Abstract
Indonesia’s mindset has been focusing on the use of natural medicines, food, and healing practices widely recognized by the nation’s culture. Traditional medicines and herbs used in traditional medicine can often lead to the discovery of drugs against certain diseases. The aim of this review was to study evidence-based data on the importance of Sembung plant, Blumea balsamifera, as a potential traditional medicine. The distribution, ethnopharmacology, secondary metabolites, and bioactivity against several diseases are focused in this review. Information and research related to Sembung plant were searched using the terms “B. balsamifera,” “phytochemicals,” and “pharmacological activity” on ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, and scientific information-based databases up to 2020. Several ethnomedical articles recommend B. balsamifera for the treatment of sinusitis, colic pain, cough, kidney stones, flu, or as a diuretic. This knowledge has already been applied in several countries in Southeast Asia. B. balsamifera has been reported to contain several phytochemicals both volatile (terpenoids, fatty acids, phenols, alcohol, aldehydes, ethers, ketones, pyridines, furans, and alkanes) and non-volatile (flavonoids, flavanones, and chalcones). Extracts and phytochemicals of B. balsamifera contain several biological capacities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, anti-infertility, hepatoprotective activity, antidiabetic, gastroprotective, antitumor, anticancer, and immunomodulatory agent against Coronavirus disease-19 infection. This review provides essential data for the potential application of B. balsamifera as a nutraceutical or in future medicinal preparations.
Highlights
Indonesia has enormous potential for the development of herbal medicines and traditional medicinal preparations that have been already traditionally used to treat various diseases [1]
Information and research related to Sembung plant were searched using the terms “B. balsamifera,” “phytochemicals,” and “pharmacological activity” on ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, and scientific information-based databases up to 2020
LPS‐induced mice and its mice activity was examined by. These results indicate the bioactive measuring the release of NO compounds isolated from B. balsamifera in microglial BV‐2 cells of have the potential to be developed as mice neuro‐inflammatory agents
Summary
Indonesia has enormous potential for the development of herbal medicines and traditional medicinal preparations that have been already traditionally used to treat various diseases [1]. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated Asia, such as China, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, have used the Sembung plant as a traditional medicine [7]. The essential oil obtained from B. balsamifera leaves was reported to have the following terpenoids: 1,8-cineole (20.98%), borneol (11.99%), β-caryophyllene (10.38%), camphor (8.06%), 4-terpineol (6.49%), α-terpineol (5.91%), and caryophyllene oxide (5.35%) These compounds are widely used as fumigants or volatile agents to kill insect pests, nematodes, and other pests [60]. A total of 27 compounds were identified using ultra-HPLC, including 16 flavonoid aglucagons, five flavonoid glycosides, five chlorogenic acid analogs, and one coumarin [22] Various experimental studies both in vitro and in vivo have reported the pharmacological activities of B. balsamifera, such as antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipidemic.
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