The Crown of Gods

Mahkota Dewa, or Phaleria macrocarpa Scheff. Boerl. originates from Papua Island, Indonesia. Mahkota Dewa, which translated in English as The Crown of Gods, is widely used by many Indonesian people for the treatment of cancer, although scientific evidence at the time was not yet being enforced.

In Papua Island, Mahkota Dewa thrives in fertile soil at an altitude of 10 to 1200 m asl. These shrubs grow upright with 1 to 2.5 m tall. Round trunk, coarse surface, brown, woody and gummy.

Having single leaf which is located opposite, and short stemmed. Mahkota Dewa blossoms throughout the year, lying scattered in stem, having tube shape, small, white, and smells fragrant.

The fruits are round, 3-5 cm in diameter, smooth, grooved, green color when young and red color when ripe. The pulp is white, fibrous, and watery.

The Medicinal Use

The fruit of Mahkota Dewa has anticancer agents, while its seeds are poisonous. The bioactivity of Mahkota Dewa fruit extracts using BSLT method, followed by the screening test of anticancer in vitro against leukemia cells 1210, had shown high toxicity and very potential for cancer treatment.

The leaf of Mahkota Dewa was also studied. The result was a compound which is known as Phalerin. The most potential effects of Phalerin is as immunostimulants. According to the study, the best use of water extract of Mahkota Dewa leaves as immunostimulants is four times a day (every six hours), to obtain the maximum therapeutic effect.

The different parts of Mahkota Dewa fruit, which were also evaluated, indicates to be a source of bioactive compounds, potential as an antioxidant, anti inflammatory and cytotoxic agents.

Mahkota Dewa supplementation has a synergic effect to adriamycin treatment in reducing the tumor growth, by increasing apoptosis, and protects the liver and kidney from damage caused by adriamycin.

Personal Experience

My mom and I once tried a capsule form of Mahkota Dewa fruit, which was packed by small factory in Central Java. Each pack consists two pieces of capsule for a daily use. But, my mom gave me a capsule and the other for herself. We both drank a capsule everyday.

Three days later, My mom and I found our faces very thick, or in medicinal term as the moon face effect. My mom's weight and also mine, were raised until five Kgs after drinking three capsules for three days. Having the moon face effect, my mom and I stopped on drinking the capsule.

At first, we both were intended to use the Mahkota Dewa in capsule form as stamina booster, and not to cure any diseases. Indeed, our stamina were increased, but, at the same time, it effected to our eating habits.

The Toxicity of Mahkota Dewa

The use Mahkota Dewa as medicinal plant should be based on the principle of benefit and safety. Though it has beneficial for healing disease, but it is not safe, because of its toxicity. You should think about the possibility of acute or chronic poisoning which may occur.

The seeds of Mahkota Dewa are poisonous, while the fresh fruit, when is eaten immediately, could causes swelling in the mouth, mouth ulcer, drunk, seizures, fainting.The use of excessive doses in a long time can cause side effects, such as chronic headaches. And also, pregnant women are prohibited from taking these herbs.

References:

Mahkota Dewa
Tanaman Obat Indonesia
Sentra Informasi IPTEK (archive)

Penggunaan Daun Mahkota Dewa (Phaleria macrocarpa Scheff. Boerl.) Sebagai Imunostimulan Dalam Upaya Menjaga Kesehatan Tubuh
Prof.Dr. Subagus Wahyuono Apt. (archive)

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxicity of Phaleria macrocarpa (Boerl.) Scheff Fruit.
Hendra R, et al. 2011

Effect of phaleria macrocarpa supplementation on apoptosis and tumor growth of C3H mice with breast cancer under treatment with adriamycin-cyclophosphamide.
Riwanto I, et al. 2011