Uncaria gambir, the gambier or gambir, is a species of plant in the genus Uncaria found in Southeast Asia, mainly Malaysia and Indonesia.

Extract

Main article: Gambier (extract)

Gambier extract is used or has been used as a catechu for chewing with areca and betel, for tanning and dyeing, and as herbal medicine. Gambier extract was also used by native people as a medical treatment or prevention of diseases that were believed to be spread by the now obsolete medical theory of miasma.

The Indians invented paan, a gambir paste, that was believed to help prevent miasma; it was considered as the first antimiasmatic application. The gambir tree is found in Southern India and Sri Lanka.[2]

References

  1. ^ "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  2. ^ "Miasma Analysis" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  • Data related to Uncaria gambir at Wikispecies
  • Media related to Uncaria gambir at Wikimedia Commons