughs at me as I take
her photo. I kid her a bit, and that makes her chop faster. She seems to enjoy
the moment.
Observing
the making of food seems vastly incomplete to me, so we purchase a few of the
local dishes prepared by women running small stands and restaurants at the
Pasar Siti Khadijah. I make sure to order something with kesum, an ulam (salad)
with other finely-sliced vegetables, aromatic and tangy with hot chiles, salt,
and a hint of lime — very nice.
Investigating Kesum: An Interview with Annie George, MD
Back
in Kuala Lumpur, I sit with Annie George, MD, chief scientist at Biotropics,
where investigation into the properties of kesum has been ongoing for a few
years. I asked Annie: “I’m curious to know, of all the herbs you could
investigate in Malaysia, what made you choose kesum?”
“Back
in the year 2011, we were actually investigating several of the well-known
herbs in Malaysia, also looking at the salads consumed by the people, and we
tested them for antioxidant activity initially. We found that kesum itself has
very high antioxidant values,” she said.
The
high antioxidant value of kesum, as determined by standard ORAC* testing, was
the first piece of information that set kesum apart from the other herbs being
studied.
She
continued: “What was very interesting was that it has this quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, and this particular
compound has been shown to reduce beta amyloids, and, you know, beta amyloids,
you find that a lot in patients with Alzheimer’s.”
Annie
teamed up with Suzana Shahar, PhD, head of research at the Faculty of Health at
the National University of Malaysia (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia). The department
in which Suzana works focuses on healthy dietary practices that not only help
to maintain good health, but also act in a preventive manner against
degenerative diseases. Kesum seemed the right candidate for a study on
cognition. If it showed activity, it might help the elderly.
The
possible cognitive effects of kesum were put to the test in a study of 35
healthy women, half of whom were given a concentrated water extract of kesum (20:1
ratio) daily (BioKesum Biotropics), while the other half received a placebo
(maltodextrin). At the commencement of the study, after three weeks, and after six
weeks, the subjects participated in a series of psychological and intelligence
tests. The kesum extract group scored higher in overall good mood, short-term
memory, and IQ. Several parameters of cognitive function improved. This 2015
study, reported in the medical journal Clinical
Interventions in Aging, has perked up interest in the popular herb.8
Living up to its folk name “smart weed,” kesum appears to act as a nootropic,
enhancing cognitive function. Both Annie George and Suzana Shahar acknowledge
that additional studies may bolster this use, but are happy with the results of
this preliminary study.
My
week of chasing kesum in Kuala Lumpur and other parts of Malaysia revealed several
things. First, I was already familiar with the flavor and aroma of kesum, but
didn’t know it yet: the herb was immediately recognizable once I smelled it and
put it into my mouth. Second, the fresh herb brightens up dishes and makes a
terrific salad ingredient. The herb is long-established as a traditional
remedy, especially for digestive uses, but for others, too, such as the recent
investigation that showed potential cognitive benefits of kesum, consistent
with the herb’s “smart weed” moniker.
Considering
the traditional use as a food, its presumed and observed safety, and the various
biological activities known for kesum, it isn’t a stretch to suggest that it may
be smart to consume this herb.
* ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity)
is an in vitro laboratory assay of the antioxidant value of various substances,
and does not necessarily directly relate to the actual antioxidant activity of
a substance when ingested in humans.
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