Lasia

Lasia (Lasia spinosa) is native to tropical Asia, from India to New Guinea, including South-East Asia, occasionally cultivated. Plants are typically harvested from natural environments, and often cultivated for family use. It belongs to the Araceae family, where most members contain crystals of calcium oxalate. Calcium oxalate, however, is quickly broken down by either cooking the plant thoroughly or by drying it entirely, and it is healthy to eat the plant in either of these states.

Ci yu (Chinese), Laksmana (Sanskrit), Mulasari (Tamil), Pak norm (Laos), Geli-geli (Malaysia), Phak naam (Thai), Rau má»›p, Má»›p ráy gai (Vietnamese).

Present in the wild in tropical and subtropical areas at low to moderate elevations. It grows in shallow waters and swampy soils, often grown in fish ponds and rice fields. It can grow less than 1,500 m asl and soil pH is 6.1 to 7.8.

• Stem - long creeping and stoloniferous, erector ascending, 2.5 cm in diameter, internodes with stout prickles.
• Leaves - rosette, simple, lanceolate, sagittate, or pinnatipartite, thorny along the veins, 30-45 cm long, up to 25 cm wide; petiole 20-50 cm long.
• Spathe - twisted, opening only at the bases, 15 to 30 cm long, brown or purple.
• Spadix - cylindrical, up to 6-8 cm long and 3-3.5 cm wide; peduncle thorny.
• Fruit -  berryobovoid, muricate at the top, 1 cm long.
• Seed - 5 mm long, 3.5 mm wide.

Propagation is by dividing the rootball, rhizomes, tubers, corms, or bulbs (including offsets) and through seeds. 

Alkaloids, tannins, phenol, flavanoid, steroids, saponins, glycosides, askorbic acid, α-carotene, ß-carotene, ß-carotene-5, 6, 5/, 6/ diepoxide, 5, 6, 5/ 6/-diepoxy-5, 8, 5/,8/-tetrahydro-ß, ßarotene-3,3/ -diol, Cis-neoxanthin.

• In Bangladesh, the plant is recommended for intestinal disorders, rheumatism, and colic. The corm is used as a therapy for throat disorders.
• In India, the young tender leaves and stalks are used to treat intestinal worms'  infections and demonstrate profound anticestodals efficacy. Furthermore, leaves are used for stomach aches and other pains. The rhizome is used for the treatment of lung inflammation, bleeding cough, and the whole plant in the uterine. 
• In Sri Lanka, the juice of the rootstock is given as a remedy for piles, hemorrhoids. Black Lasia is used as a treatment for chemical poisoning, hemorrhoids, and pistula. 
• In Vietnam, the plant is used as an anti-rheumatic and anti-inflammatory remedy.
• In China, rhizomes are used medicinally for treating tuberculosis of lymph nodes, swollen lymph nodes, stomach, snake and insect bites, injuries, and rheumatism. 

Tepung Kohila

• Pilih umbi yang belum terlalu tua lalu cuci bersih.
• Kupas umbi dan pisahkan dari kulitnya lalu potong-potong menjadi bagian yang kecil.
• Masukkan ke oven dan keringkan dengan suhu 60°Cselama 48 jam. Giling dengan alat giling atau blender sampai benar-benar halus. Ayak menggunakan ayakan 100 mesh agar mendapat serbuk halus.
• Kemas dalam kemasan kedap udara dan simpan pada suhu 4°C.