Temu hitam herbaceous plants that can be annual old, has green stems, which is apparent because the stem is formed from a collection of the leaf midrib. Higher plants can reach 2 meters. Leaves dark green to dark purplish brown. Lanceolate leaf shape widens and has a thin strand of leaves with visible leaf veins.
If this plant is old, will grow flowers from the side pseudo stem. The color red flower crown, while the flowers are white, yellowish and some are colored red. Rhizome branched out a lot. Shaped rhizome slender, slightly curved edges with a diameter of 1-4 cm. Rhizome large and branched and shiny yellow with red rhizome tip. While the flesh-colored rhizome dark blue and temu hitam issued a distinctive aroma.
Chemical constituents contained in the rhizome of this herb is a plant essential oil, a substance starch, resin, tannins, and a blue dye. Temu hitam is used for traditional medicinal and alternative food cassava or corn. Other efficacy of temu hitam was among others to treat skin diseases, increase appetite, treat eczema, blood booster for new mothers, and others.
To treat skin diseases (eg scabies, rash, and ulcers), the roots of this herb plant crushed and then mixed with coconut oil. Pasta is affixed to the body of the sick. In order to more quickly recover should drink boiled water rhizome of temu hitam. How to make this stew is the rhizome of temu hitam plus rhizome ginger (about the size of the index finger) was boiled with a glass of water until boiling. After a cold boiled water is filtered and drunk.
