Bajakah, between the Dayak Myth and the Hope of Being Free from Cancer
Bajakah, a plant root from the peat forests of Kalimantan, is gaining popularity after being said to be able to prevent the growth of cancer.
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Kate Middleton's Cancer Announcement, Between Edited Photo Responses and Royal Family Transparency
The news of Kate Middleton (42), wife of the British Crown Prince Prince William, who admitted to having cancer spread very quickly. The world was in an uproar.
One of the treatments he is currently undergoing is chemotherapy. This treatment is not easy to undergo. The cost is also expensive.
In the midst of people talking about this, bajakah, the roots of a plant typical of peat soil, are sticking out again. Widely found in remote areas of Central Kalimantan, this root is said to have the potential to be a natural therapy for cancer.
In an official announcement made through a video, the Princess of Wales revealed that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. "These past few months have been very difficult for our entire family," Kate said in the video posted on Friday (22/3/2024).
Also read: Many Apologize to Kate
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Children with cancer play together after a discussion session between families of cancer patients and a number of cancer survivors at the International Cancer Centre building in Dr. Sardjito General Hospital, Sleman, DI Yogyakarta, on Monday (15/2/2016). In addition to commemorating World Children's Cancer Day, this event is also meant to foster the spirit of children with cancer to recover.
It was not easy for Kate to deliver the news. Cancer comes unexpectedly. Indiscriminately, this disease attacks anyone. If in the past it was often suffered by people over 50 years old, now many younger residents are exposed to cancer.
Research by Zhao J and team in the journal BMJ Oncology (2023) mentions this. Data from 204 countries found 3.26 million cases of early cancer in 2019, an increase of 79.1 percent compared to 1990. The number of deaths from cancer among young people increased by 27.7 percent. (Kompas, March 20 2024).
Internal medicine expert, Samsuridjal Djauzi, in the Health section published in Kompas, March 2 2024, explained that cancer is an important health problem. Its existence causes death and requires large funds for treatment.
One of the challenges, a cancer diagnosis often finds that the cancer is already in an advanced stage. Prevention and detection are often forgotten.
Also read: Many Doctors Still Carelessly Prescribe Antibiotics
Rising
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The bajakah wood, which went viral for being considered able to cure cancer, is sold freely in markets and on the roadside, Saturday (16/8/2019).
Lately, when talking about cancer mitigation, one of the emerging topics is the phenomenon of bajakah. Although not yet clinically tested, the popularity of bajakah is closely associated with alternative cancer treatment methods.
Bajakah (Liana sp) is a plant that hangs on large trees. This plant usually lives in the peat forests of Kalimantan. Peat forests with their ecosystems store huge water reserves that are of great benefit to human life and nature.
However, while protecting peatland has been going on for a long time, bajakah has only recently gained popularity since 2019. At that time, three students from SMAN 2 Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, won a gold medal in an international science competition by promoting the benefits of bajakah.
Health Minister Nila Farid Moeloek (leftmost) appreciates three students from SMAN 2 Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, for their research on the potential of bajakah as an anti-cancer drug. These students were invited by the Health Minister in Jakarta on Monday (26/8/2019). The three students are Yajid Rafli Akbar (second from left), Anggina Rafitri (third from left), and Aysa Aurealya Maharani (fourth from left).
The three of them are Yajid Rafli Akbar (16), Anggina Rafitri (17), and Aysa Aurealya Maharani (17) under the guidance of Helita, a Biology teacher at SMAN 2 Palangkaraya. They participated in the competition to prove the Dayak tribe's myth about bajakah.
On Monday (3/25/2024), Helita explained that some Dayak people in Kalteng have consumed bajakah either directly or processed. Hunters from the Dayak tribe use water from cut bajakah wrapped around large trees as a source of drinking water. Bajakah is believed to be able to cure various diseases, including cancer.
Nevertheless, according to Helita, as long as there is no research, it still remains a myth. She started conducting the research in her school with her students.
According to Helita, the process involves cutting the collected bajakah into small pieces and drying it. Once dried, it is turned into powder. The powder is then brewed with hot water and consumed without any additives.
Students administered a dose of bajakah to white rats suffering from tumors. After three months, it was discovered that the tumor lumps had disappeared. The powder and bajakah plants were sent to the laboratory at Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, to examine the active substance content.
The government welcomed it positively by continuing the research to clinical trials, which is the final stage of testing on humans. If that is complete, it can be ensured that the bajakah plant may become a cancer medication.
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(From left to right) Aysa Aurelya Maharani, Anggina Rafitri, and Yazid Rafli Akbar, students of SMAN 2 Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, are conducting research on the potential of the bajakah plant as a cancer medication.
There are six bioactive substances in bajakah, namely saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, tannins, and phenolics. According to Helita, the first three substances can strengthen the immune system and fend off free radicals.
"The government has responded positively to continuing the research into clinical trials, this is the final stage of testing on humans. "If all that is done, we can be sure that bajakah can become a cancer cure," said Helita. However, it is not certain when the research will be completed.
According to Helita, Bajakah is suitable for consumption by cancer patients who have not yet entered advanced stages. Bajakah is a useful natural or herbal therapy for the body and for overcoming cancer.
Interested
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Mama Ani, one of the traditional medicine sellers, shows the bajakah wood at Kahayan Market, Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, on Saturday (17/8/2019). This wood is believed to be able to cure cancer.
Although scientific research is not yet complete, Bajakah is still being hunted by many people. Mama Ani (30), a seller of Dayak herbal and traditional medicine in Palangkaraya, explained that there is a demand for Bajakah from several regions in Indonesia.
They sell it for IDR 100,000 per kilogram for 10-15 centimeter pieces. Ani confessed that there are always buyers for bajakah every week.
Andri (25), a small to medium-sized herbal product entrepreneur in Palangkaraya, is also taking advantage of the opportunity. He produces packaged bajakah products in tea sachets. So far, its popularity shows promise.
In a month, he sends out 5-6 packages of bajakah tea from Palangkaraya to the surrounding areas of Kota Palangkaraya. The price is Rp 40,000 per package or Rp 100,000 per kilogram for chopped bajakah.
The bajakah roots that have been produced in the form of ready-to-brew tea are ready to be consumed, on Sunday (28/3/2021). This product received the IBIX 2020 international award.
Of all the types of herbal medicine that he sells, bajakah is the most popular. Its enthusiasts openly claim that drinking bajakah tea can prevent cancer.
"BPOM has not allowed us to label bajakah as a cancer drug because clinical trials have not been completed, so we label it as a herbal medicine. However, without even labeling it, people already know that bajakah is a cancer drug," said Andri.
Until now, there has not been a single effective drug to kill cancer cells. Clinical trials on the benefits of bajakah are eagerly awaited to relieve the burden of cancer patients' lives.
Also read: Bajakah, Traditional Dayak Medicine, Again Achieves World Achievement
