DOI: 10.1089/acm.2009.0429

Health & Beauty from the Rainforest:
Malaysian Traditions of Ramuan
Gerard Bodeker, Editor-in-Chief
Kuala Lumpur: Didier Millet, 2009, 256 pages,
ISBN 978-981-4217-91-0, $29.50, hardcover.

While much has been written about the traditional medical systems of India, China, Tibet, and other areas of the world, this book presents the first major introduction to Malaysian traditional medicine, as practiced by the nation’s majority population, the Malays, as well as by the original inhabitants, the Orang Asli, and by its Indian and Chinese communities. Edited by Gerard Bodeker, a senior faculty member in public health at Oxford University, Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University, and Editor-in-Chief of the WHO Global Atlas on Traditional, Complementary, & Alternative Medicine, the book is the culmination of years of work by the Malaysian and international scholars, traditional healthcare practitioners, and scientists who contributed. It offers new insights into Malaysian medicine, balancing detailed medicinal methods and history with easy-to-understand explanations for the reader. This volume is accessible and compelling for the health practitioner, researcher and layperson alike. Health & Beauty from the Rainforest brings to the world the tradition of ramuan, the Malay word for a carefully selected blend of traditionally used plants and plant parts that are used and consumed to create a holistic approach in promoting good health, radiant beauty, and vigor. The term also reflects the region’s blend of cultures, bringing together the traditional knowledge of the Malays with knowledge from India, China, and the Arab world. As stated in the book’s introduction, ‘‘[i]n a broader context, the term ramuan encompasses the sense of ingredients blending together; it denotes a sense of ‘melting pot,’ of unity and integration as well as the sense of ‘many held together within unity.’ Ramuan reflects the way of diversity within unity—a very Malaysian way.’’ The book reflects this concept of a blend of plants and cultures, expertly transitioning between scientific details and cultural intricacies. Bodeker and this group of editors and contributors, including medical scientists, anthropologists, linguists, and health professionals, are able to introduce botanical research, environmental science, and clinical practice with scientific accuracy, while also weaving in concepts of culture, history, and spiritual practice. Remedies are referred to by their local, common, and scientific names, with a full botanical glossary (tota=120) in the back matter, and a number of plates give in-depth descriptions of the historical use and relevant clinical research of medicinal plants such as Aquilaria, Smilax myosotiflora DC, Artemisia annua, Solanum nigrum, and many more. Beginning with an overview of the principles of ramuan and the history of medicine in Malaysia, which also draws on Ayurveda, Unani, Chinese medicine, and indigenous practice, the first chapter creates a thorough understanding of the basis for this unique medicinal tradition. Next, the book explores Malay men’s and women’s health. A comprehensive yet accessible analysis of the Malay system is offered, with topics ranging from skin and hair care to vitality and libido-increasing traditional massage. Malays believe that inner health reflects outer beauty, so there are scores of practices and recipes ranging from complexion enhancing baths for prepubescent girls, to health care during pregnancy and early child-rearing, to tips for dealing with menopause and old age. This section of the book finishes with a chapter on the use of plants in the kitchen, including antioxidant-rich ulam and the use of ‘‘hot’’ and ‘‘cold’’ foods to mediate internal health. It is also visually rich, including hundreds of beautifully depicted scenes of Malaysian practitioners at work, traditional remedies and medicinal plants, and historical, cultural references. The book offers great detail on the health traditions and practices of the four main groups of residents of Malaysia: the Malays, the Orang Asli, Indians, and Chinese. Finally, the book has a significant section on the spa traditions of Malaysia. As with other Asian spas, the product leans toward the exotic: On the one hand, it is a modern source of wellness offering holistic healing and rejuvenation of the mind, body, and soul; on the other, it has roots in the country’s rich source of indigenous, Malay, Indian, and Chinese therapies. Many individual treatments are covered, from more well known therapies such as reflexology and acupuncture, to much lesser-known techniques such as urut melayu, a ‘‘deep tissue oil massage with long kneading strokes,’’ which works with blood flow to stimulate energy points, loosen muscles, and reduce aches, pains, and flatulence. The book closes with an essay looking forward to opportunities available from Malaysian traditional medicine for a global audience. American imports of Asian herbs now exceed 50% of all global raw herbal imports (p. 229), including mangosteen and Noni juice—both products of Malaysia. Malaysian-inspired spas and spa experts are emerging throughout London’s high-end neighborhoods and stores. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that the cyclopenta benzofuran flavaglines compound Silvestrol, which is based in a traditional Malaysian medicine, may reduce chemotherapy resistance and make tumors more susceptible to anticancer medicines.1,2 The complementary and clinical indications of Malaysian medicine are broad, and this volume introduces this system to the world for the first time. With this new addition to the growing set of literature on traditional medicine, Bodeker and his colleagues have given the world access into the little-known techniques of Malaysian medicine. By reporting on complex therapies in an easy-to-understand and beautiful book, they have made these ancient traditions accessible not only to medical professionals, researchers, and traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine users, but to readers of all backgrounds. Health & Beauty from the Rainforest is highly recommended to anyone interested in the traditional medical systems of Asia as a stunning pictorial, a first foray into this growing field, or as the centerpiece of a full library of literature on the topic

References
1. Bordeleau ME, Robert F, Gerard B, et al. Therapeutic suppression of translation initiation modulates chemosensitivity in a mouse lymphoma model. J Clin Invest 2008;118:2651–2660.
2. United Press International. Science News: Malaysian Medicine Cuts Chemo Resistance. July 1, 2008. www.upi.com/Science_News/2008/07/01/Malaysian-medicine-cuts-
    chemoresistance/UPI-26631214920256/

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