Jamu Cekok Components for Treating Children Have No Appetite: An Ethnomedicine Approach

Abstract

Jamu is used in an effort to treat patiens with a traditional herbal medicine, which is well known among the community. The jamu is widely used for trating light health problems, preventing illness, increasing the endurance and the health of the body, besides for cosmetic reasons. Jamu cekok is a kind of jamu used in Yogyakarta, especially for children , given by forcing the mixture into the throat if children have no appetite. The aims of the article are to know the components of jamu cekok and also to know the jamu cekok use toward improving child health. The research took 5 Javanese families as informants. Additional informants is jamu cekok traditional shop and traditional herbalist. Data were obtained by interviews and observation during February to June 2003. Analysis data was descriptive using medical anthropology approach. The essential components of jamu cekok, called empon-empon are curcuma xanthorriza Robx (temulawak), Zingiber Americans l. (lempuyang emprit), Tinospora tuberculata Beume (brotowali), Curcuma aeruginaosa Robx (temu ireng) and Carica papaya L. (papaya). The main aims to drink jamu cekok is to increase the appetive of the children because parents worried about the children growth and development. The children were threatened that they will be forced to drink jamu, if they did not want to consume food. The belief and suggestion factors of jamu cekok having special characteristics cause consumers become satisfied after giving jamu cekok to their children. Beside that, traditional medicine using natural ingredients regarded more secure and the price can be reached by common society. Drinking jamu cekok indicated that there is trend back to nature, which had possessed by their anchestor.

Keywords

• children under five years old
• belief
• suggestion