Cure for Ebola from Papua?

I just talked with a researcher from Papua that he maybe know the cure for ebola. He said that probably the cure for ebola come from insect. And he said that the insect is: ants. Ants saliva contains an antibiotic that believed can cure cancer and another diseases. One of the plant that store ants saliva is ant plants (Myrmecodia). Myrmecodia is a genus of epiphytic myrmecophytes (ant plants). Myrmecodia plants grow in tree branches and on trunks.

From what I read, Active compounds that have been identified include:

1. Alpha-tocopherol is a powerful antioxidant with IC50 with values ​​obtained 5,1ppm. This means that the concentration of antioxidants to inhibit free radicals by 50%.
2. Tannins, which are astringent, bind and precipitate the excess protein in the body.
3. Flavonoid glycosides, is one of the secondary metabolites that are useful for inhibiting cancer cell growth and anti-virus.
4. Polyphenols, is as anti-microbial and lower blood sugar levels.
5. Other active compounds such as calcium, natriun, potassium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, magnesium.
6. Minerals, which improves cardiac impulse to break through the blockage in the blood vessels to the heart.
7. Stigmasterol, plays a role in the cytotoxic mechanism.
8. Inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDAC), shown to inhibit tumor cell growth, and causes apoptotic cell death of cancer cells, and HDAC inhibitors cause transcriptional activation of several genes whose expression causes inhibition of tumor growth.

I don’t know much more about medicine, but I hope that it’s true and wait for further research.

Dental Insurance in Indonesia

This morning, when my teeth is a little bit pain because drink ice, the I thing about dental insurance. Dental insurance is insurance designed to pay a portion of the costs associated with dental care.

I just think that in Indonesia only have insurance related to general medical service, but after searching some sources, there are many health insurance that cover dental care. They give the policy as added service. Just ask your insurance consultant to get your dental care covered with insurance. Of course you should pay more for the added insurance coverage.

I got information about some of them: Jasindo health Care, Reliance Insurance, Takaful (Islamic Insurance), Manulife Indonesia.

Just add in the comment form if you have other information.

Herbal Medicine to Cure Cough and Pneumonia

The main secret and miracle of sickness is on the medicine located near of us. So, if you got cough in Indonesia, the natural herbal medicine / remedies is just around your house.

Mayana (Scientific name: Plectranthus scuttelarioides (L.) R. Br.) is ornamental plants that growing around the house in Sulawesi and Philipine. With the beauty of it's leaf, the leaves have potential ability as a drug. Researcher said that Mayana leaf works to heal bruises, contusions, swellings, and headache (Source).

Toraja people eat the Mayana leaves as a vegetable for everyday meal. If you have severe cough and pneumonia, you ca try eat Mayana leaf. It has bitter taste, but efficacious to cure the cough and lung disease. Some people cured with just one week, but some people with severe disease can took up to 3 month of consumption.

Our Family Go Green by Using Electric Bicycle

Electric motorcycle is one of a wide range of electric powered vehicles. For automotive enthusiasts who follow the development of technology has certainly know that almost all the leading automotive companies compete to create vehicles with alternative power sources other than gasoline or hydrogen fuel cells.

This morning our family have new member, a Betrix The Ice. The Ice is an electric bike made in Taiwan. The seller said that by using this bicycle, I only cost me IDR 500 (USD 0.06) a day for maintenance. Compared with our car daily use (IDR 25000 / USD 2.7 a day for just gasoline) and after did some math and calculation, I got cost about IDR 4000 a day until it's my-own-estimated terminal value. We finally decided to buy this electric bicycle for daily use, because my home to my workplace is only about 7 km and I promise to reduce the cost of car use to compensate with daily cost of Betrix. I hope it will reduce the total of my our family spends each month.

Betrix have so many variants, including electric scooter. But, I prefer using The Ice, because it's like a bicycle, rather than scooter or motorcycle. After I tested the cycle, it have maximum cruising speed 40 km/h and maximum cruising range for about 60 km.

Before decided to buy electric vehicle, our family decided to buy a conventional bicycle, but after knew that the pricing is almost same compared with Betrix, we decided to buy this. I think we have no problem with conventional use of Betrix by cycling it using our foot because our family do routine exercise using 'bike simulator' (this is an fitness/fat burner toolkit but I call it simulator) everyday and burn about 50-100cal.



With my Electrical Engineering degree, I have crazy mind that someday after the guarantee card is expired I'll put some solar cell charger into its body, so it will charging in daylight without need external power except 'hybrid power' with my foot.

Health Insurance for Travel Abroad

One of the problems that exist in traveling abroad is a health issue. To avoid this health problem, we must not ignore health protection.

We must provide health insurance for travel abroad. This insurance can be very useful if something happens to us. Many people who travel abroad without health care insurance, and when they fall sick, they do not have a way to pay for treatment. Health insurance for travel abroad is a must and you should never travel without one.

Health insurance for foreign travel will include medical assistance you need. This means it will take a fee like going to the doctor, pay for prescription drugs and / or hospital. You should take health insurance depending on which country you want to visit. If you go to developed countries where health care is good, you take the insurance that only covers the cost of treatment. However, if you're planning a trip to developing countries, you should make sure you take a broad health insurance which includes evacuation if necessary.

Most travel insurance on offer valid for travel around the world. There are valid for one trip for two weeks, a month, or more. There is also a travel insurance valid for travel several times within a certain time. Like all insurance, you also need to carefully read it. Is insurance included bungee jumping or whitewater rafting? Are there certain countries that at a certain time are exempt from insurance?

Some travel insurance also offer extra features, for example: repatriation of bodies, evacuation, including bringing family members to accompany you in the hospital. Some have insurance that provides cash when the departure is delayed, or lost luggage.

Medical Tourism in Southeast Asia

I have friend who regularly go to overseas to get medical treatment. In the tourism sector, it called medical tourism. Medical tourism is practice of travelling across international borders to obtain health care. In the Southeast Asia, there are some countries that provide health-care for foreigner, including: Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore.

I want to review one of developing country that provide medical tourism. Thailand is a good example, because they offer world class services with reasonable rate. Treatments for medical tourists in Thailand range from cosmetic, organ transplants, cardiac, and orthopaedic treatments to dental and cardiac surgeries. Treatments for tourist also include spa, physical and mental therapies.

The main challenge for countries that provide medical tourism is accreditation. The medical service provider should obtain good reputation with international standard, so the patients can enjoy the service without fear of malpractice because the physicians hold professional certification.