A Heritage Feature on the Root of Tanah Melayu.
In the world of botanicals, few
plants carry a name as misleading as Eurycoma longifolia Jack. The year
1822. A Scottish surgeon-botanist named William Jack, working for the East
India Company in the humid landscapes of the Malay Archipelago, documented a
slender, unassuming tree. He gave it a binomial name-Eurycoma longifolia- &
appended his own surname, "Jack," to the discovery . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurycoma_longifolia
To the Western world, this was the
"birth" of a new species. To Western herbalists, "Long
Jack" became the curious root from the Far East.
But here is the truth that the
dried herbariums of Europe could never capture: William Jack did not
discover Tongkat Ali. He was simply centuries too late to the meeting.
For the healers, the warriors
& the elders of Tanah Melayu, this "discovery" in 1822 is an
oversight of the deepest kind. While Jack was carefully pressing leaves between
parchment, the Orang Asli & the Malay people of the rainforest had already
been harvesting this sacred root for generations. It was known as "Penawar
Pahit" (The Bitter Remedy) and "Tongkat Ali" (Ali's
Walking Stick) - named for its ability to give an old man the strength to stand
tall again, & for women, a postpartum tonic to restore energy &
vitality after childbirth .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurycoma_longifolia
We are not looking at a timeline
of 200 years. We are looking at a heritage of 500 years or more of
indigenous testimony, empirical observation & traditional use passed down
through oral history. The West merely named it in 1822; the Malay world
understood it centuries before.
Part 1: The Golden Age of
Malacca - Where Tongkat Ali First Entered World Trade
To truly understand the depth of
Tongkat Ali's heritage, we must look back to a time long before William Jack's
birth - to the Golden Age of the Malacca Sultanate (1400–1511) .
Under its visionary sultans,
Malacca rose from a humble fishing village to become the greatest emporium in
all of Asia, a premier international entrepôt that controlled the vital trade
routes between China, India, the Middle East & Africa . https://www.worldhistory.org/Portuguese_Malacca/
https://museum.um.edu.my/port-and-pottery-rediscovering-ancient-and-contemporary-ceramics-of-malacca
It was here, in the bustling port
where the monsoon winds brought ships from across the known world, that the
herbs & spices of the Malay Archipelago first entered global commerce.
Historical records from this
period paint a vivid picture of Malacca's extraordinary reach. The Portuguese
apothecary Tomé Pires, writing in his landmark Suma Oriental between 1512 &
1515, observed that "Whoever is lord of Malacca shall have his hands on
the throat of Venice" . https://museum.um.edu.my/port-and-pottery-rediscovering-ancient-and-contemporary-ceramics-of-malacca
Such was the strategic importance
of this tiny Malay kingdom.
What goods passed through this
great emporium? The list reads like a treasure map of the East:
· From the Spice Islands (Moluccas): Cloves, nutmeg & mace - commodities so precious they would later drive European exploration & conquest https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Journal_of_the_Straits_Branch_of_the_Royal_Asiatic_Society_(IA_journalofstra17181886roya).pdf/217
· From Borneo: Camphor, gold & fragrant woods . https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Journal_of_the_Straits_Branch_of_the_Royal_Asiatic_Society_(IA_journalofstra17181886roya).pdf/217
·
From Timor: Exquisite sandalwood https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Journal_of_the_Straits_Branch_of_the_Royal_Asiatic_Society_(IA_journalofstra17181886roya).pdf/217
·
From Java and Sumatra: Pepper, rice &
an array of spices https://icaption.perzim.gov.my/en/mar-the-trade-of-melaka-malacca/
·
From the Malay Peninsula itself: Ivory,
rattan, tin & crucially - medicinal roots & forest products
traded by the indigenous peoples such as the Jakun, Semang & Senoi https://icaption.perzim.gov.my/en/mar-the-trade-of-melaka-malacca/
The Malay and foreign merchants
carried out barter trade with these indigenous communities, exchanging pottery,
utensils, salt & tobacco for the treasures of the rainforest - including resin,
rattan, sandalwood & most significantly for our story, "medicinal
roots" . https://icaption.perzim.gov.my/en/mar-the-trade-of-melaka-malacca/
These roots, carried down rivers
from the interior to the coast, were the precursors to the standardized
extracts we know today.
So extensive was this trade that 84
languages were once spoken in Malacca - a testament to the diversity of
traders and workers the city attracted from across the globe .
https://icaption.perzim.gov.my/en/mar-the-trade-of-melaka-malacca/
Arab & Persian merchants sold
perfumes, glassware, carpets & medicines. Chinese traders brought copper,
tea, silk & porcelain. Indian merchants arrived with embroidery &
textiles. And from Burma came precious stones & jade https://icaption.perzim.gov.my/en/mar-the-trade-of-melaka-malacca/
https://museum.um.edu.my/port-and-pottery-rediscovering-ancient-and-contemporary-ceramics-of-malacca
By the late 15th century, less
than a hundred years after its foundation, the Sultanate of Malacca boasted an
international community of 15,000 traders . https://www.worldhistory.org/Portuguese_Malacca/
The annual volume of trade
reached an astonishing 2 million cruzados, with 50,000 cruzados flowing
into the Malacca treasury through taxation. https://icaption.perzim.gov.my/en/mar-the-trade-of-melaka-malacca/
This was the world in which
Tongkat Ali first entered the stream of international commerce. Long before any
European botanist placed it under a microscope, the bitter root was already
being traded, valued & used by the diverse peoples who made Malacca their
home. It was part of a sophisticated network of traditional medicine that
served everyone from royalty to commoners, from Malay warriors to Chinese
merchants, from Arab traders to indigenous healers.
The maritime laws of Malacca,
promulgated to regulate this vast trading system, ensured that these precious
goods moved safely through waters patrolled by the Orang Laut (sea people)
under the command of the Laksamana (admiral) . https://icaption.perzim.gov.my/en/mar-the-trade-of-melaka-malacca/
The Sultans took stern action
against pirates who threatened this trade, understanding that the kingdom's
prosperity depended on the free flow of goods - including the medicinal roots
that came from deep within the rainforest https://icaption.perzim.gov.my/en/mar-the-trade-of-melaka-malacca
When the Portuguese finally
conquered Malacca in 1511, they stepped into a world where this trade was
already ancient. They did not create it; they simply became its newest
participants https://www.worldhistory.org/Portuguese_Malacca/
Part 2: The Dishonesty of 1822
- A Heritage Older Than Colonial Records
Against this backdrop of
centuries of trade & traditional use, William Jack's 1822
"discovery" appears in its true light. He observed the plant, but he
failed to observe the people. He saw the root, but he did not see the centuries
of wisdom attached to it.
Long before the British
established their presence, the indigenous communities of Malaysia had
integrated Tongkat Ali into the fabric of life. They consumed decoctions of the
bitter root not just for virility, but for a concept the West is only now beginning
to understand: adaptogens. They used it to cool fevers, to heal
dysentery & as a vital energy tonic for women after the immense physical
stress of childbirth .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurycoma_longifolia
https://www.360doc.cn/article/1511603_936795605.html
The oral history of Tanah Melayu
speaks of royal courts where the root was reserved for the Hulubalang
(warriors) before battle & for aging Sultans to ensure the continuation of
their lineage. Legend tells of a 90-year-old elder named Ali who, after
becoming lost in the forest, consumed the root & found the strength not
only to survive but to return to his people rejuvenated - giving the herb its
enduring name, "Ali's Walking Stick" https://www.360doc.cn/article/1511603_936795605.html
Later, during the resistance
against British colonial rule, Malay fighters in the jungle used Tongkat Ali as
a medical staple, relying on its properties to maintain their health & stamina
while evading capture . The famed Malay warrior Mat Kilau, who reportedly lived
to the age of 124, was said to have attributed his longevity & vitality to
this sacred root https://www.360doc.cn/article/1511603_936795605.html
To claim that 1822 is the
starting point of Tongkat Ali's story is to erase all of this - to dismiss the
intelligence of the Malay civilization that built Malacca into a global trading
power, that developed sophisticated systems of traditional medicine & that
sustained the health of its people for generations through the wisdom of the
rainforest.
The reality is this: when William Jack arrived, Tongkat Ali was already an ancient healer. He gave it a Latin name; we gave it a soul.
Part 3: The Gold Standard – A
Body of Evidence Unmatched in the Herbal World
If heritage gives Tongkat Ali its
soul, then science gives it its voice. And that voice is now the loudest in the
room. When we speak of evidence, we must speak of the gold standard:
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials published in
peer-reviewed medical journals.
Here is the reality that sets
Tongkat Ali apart from every other herb on the planet. The development of Physta®,
the world's first patented standardized water extract of Tongkat Ali, was a
collaboration between Malaysian ingenuity & the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT). This wasn't just about creating a supplement; it was about
creating a pharmaceutical-grade ingredient that could stand up to the scrutiny
of the world's toughest regulators.
The numbers speak for themselves,
and they are undeniable:
·
14 Clinical Studies on Physta® by Biotropics
Malaysia: The primary custodian of this science, Biotropics, has conducted
14 clinical studies on its Physta® extract, establishing a foundation of safety
& efficacy that is rare in the botanical world.
·
26 Published Clinical Studies on Physta®
Worldwide: When you look across the global research landscape, the Physta®
extract has been the subject of 26 human clinical studies. This is an
unprecedented volume of research for a single herbal extract.
·
12 Published Clinical Studies by Biotropics:
Of those, 12 studies have been published by Biotropics in reputable,
peer-reviewed scientific journals, contributing directly to the global body of
medical knowledge.
To put this in perspective, no other Malaysian herb - & very few herbs globally - can boast this level of scientific validation. This isn't traditional medicine trying to prove itself; this is modern science validating ancient wisdom.
Part 4: The Paradigm Shift -
From Male Tonic to Female Fountain of Youth
For much of the 20th and 21st
centuries, Big Pharma viewed Tongkat Ali through a narrow lens: a natural
testosterone booster for men. The race was on to create testosterone
replacement therapies, yet they consistently failed to produce a safe,
effective & natural regulator for female hormones - specifically for the
1.2 billion women globally entering the perimenopausal & postmenopausal
transition phase.
The clinical research, however, has revealed a stunning truth that the Malay healers perhaps knew intuitively: You cannot fix a woman's engine by only looking at the oil.
The Science: Testosterone is the Mother of Estrogen
The human body operates on a
principle of hormonal conversion. In women, the ovaries & adrenal glands
produce testosterone. This testosterone is then converted by the enzyme
aromatase into estradiol, the primary form of estrogen.
When a woman enters menopause,
estrogen production from the ovaries plummets. The current pharmaceutical
solution - Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) - has been linked to
increased risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease & stroke.
But what if, instead of giving a
woman estrogen (which tells the body to stop making its own), we gave her the
tools to build her own?
This is where the heritage of
Tanah Melayu collides with modern endocrinology.
By boosting a woman's natural
testosterone levels safely with Tongkat Ali, the body retains the raw material
necessary to convert into estrogen. You are not forcing the body into
submission; you are rekindling the body's natural factory.
The Evidence in Women
A landmark 2025 study published
in the World Journal of Clinical Cases investigated the effect of Eurycoma
longifolia (Physta®) on 138 menopausal women aged 40-55. This randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled trial delivered stunning results:
·
Women taking 100 mg of Physta® daily for 12
weeks saw a 33.9% reduction in total menopausal symptoms, as measured by
the MENQOL (Menopause-Specific Quality of Life) questionnaire.
·
The improvements were most dramatic in the physical
domain (a 36.4% reduction in symptoms like fatigue & joint pain) &
the sexual domain (a 36.3% reduction in symptoms like vaginal dryness &
decreased libido).
·
Total mood disturbance declined by 38.6% in the
Physta® group, compared to just 30.1% in the placebo group, indicating a
powerful effect on the emotional turmoil of menopause.
Crucially, the study confirmed
the safety of this approach. There were no significant changes in reproductive
hormone profiles, meaning Physta® wasn't adding hormones; it was supporting the
body's own regulatory systems.
Part 5: The Japanese Discovery
- Turning Back the Biological Clock by
3.5 Years
If there is one piece of evidence
that should silence every critic & excite every investor, it is the
groundbreaking research from Japan on Physta®.
We must look closely at the study
that changed the game:
Source: Phytotherapy Research,
April 2016.
Title: Immunomodulation in
Middle-Aged Humans Via the Ingestion of Physta® Standardized Root Water
Extract of Eurycoma longifolia Jack.
Author: Annie George et
al.
This randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled study - the gold standard of science - investigated the
biological impact of Tongkat Ali on 84 middle-aged men & women (40-59
years).
The "3.5 Years
Younger" Claim
The study didn't just ask
participants if they "felt" better. It measured physiological markers
of aging. The research demonstrated that Tongkat Ali supplementation
significantly improved the Scoring of Immunological Vigor (SIV) .
Participants in the Tongkat Ali group showed higher numbers of total T-cells,
naïve T-cells, and CD4+ T-cells - all critical components of a strong, youthful
immune system.
Claims such as
"biological age younger by 3.5 years" are supported by looking at:
·
Telomere Dynamics: The caps on our
chromosomes that shorten as we age.
·
Immune Cell Profiling: Increased
production of naïve T-cells, which are essential for fighting new infections &
are typically depleted with age.
·
Inflammatory Markers: Drastically
reducing cytokines that cause "inflammaging."
·
Hormone Panels: Restoring DHEA & free
testosterone to optimal mid-life levels.
The Physta® technology proved
that the internal body of a 50-year-old woman could function with the vitality
of a 46.5-year-old.
What does this mean for women?
It means waking up with energy
instead of fatigue. It means a strengthened immune system that doesn't collapse
after a long week. It means keeping the skin elastic, the mind sharp, and the
spirit young. It is not about living forever; it is about living younger for
longer.
Part 6: The Global Context –
Is There Any Herb That Competes?
In the vast pharmacopeia of the
world, from the Andes to the Himalayas, many herbs claim to enhance vitality.
Ashwagandha (India) is a powerful adaptogen for stress. Maca (Peru) is renowned
for libido & energy. Ginseng (Korea/China) is a classic tonic for stamina.
However, based on published,
peer-reviewed medical journal data regarding hormonal modulation in aging
females, where does Tongkat Ali stand?
·
Ashwagandha: Excellent for cortisol
reduction (stress), but its direct impact on the testosterone-to-estrogen
conversion pathway in post-menopausal women is not as clinically profound as
Tongkat Ali.
·
Maca: Often called "Peruvian
Ginseng," it balances hormones but works through the hypothalamus &
pituitary gland indirectly.
·
Physta® (Eurycoma longifolia): Currently
stands alone in having 26 human clinical trials specifically
demonstrating its effects, with multiple RCTs focusing on immunomodulation,
stress reduction & quality-of-life improvements in both men & women.
The 2022 systematic review &
meta-analysis published in Medicina confirmed that Tongkat Ali significantly
improves total testosterone levels, particularly in individuals with low
baseline levels. While some critiques note that many studies are funded by the
manufacturer, this is also a testament to the commitment to rigorous science
that is virtually unheard of in the herbal industry.
No other herb from any other
continent has penetrated the Western pharmaceutical consciousness for female
health quite like Tongkat Ali is doing now.
Part 7: The Future - Closing
the Women's Health Gap
As we look to 2025 & beyond,
the focus is sharpening. Biotropics Malaysia has announced the official launch
of Physta® for Women's Health in 2025, a dedicated initiative to address
the decades of under-diagnosis & under-representation of women in
healthcare research.
The science is now clear: Tongkat
Ali is not just a man's herb. It is a woman's ally in the battle against time.
Conservation & Sustainability
This heritage comes with
responsibility. Because Tongkat Ali is harvested for its roots, the entire
plant must be uprooted, raising serious sustainability concerns . The Malaysian
government has responded by banning the export of raw Tongkat Ali roots, ensuring
that value-added processing occurs within the country . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurycoma_longifolia
The plant is listed as a priority
medicinal species for conservation & harvesting of wild trees is restricted
under Act 686 on International Trade in Endangered Species . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurycoma_longifolia
In 2016, the Malaysian Minister
of Agriculture warned that the species could face extinction within twenty
years if cultivation & replanting efforts are not accelerated . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurycoma_longifolia
Yet paradoxically, this
conservation challenge also presents an opportunity. The 2010 Economic
Transformation Programme identified Tongkat Ali as one of the top five herbs to
be developed on a large scale, with government grants supporting commercial cultivation
through cluster farms & agronomy research https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurycoma_longifolia
1. Supply is Constrained: Wild
harvesting is restricted. Cultivation is mandatory to protect the species.
2. Demand is Exploding: Aging
populations in Japan, the US, and Europe are desperate for non-pharmaceutical
solutions to menopause.
3. Technology is the Moat: The
"winner" in this space isn't the farmer; it's the company holding the
patents for standardized extracts like Physta®, which guarantee the potency &
safety that global regulators demand. It is self-affirmed GRAS in the US,
compliant with GMP, HACCP & ISO standards & certified Halal by JAKIM &
Kosher by Badatz.
The Return to the Root
From the bustling port of
15th-century Malacca, where 84 languages mingled & medicinal roots from the
rainforest entered global trade for the first time, to the laboratories of
modern Japan where scientists measure immunological vigor & biological age
- the journey of Tongkat Ali has come full circle.
William Jack is a footnote in
history. He gave us a name, but the Malay healers & the traders of the
Malacca Sultanate gave us the knowledge.
The data is undeniable: 14
studies from Biotropics, 26 clinical studies worldwide, and 12 peer-reviewed
publications form a mountain of evidence that cannot be ignored. Tongkat
Ali, the bitter root of the Malaysian rainforest that was already ancient when
the first European ships arrived at Malacca's harbor, can rekindle the hormonal
fire in a menopausal woman, boost her immune system & turn back her
biological clock by 3.5 years.
The pharmaceutical race to treat
women is over. They didn't win it in a lab. The answer was always here, in the
soil of Tanah Melayu, traded through the greatest emporium Asia had ever known,
waiting for science to catch up to wisdom.
Science First, Everything
Follows. And the science leads us right back to the roots of Malaysia.
References
1. Biotropics Malaysia. (2025).
Physta® Technology: Things You Should Know About The World's First Patented
Tongkat Ali Extract.
2. Akarali. (2023). Physta®
Tongkat Ali Clinical Studies.
3. Examine.com. (2025). Does
tongkat ali increase testosterone levels?
4. Muniandy, S., et al. (2025).
Effect of Eurycoma longifolia water extract (Physta®) on menopausal quality of
life and mood states. World Journal of Clinical Cases, 13(31): 109113.
5. The Manila Times. (2024).
Closing the Women's Health Gap - Highlights of Biotropics Malaysia clinical
study.
6. George, A., et al. (2016).
Immunomodulation in Middle-Aged Humans Via the Ingestion of Physta®
Standardized Root Water Extract of Eurycoma longifolia Jack. Phytotherapy
Research.
7. Kotirum, S., et al. (2015).
Efficacy of Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) on erectile function improvement:
systematic review and meta-analysis.
8. Thu, H. E., et al. (2022).
Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) Improves Serum Total Testosterone in Men: A
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.
9. Wikipedia Contributors.
(2025). Eurycoma longifolia. Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurycoma_longifolia
10. World History Encyclopedia.
(2021). Portuguese Malacca.
https://www.worldhistory.org/Portuguese_Malacca/
11. Perbadanan Muzium Melaka. The
Trade of Melaka (Malacca).
https://icaption.perzim.gov.my/en/mar-the-trade-of-melaka-malacca/
12. Universiti Malaya. (2023).
Port and Pottery Rediscovering Ancient and Contemporary Ceramics of Malacca.
https://museum.um.edu.my/port-and-pottery-rediscovering-ancient-and-contemporary-ceramics-of-malacca
13. Wikisource. (1886). Journal
of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
14. Wikisource. (2013). Cambridge
Modern History Volume 1.
15. 360Doc. (2020). 一分钟让您了解马来西亚特产"东革阿里".
https://www.360doc.cn/article/1511603_936795605.html
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