UNS – Maintaining immunity becomes an important thing in the midst of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Good body immunity will eliminate harmful bacteria and viruses, including the ones that cause COVID-19 that can infect our body.
Dian Eka Ermawati, S. Farm., M.Sc, Apt., a lecturer from Pharmacy Vocational Program, Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, said that immunity includes all physiological mechanism that helps human to recognize foreign substances, neutralize, set aside, or metabolize the foreign object without destroying its tissue. This was known as the immunologic response.
“According to modern opinion, this immunologic response has three functions. Namely defense, homeostasis, and surveillance,” she explains, Tuesday (5/5/2020).
She added that this defense covers the body immunity toward microorganism infection, homeostasis that includes annihilation of useless cells, and completing the general needs of a multicellular organism. Further, the surveillance function aims to monitor and recognize abnormal cells that grow in the human body.
A method that can be done is to consume herbal supplement. The lecture of the Vocational Program explains that herbal supplement can be obtained from medical or herbal plants, which is processed into instant herbal medicine. Considering that Indonesia has a diversity of herbal plants, this will be helpful and facilitate the public because the plants are available in their surrounding environment or in the traditional market.
Dian recommends a combination of three herbal plants, which can enhance body immunity and as the raw material for the instant herbal drink, namely Gotu kola (Centella asiatica), cinnamon, and turmeric (Curcuma longa).
Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) is a wild plant, which grows on the edge of a rice field, that contains the proxeronase enzyme. This enzyme will convert proxeronine to xeronine active substances, thus activating the active proteins that can produce antibodies.
Meanwhile, cinnamon contains active polyphenols and proanthocyanidins that have antioxidant effects and immunostimulant. Lastly, turmeric contains curcuminoids that are effective as antioxidants and antibacterial.
“The production process of this instant drink is easy and can be produced from home. Moreover, natural supplement is preventive and promotive in nature to support the maintenance of public health,” Dian explains.
The ingredients needed are 500gr of Gotu kola leaves, 150gr of cinnamon, 150gr of turmeric, and 250gr of palm sugar (brown sugar). Whilst the production process consists of 9 stages.
First, wash Gotu kola and turmeric with running water, then drain. Boil 1-liter water. While waiting for the water to boil, slice the washed and drained herbal ingredients. The turmeric rhizomes need to be sliced lengthwise with a thickness of 3 mm. After the water boiled, add the cinnamon and sliced turmeric rhizome and leave it for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes add Gotu kola and let it boiled for 15 minutes.
Remove and strain the solution from the stew. Then extract the solution over the skillet by indirect heating. Add the palm sugar little by a little while stirring the solution until the solution thickens and forms a dry powder. This immunity enhancer instant drink can be served by adding 150 cc of warm water for 3 teaspoons of the dry powder.
This instant drink recipe with 3 herbal plants from the lecturer of Pharmacy Vocational Program UNS, can be tried at home to increase body immunity in the midst of the COVID -19 pandemic. Aside from maintaining body immunity, there are other things that need to be done to fight the COVID-19 such as maintain cleanliness, implementing physical distancing, exercise, and consuming nutritious food. Humas UNS/Kaffa
