Herbal Medicine

The use of herbal medicine is common in Malaysia including its use during pregnancy. However, there have been very few formal studies of herbal consumption in pregnancy and even fewer looking at ultra-structural features and trace elements of herbal medicine. This study were to determine the prevalence of use and to identify possible chemical properties and morphological structure of herbal medicine found to be popularly used among the Kelantanese Malay women during the pregnancy period. A study was conducted among 460 Kelantanese Malay women at antenatal and postnatal ward Hospital USM from September to December 2007 using structured close-ended questionnaires. The surface morphology and the microstructure of Anastatica Hierochuntica L. were captured by Supra 50 VPSE-SEM LEO and Olympus SZ40 Stereomicroscope with image analyzer. Elemental analysis was done by using Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX). Herbal medicine is still being commonly used among the Malay Kelantanese women communities. A detailed study is therefore needed to establish among others, the efficacy and safety of these herbs where the well-being of mother and fetus are of paramount.