Redwoods plant (Caesalpinia sappan Linn)

Caesalpinia sappan better known in Indonesia as "Secang" or in English called "Sappanwood". This plant enjoys the open until an altitude of 1,000 m above sea level and grows well in mountainous areas that are not too cold. Caesalpia sappan grows wild and is sometimes planted as a fence or barrier plant garden. These plants include family Caesalpiniaceae shaped small tree, 5-10 m high, spiny trunk and branches bent and shaped many lies spread, stem round, brownish green color. Propagation by seed or stem cuttings.

Leaves Caesalpia sappan a double pinnate compound leaves, 25-40 cm long, 10-20 pairs of leaflets which lies opposite. Leaves the child is not stemmed, oval shaped, tip round, flat edge and almost parallel, 10-25 mm long, 3-11 mm wide, it's green. Panicle-shaped flowers are compound interest, emerging from the end of the shaft with a length of 10-40 cm, crown shape tube, the color yellow. The fruit pod, 8-10 cm long, 3-4 cm wide, beak-like tip contains 3-4 seeds, when ripe black. Seeds rounded elongate, length 15-18 mm, width 8-1 1 mm, 5-7 mm thick, brownish yellow. Timber harvesting can be done starting at the age of 1-2 years. The wood when boiled to produce a red color like ivory young, can be used for painting, gives color to the woven material, cakes, drinks or as ink.

Caesalpinia sappan is one of the plants used as herbal medicine, both as a single herb or herb mix with other medicinal plants. Indonesian people use this plant as a cure diarrhea, bruising, and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, even for most people in Central Java, the plant was featured as a traditional beverage ingredient passed down through generations. That said, the traditional drink which is believed as one of the favorite drinks is the King of Majapahit, residents are often used to increase stamina. While in China, because of Caesalpinia Sappan red, they argue there is a correlation with blood, so the plant is often used when there is bleeding and disruption at the time of menstruation.

Caesalpinia sappan contains a number of fenol pigment and one that had long been isolated is brazilin which is the main pigment. Other chemical compounds have been isolated are compounds which contain flavonoids, saponins, tannins, resins, and brazilein resorsin. The leaves of this plant contain flavonoids, sapanin, tannin, and a colorless volatile oil. The compounds contained in extracts of Caesalpinia sappan can reduce cholesterol absorption and increase excretion, so as to reduce the cholesterol that enters the body. In vitro, the wood of these plants contain compounds that have the potential as an antioxidant and can prevent and reduce free radicals.