I Wayan Nitayadnya, I Made Budiasa, Ni Wayan Aryani, I Gusti Ngurah Jayanti, I Made Sudiana, Nontje Deisye Wewengkang, Sri Diharti, Musfeptial Musfeptial, Mulyadi Mulyadi, Rohim Rohim
ABSTRACT
This research attempts to uncover herbal concoctions in the usada manuscripts that can be used for elderly health care, starting from the types of herbal concoctions, types of plants or herbs used, how to mix them, how to use them, their efficacy, to the ritual procedures for their treatment. The manuscripts were collected directly from several libraries in Bali. Data collection used the documentation method. The provision of texts used the transcription and transliteration methods. Hermeneutic theory was used at the data analysis stage. The presentation of the results of the data analysis used formal and informal methods. The results of the research showed that four lontar usada were found that contained knowledge about herbal medicine for the elderly, namely Durgakala, Usada Tuju, Usada Sari, Usada Tuwa, and Usada Tiwang. Common diseases suffered by the elderly contained in the four manuscripts consist of (1) treatment of diseases of the face, head, hands, feet, and skin such as itching and swelling, aching in the groin, aching bones, unbearable headaches, pain all over the body and radiating to the feet, numb hands and feet, back pain, and stabbing pain in the back, (2) treatment of diseases of the nervous system, brain, bones, mouth, and stomach that are often suffered by the elderly, such as impotence, stomach cramps, bloody and purulent stools, pain between the stomach and genitals, bloating in the stomach, dysentery, and pain in the navel, and (3) diseases that occur due to the process of decreasing the function of the five senses, such as loose teeth and blurred vision. The medicinal ingredients used to treat these diseases come from plants and local natural materials that are easy to obtain and inexpensive because the ingredients can easily be found in the surrounding nature, the technique for mixing the ingredients is very simple, and the technique for curing the disease is not too complicated. The ritual of healing is based on the context of Balinese Hindu culture. The form of herbal concoction presented in the manuscript is in the form of boreh, jamu, simbuh, lulur/param, bedak (powder), and food.
