Brief
Entada spiralis, corkscrew vine or locally called Sintok / Beluru is a unique tropical plant found in Malaysia, especially in several states in the North of the Peninsula.The Sintok tree is a type of woody climbing plant from the Fabaceae (bean) family. It climbs on other trees, especially large timber trees.
Botanical Description
Typically, a Sintok tree can reach a height of between 20 and 30 meters and the tree trunk is blackish brown with a diameter of 70 centimeters. The wood of the Sintok tree is reddish brown and smells fragrant like the smell of cloves.
Historical / Cultural Significance
The mature fruit of the Sintok tree turns black and can be used as a natural shampoo, much like its bark. To prepare Sintok water for darkening and shining hair, the bark is pounded flat, soaked in water, and used as a foamy shampoo, while the bark itself doubles as a body scrub.
In traditional Malay practices, bathing with Sintok root bark after menstruation is believed to restore vitality and leave a pleasant fragrance. It is also widely used by shamans and alternative medicine practitioners to rejuvenate the body, especially after prolonged illness.
The boiled roots are used to treat syphilis and venomous bites, while the tree’s antibacterial and antimicrobial properties help with skin issues like freckles, itching, and acne.
Folklore and Cultural Significance
Entada – a southern Indian name applied by van Rheede for the genus of plants that produces giant seeds that float across the Atlantic Ocean to reach northwest Europe.
Spiralis (Latin): spiral, referring to the fruit’s shape.
In Kedah, there is a town called Pekan Sintok where Universiti Utara Malaysia is located, it is believed that this town is named after the Sintok tree that used to be in the area.