A cuppa a day could keep diabetes at bay
Story and photo by CHRISTINA KOH
The Star, 7 June 2003
Five years ago, retired businessman Freddy Tan developed diabetes after undergoing surgery for cancer of the larynx.
It was then that a Malay friend introduced Tan, 62, to the misai kucing tea, saying that it was good for those with diabetes, gout and high blood pressure.
Tan was however sceptical.
"When I was diagnosed with cancer, many people suggested that I take herbs and traditional Chinese Medicine."
Although unconvinced, he tried the tea, and to his surprise, found his insulin levels dropping just days of drinking it and a change in his eating habits.
To convince himself, he started researching the properties of the plant and subjecting it to tests.
And when his friends reported feeling better after a few weeks of drinking the tea, he was sure of what he wanted to do.
Besides drinking the tea daily, he makes soups with spices and the herb.
He said misai kucing would not dehydrate the body although it was a diuretic.
"I'm not claiming that the tea can cure diabetes. This is nonsense. The message I'm trying to deliver is that, from my personal experience, misai kucing does clean our body of toxins and help stabilise a diabetic's sugar levels", he said.
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1. What is java tea / misai kuching / kumis kucing / orthosiphon?
ReplyDeleteJava Tea ( locally known as Misai Kuching or Kumis Kucing) is a medicinal plant, native in South East Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand...) and some part of Tropical Australia. It is a herbaceous shrub which grows to a height of 1.5 meter.It has been cultivated for a long time and is a popular garden for it's elegant and unique flower, white and bluish in color with far-exerted filaments that looks like cat's whiskers. In the wild, the plant can be seen growing along the forest edges, roadsides and wasteland.
2. What are other common names for java tea / misai kucing / orthosiphon?
Common names for this pant are Misai Kuching (Malaysia), Kumis Kucing and Remujung (Indonesia), Java Tea and Kidney Tea (European), Yaa Nuat Maeo (Thailand).
Scientific Names are Orthosiphon Stamineus Benth, Ocimum Aristatum BI., Orthosiphon Aristatus (Blume).
Plant family: Lamiaceae, Labiatae
3. What are the medicinal virtues of java tea / misai kuching / orthosiphon?
This plant is best used for treating the ailments or problems of kidney and bladder due to it's mild diuretic action. It is believed to have antiallergenic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties.It is used as a remedy for kidney stone and nephretis. It is also used for treating gout, diabetes, hypertension and rheumatism. It is also reported to possess antifungal and it exhibits considerable antibacterial activity.
4. Is there any research/clinical test done on java tea / misai kuching / orthosiphon?
Java tea or misai kuching began to interest researchers as early as the beginning of the 20th century when this plant was introduced to europe where it became a popular herbal health tea.