Rat Taro

The crowd knew taro as the taro corm could be one ingredient for the food. Types vary. In Papua, taro became staples. However, different mouse taro longer than usual. Taro mice is material for the drug used traditional material. Rat taro (Typhonium flagiliforme) began more and more known as a material for the breast cancer drug eradicator. Taro called rats because of its size smaller than usual taro. This chronic terna high measuring 10 to 45 centimeters. The more similar an animal is a mouse-colored crown of white flowers, small long-shaped, like a rat tail.

Wet trunked plants to grow in the open at an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level. Single leaf arising from tubers. Premises round leaves form n heart-shaped pointed tip. Fresh green color. These mice taro tuber rounded average of nutmeg. The inside and outside the white bulbs. For breeding, can use the tubers or seedlings grown from these tubers. In the dry season, the trunk disappeared. Whereas in the rainy season, this plant reappeared on the surface of the tubers are buried in the ground.

According to many Potopoy Pasau using mice taro as traditional medicine, this plant is leafless in the summer it is today. Because of that, he found it difficult to find. He claimed, for traditional medicine, he did not own breeding, but looking at the places where it grows taro mice. Taro rat used for the treatment of cancer, especially breast cancer.
The part used is the entire plant, both leaves, up to the tuber. Everything is crushed and added a little water. The water extract was taken her routine,''said Patopoy. These plants were warm, acidic, and toxic. Taro rat efficacious as anti-inflammatory, and can freeze the blood or reduce bleeding.

Because of toxicity, rat taro can cause itching in the throat, mouth, and skin. To overcome these poisons, need special treatment such as washing in running water. In addition, can also add honey to relieve itching in the mouth. Taro that has a name laoshu yu (Chinesse) it was already widely used and made in patent medicine. The drug was formed in the tablets. Except for serious illness, consult a doctor is recommended. For external use only, all rats taro plant material mixed with some others, crushed and placed on the affected part. Meanwhile, for use in, as much as 50 grams of rat dams taro blended ingredients, plus boiled water, filtered and drunk.

Some diseases can be overcome by external treatment with taro mice. For instance, first aid for snake bites or centipedes, dermatitis (Pyoderma), ulcers (furunculus), tumors derived from blood vessels (hemangioma), wounds, ulcers, ulceration, and yaws (frambusia). Disease that can be overcome through the use of breast cancer among others. For this disease, is used throughout the taro plant mice, crushed and added 40 cc of boiled water, then filtered. Honey can be added to it. Let stand for 30 minutes before eating. Solution was taken three times daily routine. However, for people with stomach disorders, this solution is taken after meals.  

Source: Republika Online, Tuesday, August 12, 2003.