The Preparation the Chinese Elders Got Right:
Honey, Wine, and the Wisdom of Small Roots
Jackiopsis ornata — the rainforest root known to the Orang Asli as Kaki Cium, prepared by Chinese communities through a 5,000-year tradition that modern chemistry is finally explaining
In a controlled study, Red Tongkat Ali raised testosterone in fowls to 7.7 nmol/L — surpassing even Yellow Tongkat Ali’s 6.25 nmol/L against a control of just 4.08. Yet this plant has almost no formal scientific literature and no supplement shelf presence. What it does have is something more durable: a living preparation tradition, kept alive by Chinese communities in Malaysia who knew exactly which part of the root to use — and exactly how to prepare it.
“The Chinese grandmothers selecting the small, fine root tips were not being frugal. They were maximising bark — and bark is where the medicine lives.”
That is not folklore. It is confirmed phytochemistry. A peer-reviewed study on medicinal roots demonstrated that bark tissue contains significantly higher concentrations of active compounds than heartwood — and that as root diameter decreases, the proportion of bark increases proportionally. Smaller roots have more bark. More bark means more medicine per gram. The tradition arrived at the right answer before the laboratory confirmed it.
The same science confirms both preparation methods. Alcohol extraction captures alkaloids, triterpenes, and fat-soluble compounds that water-based decoction cannot access. Honey processing has been documented to increase active compound concentrations and enhance oral bioavailability. The Chinese community’s honey and wine infusion methods are not culturally charming alternatives to “real” medicine. They are superior extraction techniques.
This article presents documented traditional use and available scientific evidence on Jackiopsis ornata for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and does not recommend starting, stopping, or adjusting any medication or supplement. If you have a health condition or take medication, speak with your doctor before making changes. AJHerbs.com gives you the complete picture — what to ask, not what to decide.
What Is Red Tongkat Ali?
If you have walked through a wet market in Ipoh, Penang, or Kuala Lumpur and noticed bundles of reddish-brown root material near the dried herbs, you may have passed Red Tongkat Ali without knowing it. Jackiopsis ornata is a large rainforest tree — growing 20 to 35 metres tall — found in lowland swamp forests, riverine habitats, and peat-swamp forests across Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, and Sumatra. It belongs to the Rubiaceae family: the same family as coffee, mengkudu (noni), and cat’s claw.
The market name — Red Tongkat Ali — was borrowed from Yellow Tongkat Ali by traders who understood that a famous name moves product. The Orang Asli never called this plant Tongkat Ali. Their name was Kaki Cium — translated literally: Kissing Enthusiast. A name that communicates its traditional purpose without a single scientific notation. Malay herbalists know it as Akar Haji Samad. Its taste is nothing like Yellow Tongkat Ali: pleasant, mildly sweet, faintly smoky. Ginseng-like. No bitter grimace required.
(Wallich) Ridsdale, 1979. Family Rubiaceae, subfamily Ixoroideae — same as mengkudu and madder.
“Kissing Enthusiast” — the original indigenous identity, which tells you exactly what this plant was observed to do.
Also known as Medang Gambut, Selumar, Sentulang, Mentangur Paya. Used by all indigenous races for joint pain, backache, energy, and vitality.
Also promoted as Malaysian Red Ginseng for its ginseng-like taste. Prepared as honey infusion or medicinal wine in Malaysian Chinese households.
Swamp forest, riverine zones, peat forest. Found in Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, Riau Archipelago. Up to 400 m altitude.
Pleasant, mildly sweet, faintly smoky. No bitter shock. The total opposite of Yellow Tongkat Ali — which makes it ideal for honey and wine preparation.
Three Plants. One Borrowed Name.
The Tongkat Ali family in Malaysia is not one plant. It is three entirely different species grouped under one marketing name — each with its own botanical family, its own mechanism, and its own traditional role. Understanding where Red sits in this trio is essential.
| Name | Species | Taste | Traditional Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| YellowTongkat Ali | Eurycoma longifolia | Intensely bitter | Hormonal axis — SHBG liberation, cortisol balance. The one the science studies. If it’s not bitter, the active compound is absent. |
| RedTongkat Ali | Jackiopsis ornata | Pleasant, ginseng-like | Gut-endocrine axis — liver and kidney support, energy restoration, vitality. Subject of this article. |
| BlackTongkat Ali | Polyalthia bullata | Earthy, smoky | Trapped wind (angin), joint pain, gut energy. Source with caution — some products have tested positive for heavy metal contamination. |
Red Tongkat Ali’s mechanism differs from Yellow’s. Yellow works primarily through the hormonal axis — liberating bound testosterone from SHBG and reducing cortisol. Red works through what traditional practitioners describe as the gut-endocrine axis: supporting liver and kidney function, which in turn affects the metabolic and hormonal environment. It is a system restorer — one whose vitality effects emerge from cleaning the internal environment, not from directly turning up the hormonal tap.
The traditional rotation practised by the Orang Asli — one to two months of Red, followed by one to three months of Yellow — reflects this logic precisely: restore the terrain first, then work the hormonal axis. A two-step sequence arrived at through thousands of years of observation, without a pharmacology textbook in sight.
How the Chinese Community Prepared This Root
Malaysia’s Chinese community arrived with a pharmacological tradition already thousands of years deep. Traditional Chinese Medicine had documented the use of Yao Jiu (药酒, medicinal wine) for at least 2,000 years. Li Shizhen’s Ben Cao Gang Mu — the 16th-century Compendium of Materia Medica — catalogued over 60 types of medicinal wines and called rice wine “the chief of a hundred medicines” (百药之长). They also practised Mi Zhi (蜜制, honey processing) — using raw honey to process tonic herbs, increasing both bioavailability and palatability simultaneously.
When this community encountered Red Tongkat Ali in the Malaysian rainforest tradition, they did not abandon their preparation methods. They applied them. The root — with its pleasant, ginseng-adjacent taste and its reputation for energy and vitality — became a natural candidate for both the medicinal wine and honey infusion methods. The resulting preparations became staple tonics in Malaysian Chinese households: described variously as an aphrodisiac tonic, a vitality restorer, and a general strengthener for men past their prime.
The Method Handed Down Through Generations
The Chinese elders did not ask why it worked. They noticed that it did — and they prepared it the way their grandmothers had prepared every other tonic root: with patience, with honey, or with rice wine, and with the specific wisdom to use the small ends of the roots. The fine, thin root tips. Not the thick trunk roots. The reason given was always the same: the medicine is in the bark, and small roots have more bark.
They were right. Modern phytochemistry has confirmed it. And the preparation methods they chose — honey and alcohol — are precisely the vehicles that modern extraction science would recommend for the compound classes expected in Rubiaceae-family roots.
Why Small Roots? The Bark Ratio Science.
This is the piece of traditional wisdom that modern phytochemistry has quietly confirmed. Chinese practitioners — and before them, the Orang Asli and Malay herbalists — learned through centuries of use to preferentially select the small, thin ends of the roots. The reason was always the same: the bark is where the medicine lives, and smaller roots have more bark.
The Bark-to-Heartwood Ratio: What Research Shows
A peer-reviewed study on Astragalus radix — a well-documented medicinal root — demonstrated clearly that bark tissue contains significantly higher concentrations of active compounds than heartwood. More critically, the study showed a direct, measurable correlation: as root diameter decreases, the proportion of bark tissue relative to heartwood increases. Thinner roots have proportionally more bark per unit of mass. Thicker roots are dominated by structural heartwood — medicinally diluted.
This is a biological principle that applies across medicinal root species, not just Astragalus. The same study also confirmed that honey processing increased active compound concentrations and oral bioavailability — validating the TCM Mi Zhi (蜜制) practice from a mechanistic standpoint.
Source: Effects of Physical Properties and Processing Methods on Astragaloside IV and Flavonoids Content in Astragali radix — PMC8778167 (2022)
The Chinese grandmothers selecting the small, fine root tips were not being frugal. They were selecting for potency — maximising the bark fraction, which is where the plant’s secondary metabolites concentrate. The heartwood is structural. The bark is the apothecary.
For Red Tongkat Ali — a Rubiaceae family member — the root bark is expected to concentrate the family’s characteristic bioactive compounds: iridoids, indole alkaloids, anthraquinones, and triterpenes. These compound classes are documented across dozens of Rubiaceae species with anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, antioxidant, and vitality-supporting properties.
Honey Infusion & Medicinal Wine — Two Ancient Methods, One Science
The Chinese community in Malaysia uses two primary preparations for Red Tongkat Ali root — honey infusion and wine or liquor maceration. Both are drawn directly from TCM’s classical Pao Zhi (炮制) processing tradition: the art of treating medicinal herbs with liquids to enhance their therapeutic properties. Both have more scientific support than most people realise.
Why Honey Is a Superior Medicinal Vehicle
TCM honey processing has been used for millennia on tonic herbs intended to “nourish Qi, tonify the middle, and moisten dryness.” The Ben Cao Gang Mu records: “Processing tonic herbs with honey can tonify primordial yang.” What the classical texts understood intuitively, modern chemistry is now explaining mechanically.
Honey’s low pH (3.4–4.5) creates a mildly acidic environment that aids solubilisation of certain plant alkaloids. Its natural sugars create a hypertonic medium that draws moisture and active compounds from plant tissue through osmosis — continuously extracting the root’s chemistry into the honey matrix over weeks. Honey also contains its own bioactive compounds — flavonoids, phenolic acids, defensin-1 — that interact synergistically with plant polyphenols. Research has confirmed that honey processing increases active compound concentrations and enhances oral bioavailability. Honey’s viscosity further slows gastric transit, extending absorption time.
Sources: TCM Processing with Liquid Excipients — PMC8641677 · Honey-Polyphenol interactions — PMC9686586
🍯 Honey Infusion — Step by Step
Traditional preparation, scientifically validated. Use raw unprocessed honey — Malaysian Tualang forest honey is ideal.
Select the right roots. Choose the thin, small-diameter tips of dried Red Tongkat Ali root — these have the highest bark-to-heartwood ratio. Slice or break into 2–3 cm pieces. Aim for 50–100 g of dry root.
Ensure complete dryness. Roots must be fully dry to prevent fermentation rather than infusion. Sun-dry for half a day if there is any moisture.
Choose raw honey. Raw, unprocessed honey retains its own bioactive compounds. Heat-treated commercial honey loses these. Malaysian Tualang honey or any good raw local honey is preferred.
Layer and submerge. Place root pieces in a clean glass jar. Pour honey to completely submerge all pieces, leaving 2–3 cm of honey above the roots. Press down gently — roots may float initially.
Seal and wait — minimum 3 to 4 weeks. Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. Optimal at 4 to 8 weeks. Stir or invert the jar every few days. The honey will thin slightly as it draws moisture from the roots.
Consume: one teaspoon daily in warm water or directly, preferably morning or before physical activity. Root pieces can be chewed or discarded after the first 4-week period. Properly sealed, the preparation keeps 6–12 months.
Why Alcohol Extracts What Water Cannot
Alcohol has been used medicinally in China for over 5,000 years — its use recorded in prescriptions 2,000 years ago in the first classical TCM texts. Li Shizhen devoted a substantial section of the Ben Cao Gang Mu to over 60 medicinal wines, describing rice wine as “the finest gift of heaven.” TCM principle: “Wine enters the Qi system, removes accumulated coldness, and strengthens blood-invigorating effects.”
The modern explanation: alcohol is a superior extraction solvent for many therapeutically important plant compounds. Unlike water — which captures primarily water-soluble compounds — ethanol extracts a much broader spectrum: alkaloids, triterpenes, and fat-soluble constituents that water cannot access. For Rubiaceae-family plants like Jackiopsis ornata, an ethanol-based extraction is likely to capture a more complete pharmacological profile than decoction alone. Research consistently shows that ethanol-water binary solvents extract a higher concentration range of bioactive molecules than single solvents. Alcohol extracts also bypass first-pass liver metabolism more efficiently — compounds absorb sublingually and through the gastric mucosa.
Sources: Frontiers in Nutrition — Water vs Ethanol Extraction Comparison (2023) · Classical Chinese Medicine — Alcohol Use in TCM Formulas
🍶 Wine & Liquor Infusion — Step by Step
Two options depending on what is available. Rice wine for the traditional method; spirits for a stronger extraction.
Choose your wine. Chinese yellow rice wine (Huang Jiu, 10–20% ABV) such as Shaoxing wine. Below 15% alcohol may not adequately extract alkaloid fractions.
Root ratio. 30–50 g of dried small-end root per 500 ml of wine. Slice into small pieces to maximise surface area.
Macerate 2–4 weeks minimum in a sealed glass jar, stored in a cool dark place. Shake every 2–3 days. The wine deepens from golden to amber to reddish-brown as bark compounds infuse.
Dose: 30–60 ml once daily before a meal, morning or early evening. Filter after 4 weeks if desired. The roots can produce a second lighter infusion.
Choose your spirit. Chinese Baijiu (35–55% ABV), rice spirit, brandy, or vodka. The Malaysian Chinese community commonly uses locally available rice spirit or brandy.
Lower root ratio. 20–30 g per 500 ml. Higher alcohol is a stronger solvent — start conservatively. Too much root in high-alcohol produces very potent preparations.
Macerate 4–8 weeks. Spirits extract more completely but more slowly. Optimal at 6–8 weeks for spirit-based preparations.
Dose: 15–30 ml once daily, diluted in water if preferred. This is a tonic preparation, not a casual drink. Some practitioners add a spoonful of raw honey directly into the preparation — combining both methods’ advantages.
The Evidence: Promising, Early, and Honest
Jackiopsis ornata is severely understudied compared to Eurycoma longifolia (Yellow Tongkat Ali). What exists is preliminary — animal studies and traditional documentation, not randomised controlled trials in humans. This is the honest position, and it needs to be stated clearly before the numbers.
Versus Yellow Tongkat Ali’s 6.25 nmol/L and a control of 4.08 nmol/L. Single animal study — not human clinical data.
Family-level phytochemical profile: anthraquinones, indole alkaloids, triterpenes, iridoids — documented anti-inflammatory and vitality-supporting properties.
The TCM Yao Jiu (药酒) tradition is the longest-running herbal preparation tradition in human history. The method has been continuously refined across millennia.
A Real Signal — And What It Means Honestly
A study published in the Malaysian Journal of Science (Vejayan et al., 2020) tested both Eurycoma longifolia and Jackiopsis ornata on domestic fowls administered orally for 30 days. Parameters included sexual mating behaviour, blood testosterone levels, and testicular histology.
Jackiopsis ornata produced testosterone levels of 7.7 ± 0.59 nmol/L — compared to Eurycoma longifolia’s 6.25 ± 0.70 nmol/L and the control group’s 4.08 ± 0.85 nmol/L. Both plants stimulated sexual arousal behaviours.
This is a single animal study. It does not translate directly to human clinical outcomes. The mechanisms in humans — whether via direct hormonal action, gut-endocrine pathway, or other routes — have not been formally studied in clinical trials for Jackiopsis ornata. What it confirms: the traditional use is not pharmacologically implausible. There is a measurable biological signal worth investigating. That is the honest position.
Source: Vejayan J et al. Tongkat ali plants of Eurycoma longifolia and Stema tuberosa stimulate sexual arousal in domestic cocks. Malaysian Journal of Science. 2020;39(1):1–14.
Why Family Chemistry Matters When Species Data Is Sparse
Jackiopsis ornata belongs to Rubiaceae subfamily Ixoroideae — the same as Morinda (Mengkudu/Noni) and Rubia. A 2015 comprehensive review documented that Rubiaceae species are characterised by iridoids, anthraquinones, indole alkaloids, and triterpenes as their dominant bioactive compound classes — with documented anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, antioxidant, and reproductive-support properties across the family.
Anthraquinones from Rubiaceae roots have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity via NF-κB and COX-2 pathways. Indole alkaloids from this family have documented CNS and circulatory effects. Iridoids carry antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The traditional use of Red Tongkat Ali for joint pain, back pain, energy, and sexual vitality is consistent with what the Rubiaceae family’s pharmacological profile predicts. No specific phytochemical documentation exists yet for Jackiopsis ornata — this is a gap in the literature, not evidence of absence.
Sources: El-Seedi HR et al. Secondary Metabolites from Rubiaceae Species. PMC6331836. Molecules. 2015. · Anthraquinones with Antiplasmodial Activity from Rennellia elliptica Korth (Rubiaceae). PMC6259154. 2018.
Common Claims, Honest Verdicts
“Red Tongkat Ali is just cheaper, inferior Yellow Tongkat Ali.”
These are entirely different species from different plant families with different mechanisms and different traditional applications. Red is not a lesser version of Yellow — it is a different plant entirely. The shared marketing name is a commercial convenience, not a botanical relationship. Comparing them by Yellow’s evidence base — or expecting Red to replicate Yellow’s effects — misunderstands both plants completely.
“Small roots are more potent than large roots.”
Bark tissue contains significantly higher concentrations of active compounds than heartwood, and smaller-diameter roots have a proportionally higher bark-to-heartwood ratio. This has been demonstrated in peer-reviewed medicinal root research. The traditional preference for small root tips — used across Orang Asli, Malay, and Chinese herbal traditions — is pharmacologically sound, not superstition.
“Honey and wine preparations work better than just eating the root dry.”
Alcohol extracts alkaloids, triterpenes, and fat-soluble compounds that water-based preparation cannot adequately access. Honey processing increases active compound concentrations and oral bioavailability. Both methods represent genuine pharmacological enhancement — not tradition for tradition’s sake. The Chinese community’s preparation methods align with what extraction chemistry would recommend for Rubiaceae-family root compounds.
“Red Tongkat Ali is a proven aphrodisiac for men.”
The traditional reputation is long-established and the preliminary animal evidence is consistent with it. One animal study showed testosterone elevation surpassing Yellow Tongkat Ali. Traditional use across multiple ethnic communities over many generations suggests a real signal. However, there are no published human clinical trials on Jackiopsis ornata for sexual function. Honest verdict: a biologically plausible signal, not proven clinical evidence.
“You can take Red Tongkat Ali continuously without any breaks.”
The Orang Asli practised rotation — not continuous use of any single root. The principle of allowing the body to integrate a herb and the endocrine system to maintain its own regulation applies here as much as to Yellow Tongkat Ali. Recommended practice: four to six weeks on, one to two weeks off. Continuous use of any tonic root without breaks goes against both traditional wisdom and physiological common sense.
“It’s natural, so it’s safe for everyone.”
Natural does not mean universally safe. Alcohol preparations are not suitable for those who avoid alcohol for health, religious, or medication reasons. Honey preparations contain significant sugar. Those on anticoagulants, hormone therapy, or with liver or kidney conditions must consult a doctor before use. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid these preparations. The absence of widespread adverse events in the traditional record does not guarantee safety for every individual.
No human clinical trials exist: All evidence on Jackiopsis ornata’s aphrodisiac and vitality effects comes from a single animal study and centuries of traditional documentation. The biological signal is there. The human clinical proof is not.
No published phytochemistry for this species: The compound profile of Jackiopsis ornata has not been formally documented in peer-reviewed literature. Family-level chemistry (Rubiaceae) predicts what is likely present. Species-level confirmation is the gap.
Preparation concentrations vary: The honey and wine preparations described are traditional-scale preparations. The concentration of active compounds in a home preparation is not comparable to a pharmaceutical extract or a clinical study dose. Traditional consistency over weeks and months — not single servings — is how these preparations were historically used.
Ask your doctor: If you have existing health conditions or take any medication, bring this information to your next appointment. The full article — including the questions to ask — is at AJHerbs.com. Partial information in a short format is exactly the wrong default.
References & Sources ↓
- Vejayan J, Yahya YAC, Chakravarthi S, et al. Tongkat ali plants of Eurycoma longifolia and Stema tuberosa stimulate sexual arousal in domestic cocks. Malaysian Journal of Science. 2020;39(1):1–14.
- GlobinMed. Jackiopsis ornata L. GlobinMed Medicinal Herbs Database. 2021. globinmed.com/medicinal_herbs/jackiopsis-ornata-l/
- Razafimandimbison SG, et al. Molecular support for a basal grade of monotypic genera in the species-rich Vanguerieae alliance (Rubiaceae). Taxon. 2011;60(4):941–952.
- Effects of Physical Properties and Processing Methods on Astragaloside IV and Flavonoids in Astragali radix. PMC8778167. 2022.
- El-Seedi HR, et al. Secondary Metabolites from Rubiaceae Species. PMC6331836. Molecules. 2015.
- Anthraquinones with Antiplasmodial Activity from Rennellia elliptica Korth. (Rubiaceae). PMC6259154. Molecules. 2018.
- Burkill IH. A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Vol. II. Crown Agents, London; 1935. p.1263.
- Li Shizhen. Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica). 1596.
- Tang W, et al. The extraordinary transformation of TCM: processing with liquid excipients. PMC8641677. Pharmaceutical Biology. 2020.
- Frontiers in Nutrition. New insights of water or ethanol-water plant extract rich in active compounds. 2023. doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1118761
- AIP Conference Proceedings. The importance of the lesser-known Tongkat Ali plants. 2025;3275(1):020008.
- National University of Health Sciences. Chinese Herbal Wines. NUHS; 2024. nuhs.edu/chinese-herbal-wines/