HONEY COMB STRUCTURE: Close-up of sections of the tuber.
ENORMOUS TUBER: Ant’s nest herbal plant sourced from the jungles of Indonesia.
PRECIOUS PLANT: Abie and her ant’s nest herbal plant that can fetch a handsome price.
CURATIVE: Fresh slices of tuber for sale.
KUCHING: The jungles of Sarawak have yielded a herbal plant with an enormous honeycomb-structured tuber — not unlike an ant’s nest — is being touted for its ability to cure ailments and rejuvenate health.
Abie Ujang from Kubau, Pantu in Sri Aman is selling it to supplement her income in Lachau Town, about half an hour’s drive from Sri Aman town.
She told The Borneo Post that she has used this plant in the last 10 years to boost her health and energy.
“I don’t have good health but since taking ant’s nest herb, I feel better and it seems to boost my energy level.
Abie said the herb, sought by womenfolk in rural areas, is a natural health supplement found growing in the wild.
The plant is found growing on the tops of tree branches so is not easy to spot from the ground. Ants make its tuber their habitat and their saliva is believed to contain chemicals that have curative properties.
For instance, it can help prevent or cure certain cancers.
“If taken early, it can help prevent such illnesses, boosting health in a natural way,” Abie claimed.
According to her, lately there has been a sudden surge in demand for the nest-like tuber to treat disorders including to control the blood sugar level of diabetics, reduce blood pressure in the hypertensive and rejuvenate tired bodies.
The tuber is sliced, rinsed with water and boiled in a pot of water for 30 to 40 minutes.
Five slices of the tuber require about three litres of water and it has to be consumed in three days.
“The tuber will no longer be fresh after three days,” she explained.
Abie said the tuber can be consumed fresh or dried for future consumption.
“It is up to the individual on how to consume it,” she added.
Slices of tuber are sold at RM5 per plate while the whole plant inclusive of tuber costs RM50 to RM100 each, depending on size.
Abie said demand for the herbal tuber has risen lately so they get their supply from neighbouring Indonesia. The tuber from Indonesia differs slightly in texture and the skin is not thorny.