Langkawi Gamat

Langkawi people have long believed that gamat has wonderful healing powers. There are many version of stories on how gamat was discovered.

According to a popular version of the folktale, a fisherman named Gamat discovered the healing properties of gamat by chance more than 300 years ago. The fisherman discovered the strange looking sea creature when he was washed to a coral reef after his boat sank. Clinging to a wooden plank, Gamat drifted in the sea for a long time before reaching the reef.

The sharp edges of the coral further bruised his battered body. Gamat then saw this weird sea creature, caught it and ate it raw as he was very hungry. Then, he rubbed the fluid oozing from the creature onto his wounds. Miraculously his wounds healed fast - leaving no signs at all on his body. After been completely healed and got his energy restored, Gamat swam back to the shore.

His survival stories spread like wildfire throughout the island. Since then, Langkawi folks have been taking gamat for healing wounds and restoring energy.

Gamat population in Langkawi has been declining thus forcing gamat ointment manufacturers to depend on supply from Thailand, Indonesia and Sabah. Gamat is not cheap. The price of dried gamat from Thailand costs between RM80 and RM120 per kg. The raw gamat water from Thailand costs about RM100 per barrel. The life gamat (ibu gamat) can cost up to RM100 per kg.

Villagers in Langkawi have been living with this wonder of nature and reeping its benefits. They believed that it is the perfect remedy for cuts, sores and inflammation.

10 years of research that were jointly conducted by University of Malaya, University of Kyoto and University of Nihan, Tokyo, Japan has successfully discovered the active substances and mechanisms of its actions in gamat.

Gamat is a proven efficacy in enhancing the body's resistance towards various diseases, common flu and more problematic aonditions like cholesterol, meumatoid arthritis, diabetes and cancer. This delicate sea creature also contains a cell growth factor, which has the ability to accelerate the regeneration of biological cells, bone, collagen and rejuvenates the skin.