It is predominantly a herbal medicine made from natural materials, such as roots, bark, flowers, seeds, leaves and fruits.

In many large cities jamu herbal medicine is sold on the street by hawkers carry a refreshing drink, usually bitter but sweetened with honey or palm sugar.

Herbal medicine is also produced in factories by large companies such as Air Mancur, Djamu Djago or Sido Muncul, and sold at various drug stores in sachet packaging.

Another theory suggests that the word jamu is derived from the ancient Javanese term jampi (Aksara Jawa: ꦗꦩ꧀ꦥꦶ, "magic formula"), referring to the mantras cast by dukuns (the indigenous shamans) to the potion.

Sukoharjo regions, particularly sub-district Nguter,[9] is known as the place of origin of Mbok Jamu gendong herbalist in many big cities, such as Jakarta, Bandung, Bogor, and Surabaya.

The site and relics are dated from Mataram Kingdom era circa 8th to 10th century, which suggest that the herbal medicine tradition of jamu had already taken hold by then.

[11] The bas-reliefs on Borobudur depict images of people grinding something with stone mortar and pestle, drink sellers, physicians and masseuse treating their clients.

The Madhawapura inscription from Majapahit period mentioned a specific profession of herb mixer and combiner (herbalist), called Acaraki.

[15] A comprehensive book on indigenous herbal medicine in the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) was published by Rumphius, who worked in Ambon during early eighteenth century.

[16] During the nineteenth century, European physicians had a keen interest in jamu, as they often did not know how to treat the diseases they encountered in their patients in the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia).

[19] Indonesia—home to highly diversified herbs products—expects domestic sales of herbal and traditional medicine, including food supplements and cosmetics, to expand by 15 percent by 2014 to Rp 15 trillion (US$1.23 billion) compared to 2013, due to its increasingly health-conscious middle-income bracket, according to the Indonesian Herbal and Traditional Medicine Association (Gabungan Pengusaha Jamu/GP Jamu).

[1] Joko admitted that he had consumed the herbal medicine, locally known as temulawak jahe (the mixture of ginger and curcuma) for 17 years which he believed has helped him in his daily activities as well as to repair the liver and digestive functions.

There are a few quasi-health related uses for jamu, for example curiously promoted to enhance sexual pleasure, but also traditionally manage post childbirth trauma.