Overview Of Public Knowledge About The Use Of Kitalod Flowers (Isotoma Longiflora L.) As A Traditional Medicine For Red Eyes

Abstract

The background of Indonesia has a very diverse wealth of flora and fauna. Biodiversity and cultural heritage in Indonesia have long utilized various types of plants as traditional medicine that have been passed down from generation to generation. Traditional medicine has been applied since ancient times, long before chemical-based drugs were widely known. One of the herbal plants that can overcome reddish eyes is the kitalod plant (Isotoma longiflora L.). The purpose of this study is to find out the extent of public knowledge about the use of kitalod flowers as a traditional healer for red eyes in Lasalimu Village. The method in this study uses a descriptive survey. The results showed that respondents had sufficient knowledge about the use of kitalod flowers for the treatment of red eye. The results indicated that 44.8% of the respondents had sufficient knowledge, while 39.6% had good knowledge, and 15.6% had little knowledge about the use of kitalod flowers as a traditional medicine for red eyes. The conclusion of the study stated that the knowledge of the people of Lasalimu Village about the use of kitalod flowers (Isotoma longiflora L) as traditional therapy to treat red eye is in the sufficient category. This shows that although people have a good basic understanding of the benefits and uses of this flower, their knowledge is still limited to the general aspects. The community in Lasalimu Village has not fully understood the right dosage, the importance of the sterilization process, and the risks and consequences that may occur due to incorrect use.