PANDANUS LEAVES

Screwpine leaves or daun pandan as they are commonly called in Malaysia is used to cook quite a number of dishes in Malaysia. There are actually two types found in my school herb garden, one called pandan wangi (pandanus odorus) and the common pandan. The fragrance of the leaves can be tasted in rice dishes like nasi lemak, nasi pandan and nasi lemuni and desserts like pandan cake.

If you have cockroaches at home and want to get rid of them, then try leaving a handful of fresh pandan leaves around as they tend to dislike the smell of pandan leaves. You'd be rid of the pests in no time as cockroaches dislike the smell.

It is also used for medicinal purposes in which the leaves and roots are utilised. Below is a list of ailments and how to use pandan to treat them.

• Diuretic: Take decoction of fresh or dried prop root as tea.
• Headache, arthritis, stomach spasms: Decoction of leaves. Poultice of fresh leaves mixed with oil also used for headaches.
• Culinary: An aromatic leaf used to perfume rice dishes.
• Wound healing: Pulverized dried leaves used to facilitate wound healing.Poultice of mash of cabbage of plant, mixed with salt and juice of Citrus microcarpa, for abscesses.
• Others: Decoction of roots believed to have aphrodisiac and cardiotonic properties. Also used for arthritis and to prevent spontaneous abortion.Chewing the roots strengthens the gums. Decoction of roots combined with sap of banana plant for urethral injections for variety of urinary complaints.
  

Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandanus

Parts utilizedLeaves and roots.
Constituents and characteristicsEssential oil, alkaloids, glycosides and tannin.The prop roots possess diuretic properties.
Medicinal uses

1. Diuretic: Take decoction of fresh or dried prop root as tea.
2. Headache, arthritis, stomach spasms: Decoction of leaves. Poultice of fresh leaves mixed with oil also used for headaches.
3. Culinary: An aromatic leaf used to perfume rice dishes.
4. Wound healing: Pulverized dried leaves used to facilitate wound healing.Poultice of mash of cabbage of plant, mixed with salt and juice of Citrus microcarpa, for abscesses.
5. Others: Decoction of roots believed to have aphrodisiac and cardiotonic properties.Also used for arthritis and to prevent spontaneous abortion.Chewing the roots strengthens the gums.Decoction of roots combined with sap of banana plant for urethral injections for variety of urinary complaints.

My aunts told me that drinking water boiled with pandan leaves will help to treat diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. Actually it tastes nice and there is no harm drinking it. One can also add pandan leaves when boiling rice. That would also be equally healthy.