MEDICINAL PLANTS OF KALIMANTAN FOREST : A REVIEW

Kalimantan is an island blessed with tropical rainforest which is rich of medicinal plants species. Utilization of medicinal plants by local people are various. In certain areas, particularly hinterland area, medicinal plants were still used by most of the people. However, in certain areas, with the active and vigorous introduction of modern health treatment, modern medicine is slowly taking over the place of traditional herbal medicine. Survey and inventory of medicinal plants in 3 national parks in Kalimantan , reported the findings of species richness of medicinal plants in Betung Karihun National Park, West Kalimantan (41 species), Kutai National Parks, East Kalimantan (220 species) and Kayan Mentarang National Park, East Kalimantan (55 species). In the study of plant diversity and utilization of rattan gardens in West Kutai District, East Kalimantan, it was found that in 6 ha rattan gardens, there are 146 species of medicinal plants exist. Preliminary results of current medicinal plants research which were carried out in several sites in Kalimantan on different topics of research by some group of researchers will be reported. The development of traditional medicine and the trend of “ going back to nature”, causes increasing research on traditional medicinal plants as alternative medicine. Scientific forum activities, included seminars, workshops, talk shows and discussion about utilization, research and development of the increase of the use of medicinal plants indicated that medicinal plants and their derivated products from nature are known and needed by the public.