Traditional herbal 'jamu' needs scientific proof

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian traditional herbal medicines, known as jamu, need to have empirically-proven curative elements to be scientifically proven and in order to compete in the world market, officials and manufacturers said at a seminar Friday.

The scientific proof is necessary to assure people of the herbal medicine's quality, according to Health Minister Sujudi in a written speech delivered Friday by Director General for Medicine and Food Supervision Wisnu Katim at a two-day seminar on alternative medicine.

Sujudi said that in 1981 the government set up centers for the development and application of traditional medicine in Jakarta, West Java, East Java, Yogyakarta, South Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, South Sumatra and Bali.

The centers' task is to study scientifically the herbal medicines made by various manufacturers and either endorse or invalidate the companies' claims of healing elements.

But the Indonesian Consumers Foundation's Zoemrotin K.S. said the centers were not working well.

The two-day seminar also featured an exhibition of jamu made by big and small manufacturers and traditional vendors.

Azis Kongsjahsju, a manager at large jamu maker PT Martina Berto, said a lack of scientific proof or studies hampered the medicine's trade in the world market.

Consumers from countries like Malaysia, Thailand, the United States and Japan always asked for lists of ingredients, and an explanation of their healing properties as supported by scientific study.

The number of big jamu makers rose from 40 in 1995 to 66 in 1996, while the small manufacturers grew from 507 in 1995 to 517 the next year.

The export value of jamu increased from Rp 20.4 billion (US$7 million) in 1995 to Rp 29.5 billion in 1996.

In addition, there are about 50,000 traditional jamu vendors in Indonesia, about 5,000 of which operate in Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi.

Hartarti Soekarto, the head of jamu preservation at the Association of Indonesian Jamu and Traditional Medicine Manufacturers, said poor hygiene was one reason Indonesian jamu was not a successful export commodity.

But the Directorate General of Medicines and Food Supervision, has launched a training program to teach traditional jamu vendors how to make their product hygienically. (09)