Usage of Fruits and Leaves as Natural Cleanser in Malay Traditional Medicine

Traditional Malay society uses fruits and leaves as food and medicine. From the perspective of tradisional Malay medicine, these natural ingredients are used as therapy, detox and recovery of the patient's body from two categories of diseases: physical and spiritual. However, today's generation does not know much about the function of these natural ingredients, especially from the perspective of traditional Malay medicine. Therefore, the study aimed to explain the function and use of local fruits and leaves in the world of traditional Malay medicine. This study is qualitative, using library and field research methods. Library data forms the background of the study from previous related studies. Field research data was obtained through focused interviews, observation and self-involvement as a nurse. The study data was transliterated, screened and interpreted according to close reading and content analysis. The concept of Malay medicine based on herbs is fully applied in the analysis in addition to the other three elements of Malay healing, such as massage, cupping and spells where applicable. The study results explain two categories of natural detergents: local leaves and fruits can be divided into two main functions. The primary function is to clean from physical (external) diseases such as shingles, itching, salt hunger and boils. The second function is to clean from spiritual (internal) impurities such as being possessed by influences, jinn or magic. The way these ingredients are used is based on the disease experienced, such as being used by eating, drinking, bathing, and being applied to the sick place.