Butterfly Pea Flowers Are Rich in Medicinal Benefits

Butterfly Pea Flowers Are Rich in Medicinal Benefits

Indonesia is known as an archipelagic country rich in natural resources. Its geographical and climatic diversity makes Indonesia have many types of plants, animals, and other natural resources. This biodiversity is a great economic potential and also has cultural value and benefits in the field of traditional health.

One example of a medicinal plant that has been used for generations is the butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea). This plant is known as kembang pea in Java. Other names include blue flower or butterfly pea flower. This plant has attractive blue or purple flowers and usually grows as vines. The medicinal properties of this butterfly pea flower are because it has potential antioxidant and antimicrobial activities such as antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antidiabetic, and anticancer.

Butterfly pea flowers have a number of traditional benefits, especially in the health sector. Some of the benefits of butterfly pea flowers are:

1. Facilitates urination. The method is to boil 0.3 grams of dried butterfly pea flowers with 4 glasses of water until the water is reduced by half. Drink this decoction twice a day as much as 1 glass.

2. Detoxifier, as an agent for cleansing the body from toxins. Brew 2-3 butterfly pea flowers with hot water, let stand for approximately 10 minutes, then can be drunk directly or added with honey or lemon juice.

3. Facilitate menstruation, by using boiled white telang flower roots regularly to help facilitate menstruation (menstruation).

4. Medicine for skin diseases/boils. Crush the blue pea flower with brown sugar, then apply it to the affected skin regularly until healed. To treat acne, blend the flowers, leaves, and roots of the blue pea flower and apply it to the acne.

5. Eye cleanser and medicine. Mix five blue pea flowers with 50 milliliters of water, strain, and let it cool. Use the strained water to drip into the eyes. This helps clean the eyes and treat sore eyes.

6. Blacken and strengthen hair. Crush the blue pea flower and use it as an alternative shampoo to blacken and strengthen hair.

7. Treat earaches. Apply the juice from several strands of blue pea leaves mixed with a little salt to the part of the ear that hurts. Do this regularly to help relieve earaches.

8. Bronchitis Medicine. Boil about 30-60 grams of butterfly pea flower roots with 4 glasses of water until the water is reduced by half. Consume the boiled water cold in the morning and evening, 1 glass each time to help overcome bronchitis.

9. Improve memory/brain system. Make butterfly pea flower tea by boiling 15 butterfly pea flower petals and 5 stalks of lemongrass in one liter of water until boiling. After the water is blue and the aroma of lemongrass is smelled, turn off the stove, strain, and pour into a teapot. Butterfly pea tea is ready to drink.

The benefits of butterfly pea flowers have been believed to be efficacious and are commonly used in traditional medicine by the community for generations as a legacy from their ancestors. However, wise use is needed in long-term treatment and consultation with a health expert is still needed as a form of caution. (DA'23)

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