The Vietnamese medicinal and food plant Abelmoschus sagittifolius (Kurz.) Merr., an underestimated resource

Abstract

In Vietnam, "Sam Bo Chinh" [Abelmoschus sagittifolius (Kurz.) Merr., Malvaceae] market has rapidly expanded following the COVID-19 pandemic due to its health benefits. Since the 19th century, its root has been utilized in Traditional Vietnamese Medicine with properties similar to fresh Ginseng, particularly for treating fatigue, neurasthenia, sore throat, and stomach ache. Similar applications of its root are documented in Traditional Chinese Medicine, but leaf and fruit are also employed for detoxification, phlegm expulsion, liver softening, and kidney nourishment. However, further evidence is required to assess its medicinal value and explore additional avenues for development. Articles were searched on PubMed, CNKI, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and VISTA using the four commonly used synonyms as keywords. Duplications and articles on other species were then screened out. Related books, articles, and websites were also discussed. The species has unique characteristics that are distinctive from other Malvaceae species. Traditional Vietnamese and Chinese medicine practitioners describe similar properties of A. sagittifolius root as qi and yin tonifying material. Various traditional Vietnamese formulas and Chinese patents illustrate the values of the root, leaf, or fruit to treat digestive, respiratory, neuropsychological, and genitourinary disorders. Pharmacological research and phytochemical profiles also highlight the ability of A. sagittifolius root to be an adjuvant treatment for post-COVID-19 symptoms with gastric protection, stamina enhancement, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities, and simultaneously, they suggest more potential such as neuroprotection, immunomodulatory and anti-hypertention. Moreover, cultivating and processing techniques are simple. So, A. sagittifolius production can be industrialized and developed into medicines or functional foods. However, the plant is not used in other countries and is not well-studied, so a more rigorous assessment of its phytochemical and pharmacological properties is needed. Its leaf and fruit also have different uses and can be developed and more medicinal potential.