From Organic Herb Kampong to Herbal-Informatics Workshop

Indonesia was known to be rich in herbal plants. There were around 15,000 herbal plants which could grow in Indonesia. However, not many people which could easily get the information about herbs and herbal plants completely. Currently, the Biopharmaca Research Center of IPB was developing the herb database and the herbal plants based on the Information technology for strengthening the role of herbs in Indonesia, thus said by the Head of Biopharmaca Research Center of IPB, Prof. Latifah K. Darusman. The program of Herbal-Informatics Workshop titled “Menggali Pengetahuan dari Database Jamu Menggunakan Teknik Bioinformatika” was held at IPB International Convention Center, (1/10).
 
Furthermore, Prof. Latifah conveyed that the Herbal-Informatics or this herbal database was developed by the Biopharmaca Research Center cooperated with the NAIST Japan, the database details amounted of around 5,310 herbs, 797 producers and 654 plants or 1,133 herbals. Herbs data provided were the data which had been registered at BPOM. Aside from the database of various herbs existed in Indonesia, in the Herbal-Informatics it would also be shown the reference of research results toward the herbs listed in the database.
 
One of the workshop’s participants, Wawan from Organic Herb Kampong, Cikarang, Bekasi, conveyed the manufacture of this herbal database or Herbal-Informatics would be very useful if applied in his company. Currently there were around 300 types of herbal plants which were developed in his company which were also recorded at BPOM. Although Wawan admitted that his company was active in the cultivation, but the Herbal-Informatics was important to be implemented. This workshop presented the resource person from the NAIST Japan, Dr. Shigehiko Kanaya and was attended by various circles from academics, institutes and entrepreneurs. (dh)