Cambodia & Health: Rooted in tradition, these medicinal plants are rising to modern challenges

In the bustling markets of Phnom Penh and peaceful villages along the Mekong River, ancient pharmacopoeia is still thriving. Cambodia's rich biodiversity has long been an essential lifeline for communities that depend on traditional medicine, a practice woven into the fabric of Khmer culture for centuries.

Today, as modern healthcare expands, these botanical remedies—refined by generations of Kru Khmer (traditional healers)—remain vital, even as they face threats from deforestation and climate change.

Prasaont (ព្រះស័ង្ខ): The postpartum protector

Wrapped in herbal compresses and steamed tonics, prasaont (Blumea balsamifera) is a fragrant shrub widely used for postpartum care.

Prasaont (ព្រះស័ង្ខ)

Its leaves, which have anti-inflammatory properties, are boiled in teas or infused in baths to aid recovery after childbirth. ‘My grandmother taught me how to use prasaont to soothe pain and restore energy,’ says Sok Sreyneath, a traditional midwife in Kampong Cham. ‘It's our way of caring for mothers when clinics are far away.’

Sleuk Khthey (ស្លឹកខ្ទិះ): Neem

Versatile, Sleuk Khthey (neem tree, Azadirachta indica) is Cambodia's answer to a first aid kit. From treating fevers to healing skin infections, its leaves, bark and seeds are staple ingredients in many homemade remedies.

Sleuk Khthey (ស្លឹកខ្ទិះ)

Recent studies have validated its antimicrobial properties, sparking interest among researchers seeking sustainable alternatives to synthetic drugs.

Kravanh (ក្រវ៉ាញ): The healing power of cloves

The aromatic buds of the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum), known as kravanh, are chewed to numb toothache or infused in tea to relieve digestive problems.

Kravanh (ក្រវ៉ាញ)

At Phsar Kandal market, vendor Yem Linh sells dried cloves alongside tamarind and turmeric.

‘City dwellers buy them too,’ she says. ‘They sometimes trust natural remedies more than pills.’

Makphnom (ម្កួយពន្លៃ): The dual role of tamarind

Beyond its tangy fruit, the tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica) offers bark used to reduce fever and leaves ground into poultices for joint pain.

Makphnom (ម្កួយពន្លៃ)

‘It reminds us that food and medicine grow side by side here,’ explains Dr Vannak Hul, a botanist who documents Cambodia's medicinal flora.

A threatened tradition

Despite their cultural importance, many medicinal plants are endangered. Logging and land conversion for agriculture have depleted wild populations. In Ratanakiri province, indigenous communities report shrinking forests where m'reah prov (a rare tree used for stomach ailments) is now struggling to survive.

Efforts to preserve these green treasures are emerging. NGOs such as CAMBOTANICA are partnering with villages to cultivate medicinal gardens, while the government's 2023 Biodiversity Action Plan is committed to protecting endangered species.

‘Losing these plants doesn't just mean losing a tradition, but also losing future medical advances,’ warns Dr. Hul.

Healing across borders

For Cambodia's younger generation, the appeal of traditional medicine endures. Social media influencers now share recipes for tirk doung (herbal steam saunas), while urban wellness shops blend ancient herbs into modern tinctures. Yet as demand grows, so does the urgency to reconcile tradition and sustainability.