Tongkat Ali

(Eurycome longifolia)

Eurycoma longifolia (a.k.a. Tongkat Ali or Pasak Bumi) is a flowering plant in the family Simaroubaceae, native to Indonesia and Malaysia.

Eurycoma longifolia has become popular for its alleged testosterone-enhancing properties. It has therefore been included in some herbal supplements for bodybuilders.

Some scientific studies suggest that it enhances sexual characteristics and performance in animals. However, more research is needed.
In other studies, fractions of Eurycoma longifolia extract have been shown to induce apoptosis in breast-cancer cells and to be cytotoxic to lung-cancer cells.
A 2003 study by researchers in the Department of Exercise Physiology at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, the abstract of which was presented in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in a section listing research to be presented at an upcoming conference, reported results that Eurycoma longifolia caused increased muscle strength and size when compared to a placebo.

Tongkat ali is one of the most widely used herbal medication in Southeast Asia, primarily because of its power to enhance libido and sexual function.
Moreover, this plant is used as a folk remedy for malaria, migraine, and arthritis too. Such folk applications have so far not been scientifically validated, though.





Sources:
"Eurycoma longifolia information from NPGS/GRIN". www.ars-grin.gov. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?417514. Retrieved 2008-03-14.






















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