#SalaciaChinensis

Hidden in Thailand’s forests, a climbing shrub known as Salacia chinensis, or กำแพงเจ็ดชั้น, has a storied role in traditional Southeast Asian medicine. Locally it goes by names such as ตะลุ่มนก, ตาไก้, ขอบกระด้ง, and หลุมนก. Researchers are now exploring its traditional uses through the lens of modern science, uncovering insights that both support and refine age-old practices.

Traditionally, communities in Thailand have used the plant’s woody stems and roots to support heart health, improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and manage blood sugar. In many rural households, a bitter decoction made by boiling the plant is consumed alone or blended with other herbs. Elders recall how a “hot constitution” or fatigue could be addressed with the plant’s tonic properties. In Thai folk practice, กำแพงเจ็ดชั้น is valued as a rejuvenator and is used differently across regions, reflecting a deep, regionally diverse healing culture.

Among Thailand’s lush forests, hidden beneath the embrace of tangled vines and sturdy trunks, grows a climbing shrub with a storied past and promising future: กำแพงเจ็ดชั้น, or Salacia chinensis. Known by myriad regional names such as ตะลุ่มนก, ตาไก้, ขอบกระด้ง, and หลุมนก, this plant has been treasured in traditional Thai and Southeast Asian medicine for centuries. Today, as researchers peel back the layers of its traditional use, they’re uncovering scientific evidence that validates (and in some cases, challenges) the age-old practices of herbalists and healers.