Labisia pumila (Myrsinaceae), popularly known as "Kacip Fatimah", has been used by many generation of the Malay women to induce and facilitate childbirth as well as a post-partum medicine (Burkill, 1935). Three varieties of L. pumila had been identified and found in Malaysia, they are var. alata, var. pumila and var. lanceolata (Stone, 1988). It is imperative to differentiate the three varieties in terms of their physical and chemical characteristics as well as biological activity, in order to determine the proper plant material for use, hence producing quality herbal medicines with proven safety and efficacy.

The current high rate of demand and methods of harvesting medicinal plants, particularly from the wild, for the herbal market has lowered natural population sizes for many species. Even for wild American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), regardless of its historical abundance, in some locations it has been reduced to populations of a few dozen individuals (Van der Voort, 1998). This has made research on the propagation of medicinal plants more urgent than ever.

There is, presently, a great local market demand for Kacip fatimah especially as afterbirth tonics, however, a paucity exists in technical information on plant identification, propagation techniques, agronomy and sivicultural aspects (Jaganath & Ng, 2000).

According to Stone (1988), there exists three varieties of Kf in Malaysia, namely, Labisia pumila var. alata, L. pumila var. pumila and L. pumila var. lanceolata. Each variety commands a different use and thus, it is important to ensure that the right variety is used in each case. Species identification is made difficult by the lack of difference in the leaves and petioles between var. alata and var. pumila. Thus, an efficient method of authentication needs to be developed.

Preliminary studies had been conducted previously on Kf using the agroforestry approach involving intercropping of Kf under rubber and rattan (pers. Comm. Khozirah Shaari). However, the planting of Kf as a monoculture crop has yet to be studied but nonetheless, these studies showed that Kf was best propagated by seeds or root cuttings. The plants thrive best in shady areas and non-waterlogged, humus rich soil.

Kacip Fatimah (KF) has also been used by the indigenous people of the Malay archipelago for menstrual irregularities and post partum. The plants are usually boiled and water soluble extract taken as a drink. Interest has recently been shown in the herbal preparation to determine its mode of action and potential pharmacological application. In the mean time commercial preparations as can drinks have been marketed without knowledge of the mode of action, potential toxicity and side effects. Because it is given to women post-partum, the possibility of it being a phytoestrogen was considered highly likely. An earlier in-vitro study using human endometrial adenocarcinoma cells of the Ishikawa-Var I line showed that the ethanolic extract of the roots of L. pumila var. alata exhibited a weak but specific estrogenic effect on the cells, resulting in enhanced secretion of alkaline phosphatase. Recent studies in the Institute for Medical Research, the water extracts of the KF were able to displace estradiol binding to antibodies raised against estradiol, making it similar to other estrogens such as estrone and estriol.

Binding to estrogen receptors are being investigated. If they were phytoestrogens, the extract should also displace estradiol binding to the estrogen receptors. These phytoestrogens will then have certain effects on the animals depending on whether they are full estrogen agonists, or antagonists, or partial agonists like clomiphene. It is also possible that KF acts as estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS) like Tamoxifen or Raloxifene which is active at certain tissues only. For example, Reloxifene being active only at the bones and lipids and not the breasts and uterus, common target tissues for estrogen action.