Traditional medicine and medicinal plants of the Batak Karo: a review of ethnobotanical studies and research gaps

Authors

  • Endang Christine Purba
  • Jer-Ming Hu 1)Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec.4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan; and 2)National Taiwan University Herbarium, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec.4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan

Abstract

Background: The Batak Karo people of Indonesia have developed a rich body of traditional medicinal knowledge centered on the use of native plant species. While ethnobotanical research on this group has grown over the past decades, a comprehensive synthesis of past studies and their temporal patterns remain lacking. This review aims to compile and synthesize published studies on Batak Karo medicinal plant use, to analyze historical and contemporary data to reveal patterns and changes over time, and to identify research gaps and recommend directions for further investigation.

Methods: We reviewed ethnobotanical studies published between 1908-2025. A curated database of cited species was compiled based on botanical names, vernacular names, usage categories, and frequency of citation. Taxonomic verification followed standard global databases. The sources were grouped into three periods (1908-1940, 1950-1999, 2000-2025) and compared qualitatively in terms of species continuity, formulations, and research settings.

Results: We documented 576 species across 118 plant families and two fungal families. Zingiberaceae is the most cited family. The temporal comparison shows strong continuity in a limited set of culturally keystone species and core formulations, but also reveals increasing variability in recipes, simplification of preparations, and a shift from healer-centered to household-based practices in recent decades.

Conclusions: Batak Karo ethnomedicinal knowledge is both culturally rich and biomedically promising yet remains underexplored and institutionally marginal compared with the better-documented jamu. Future research should be applied to strengthen its position within Indonesia’s plural health system.

Keywords: Batak Karo; Traditional knowledge, Sumatra; Historical synthesis, Ethnomedicine

Author Biography

Jer-Ming Hu, 1)Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec.4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan; and 2)National Taiwan University Herbarium, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec.4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan

1Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec.4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan

2National Taiwan University Herbarium, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec.4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan

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Published

2025-12-21

How to Cite

Purba, E. C., & Hu, J.-M. (2025). Traditional medicine and medicinal plants of the Batak Karo: a review of ethnobotanical studies and research gaps . Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 32, 1–162. Retrieved from https://ethnobotanyjournal.org/index.php/era/article/view/7285

Issue

Vol. 32 (2025)

Section

Reviews

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