Don't Throw Away! Utilize Breadfruit Leaves to Help Lower Uric Acid and Cholesterol

Kapanlagi.com - Sukun is a tropical plant that produces soft-fleshed fruit without seeds. Among the European community, this fruit is often known as breadfruit. In addition to being frequently processed into delicious fried snacks, sukun leaves also have various health benefits, including in the treatment of diseases such as reducing uric acid and cholesterol levels.

The health benefits of sukun leaves come from various compounds contained in them. Sukun leaves contain polyphenols, hydroxycinnamic acid, quercetin, and artoindosinon, hydroxycinnamate, potassium, acetylcholine, tannins, riboflavin, and phenols, along with several other compounds.

Sukun leaves contain a group of flavonoid derivative compounds, such as orthoindonesinon and quercetin, which function as antioxidants. Generally, these compounds become active components in various types of drugs.

Let's find out more information, quoted from various sources on Tuesday (09/01/2024).

1. Treating Heart Disease

Illustration of a Woman Affected by Heart Disease. Source: Freepik

Research conducted by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in collaboration with several expert researchers shows that breadfruit leaf extract contains flavonoids and sitosterols, providing positive benefits for heart health and blood vessels.

Dr. Tjandrawati M. Ozef from LIPI stated that the testing of the efficacy of breadfruit leaf extract, both in vitro and in vivo, yielded very encouraging results.

It is recommended to use mature breadfruit leaves, as their content reaches optimal levels for treating heart disease. The breadfruit leaves need to be thoroughly washed and then dried in the sun. After that, boil the breadfruit leaves with five glasses of water until the volume of water reduces by half. This concoction is then strained and consumed while warm without leaving any sediment.

2. Preventing Inflammation and Infection

Illustration of Inflammation (Source: alodokter.com)

Jackfruit leaves are also beneficial in preventing inflammation and infection with the following steps: prepare one old jackfruit leaf, then wash it thoroughly, and boil it using five glasses of water.

After reaching boiling point, let it simmer until the boiled water reduces by half. Strain the liquid from the jackfruit leaf and consume it directly. It is recommended to consume it regularly to benefit from its health properties.

3. Lowering Blood Sugar Levels

Blood Sugar Examination Illustration (Source: alodokter.com)

Jackfruit plants are known to have the ability to lower blood sugar levels through insulin influence. A study conducted by Puspa DN Lotulung, Sofa Fajriah, Andini Sundowo, and Euis Filaila at the LIPI Chemistry Research Center found that the compound 8-geranyl-4,5,7-trihydroxyflavone isolated from jackfruit leaves is effective as an anti-diabetic agent.

An article in the Medula Journal (2017) of the Faculty of Medicine Unila stated that the extract from jackfruit leaves has antidiabetic and anti-hyperglycemic effects, showing its benefits in maintaining normal blood sugar levels according to established standards.

4. Lower Uric Acid

Illustration of Uric Acid Disease in the Foot Credit: unsplash.com/Kris

The benefits of flavonoids contained in breadfruit leaves can be found in their ability to reduce uric acid levels by inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity, an enzyme that plays a role in the process of converting purines into uric acid.

The steps involve taking dried breadfruit leaves and soaking them in boiling water. To enhance the taste of the breadfruit leaf infusion, honey or rock sugar can be added to overcome the bitterness that may arise from the sap of the breadfruit leaves.

5. Lower Cholesterol

illustration of a sick woman / copyright freepik.com / Jcomp

According to information from Kompas.com, the LIPI Chemistry Research Center states that breadfruit leaves have benefits as a cholesterol-lowering agent, which was discovered through experiments using breadfruit leaf extract on mice in the laboratory.

This finding indicates that the unique flavonoid compounds found in the leaves play a role in inhibiting the accumulation of fat in the aorta blood vessel walls, resulting in a significant decrease in cholesterol levels.

The processing process begins by preparing a handful of dried breadfruit leaves and boiling them with hot water. This drink can be consumed like tea and is recommended to be consumed regularly every day.

6. What are the Benefits of Boiled Breadfruit Leaves?

Quoted from Liputan6.com, the benefits of dried breadfruit leaves for health: help treat kidney failure, reduce the risk of heart disease, relieve gout, treat allergies, treat vaginal candidiasis, and treat enlarged spleen.

7. What are the Benefits of Dried Breadfruit Leaves?

Breadfruit leaves contain flavonoid compounds, riboflavin, and sirosterol which are beneficial for maintaining the heart from cardiovascular system damage. Drinking breadfruit leaf tea can also lower cholesterol levels by removing cholesterol from the blood and excreting it through urine and feces.

8. What are the Benefits of Breadfruit Leaves for Kidneys?

One of the benefits of breadfruit leaves for kidneys is preventing the formation of kidney stones. The high potassium content in breadfruit leaves can help reduce the risk of kidney stone formation. Additionally, breadfruit leaves can also help reduce inflammation and infection in the kidneys.

9. How Many Times to Drink Breadfruit Leaves?

Drink a glass of breadfruit leaf tea once a day and use tea as a vaginal soap 2-3 times a day. Drinking 1 cup of breadfruit leaf tea every day can accelerate healing, skin infections, or other skin rashes.

10. Can Drinking Breadfruit Leaf Water Lower Creatinine?

The ANOVA test results showed that ethanol extract from breadfruit leaves effectively reduced the concentration of creatinine and urea in blood plasma, but did not have an effect on blood profile and kidney histopathology.

(kpl/saa)