Sirih Merah: Sembuh Bukan Sekadar Impian

Anda tengah mencari penghias teras sekaligus obat serbaguna? Sirih merah layak dipertimbangkan. Di balik sosoknya yang cantik, anggota famili Piperaceae itu manjur mengatasi beragam penyakit.

Pada 1990-an sirih merah difungsikan sebagai tanaman hias oleh para hobiis. Maklum penampilannya memang aduhai. Permukaan daun merah keperakan dan mengkilap saat cahaya menerpa. Baru 2 tahun terakhir Piper crocatum itu ramai dimanfaatkan sebagai tanaman obat.

Secara empiris kerabat lada itu tokcer mengatasi diabetes mellitus, kanker payudara, maag akut, batu ginjal, ambeien, serangan jantung, dan stroke. Menurut Bambang Sudewo, herbalis di Yogyakarta, sirih merah juga dapat mencegah beragam penyakit.

Supaya kesembuhan yang diharapkan cepat datang, pemilihan daun sebagai bahan baku amat penting. Tanaman siap panen minimal berumur 4 bulan. Saat itu sirih merah terdiri atas 16�??20 daun. Pada saat itu daun sudah relatif lebar, dengan panjang 15�??20 cm. Daun siap petik harus berumur 1 bulan, bersih, dan warna mengkilap. Daun yang dipetik berumur sedang, tidak terlalu tua atau muda, karena kadar zat aktifnya tinggi.

Daun yang subur berukuran 10 cm dan 5 cm. Bila dipegang, daun terasa tebal dan kaku (tidak lemas). �??Semakin tua warna daun, semakin tebal. Semakin tebal daun, semakin kaku,�?� kata Soekardi�??pengelola kebun pembibitan tanaman obat di Bogor. Aroma daun tajam dan rasanya pahit. Dalam sepekan panen sekali, tapi bila tanaman rimbun panen setiap hari juga memungkinkan. Hindari memetik daun yang terkena cipratan tanah, terutama pada waktu musim hujan.

Pemetikan dimulai dari tanaman bagian bawah menuju atas. �??Daun dipetik sekitar 60 cm dari permukaan tanah , dengan tujuan meminimalkan bila ada kotoran atau debu yang menempel,�?� ujar Bambang Sudewo. Bila daun dipetik sekitar 10 cm dari permukaan tanah, kotoran terlalu banyak sehingga kurang layak panen. �??Semakin sering daun dipanen, semakin cepat tunas tumbuh,�?� lanjutnya.

Pemetikan sebaiknya pada pagi hingga pukul 11.00. Bila dipetik pada sore hari, menghambat proses pengeringan. Pemetikan dengan pisau tajam dan steril.

Pascapanen
Selesai dipetik, daun disortir dengan standar mutu : daun bersih, segar, tebal, dan mengkilap. Daun kotor, cacat, dan kusam dibuang. Daun direndam dalam air selama 15�??30 menit untuk membersihkan kotoran dan debu yang menempel. Kemudian dibilas hingga bersih, dan ditiriskan.

Langkah berikutnya daun dirajang dengan alat yang bersih, steril, dan tajam. Lebar irisan sekitar 1 cm, langsung dikeringanginkan di atas tampah beralas kertas selama 1 jam. Rajangan yang telah kering 60% ditutup dengan kain hitam transparan untuk menghindari debu, serangga, atau kemungkinan terbang karena tertiup angin.

Setelah kering, daun dimasukkan ke kantong plastik tebal transparan. Bila perlu berikan silica gel untuk menyerap kadar air. Tutup rapat kantong, beri label, dan tanggal kering. Kemudian simpan di tempat bersih, tidak lembap, dan mudah dijangkau, misalnya stoples kaca. Dengan cara ini kualitas sirih merah tetap terjaga hingga setahun. Ketika hendak mengkonsumsi, ambil rajangan kering sirih merah 3�??4 lembar, dan rebus hingga mendidih. Minumlah setelah rebusan dingin dan melalui penyaringan. (Martina Kurniawati)

Sumber: trubus-online.com

This article was translated by Google Translator. Thank you Google.

Red betel: Heal Not Just Dreams

You are looking for a versatile trimmer terrace as well as drugs? Red betel worth considering. Behind a beautiful figure, member of the family Piperaceae it worked to overcome a variety of diseases.

In the 1990s the red betel functioned as an ornamental plant by a member. Understandably his performance was fantastic. Red leaf surfaces silvery and shiny when light strikes. New Piper crocatum last 2 years were crowded utilized as a medicinal plant.

Empirically it is effective in overcoming pepper relatives of diabetes mellitus, breast cancer, acute ulcer, kidney stones, hemorrhoids, heart attack, and stroke. According to Bambang Sudewo, herbalist in Yogyakarta, red betel also can prevent various diseases.

In order for the expected rapid recovery comes, the leaves as raw material selection is very important. Plants are harvested at least 4 months old. It was red betel consists of 16?? 20 leaves. At that time the leaves are relatively wide, with a length of 15?? 20 cm. Leaves should be ready to pick a month old, clean, and shiny colors. Mature leaves are plucked, not too old or younger, because high levels of active chemicals.

Fertile leaves measuring 10 cm and 5 cm. When held, the leaves were thick and stiff (not limp). ?? The older the leaf color, the more thick. The thicker the leaf, the more rigid,? Said Soekardi?? Manager of a nursery of medicinal plants in Bogor. The smell of crisp leaves and a bitter taste. Within a week of harvest at all, but when lush plants harvested every day is also possible. Avoid picking leaves the soil exposed to splashing, especially during the rainy season.

Harvesting starts from the bottom toward the top of plants. ?? Leaves are picked about 60 cm from the ground, with the aim of minimizing if there is dirt or dust,? Said Bambang Sudewo. When the leaves are picked about 10 cm from the ground, dirt too much making it less feasible to harvest. ?? The more often the leaves are harvested, the more rapidly growing shoots,? Continued.

Harvesting should be in the morning until 11:00 am. If picked in the afternoon, inhibit the drying process. Picking with a sharp knife and sterile.

Postharvest
Finish picked, the leaves are sorted by quality standards: leaf clean, fresh, thick, and shiny. Leaves dirty, disability, and dull discarded. Leaves soaked in water for 15?? 30 minutes to clean the dirt and dust. Then rinsed thoroughly, and drained.

The next step leaves chopped by means of a clean, sterile, and sharp. Slices about 1 cm in width, immediately dried on paper lined Tampah for 1 hour. Sliced which has dried 60% covered with a transparent black cloth to avoid dust, insects, or the possibility of flying by the wind.

After drying, the leaves inserted into a thick transparent plastic bag. If necessary give the silica gel to absorb moisture. Close the bag tightly, label and date dry. Then store it in a clean, damp, and easily accessible, such as glass jars. In this way the quality of red betel stay awake until a year. When it comes to eating, take the chopped dried red betel 3?? 4 pieces, and boil until boiling. Drink cold after boiling and filtering through. (Martina Kurniawati)

Sources: Poster-online.com