Systematic Review: Six Indonesian Medicinal Plants for Cardiometabolic Disorders
A systematic review conducted per PRISMA guidelines examined the pharmacological activities and safety of six ethnobotanically prioritized Indonesian medicinal plants for cardiometabolic disease: Gynura procumbens, Mimosa pudica, Tithonia diversifolia, Leucaena leucocephala, Smallanthus sonchifolius, and Syzygium cumini. Of 81 records, 66 studies met the eligibility criteria, comprising in silico, in vitro, in vivo/clinical, and safety/toxicity evidence. The authors highlight the need for standardized, mechanistically validated, and clinically oriented research before therapeutic translation.
1. What the Research Says
The review evaluates 66 studies on six plant species, mostly mechanistic and preclinical work. The authors point to substantial heterogeneity in extraction methods and preparations, the general lack of standardized extracts, and the absence of a meta-analysis; the work therefore does not provide robust clinical evidence of benefit in humans.
2. How It Fits Earlier Research
Earlier reviews of Syzygium cumini and of Indonesian medicinal plants for metabolic disorders reach the same conclusion: effects are described mainly in laboratory and animal work, while controlled studies in humans are still awaited. The clinical trials of jambolan tea, which found no blood glucose effect in people, fit this picture. A critical review of some fruit trees from the Myrtaceae family as promising sources for food applications wit (2020) · Syzygium cumini (L.) skeels: a prominent source of bioactive molecules against cardiometabolic diseases. (2015) · Syzygium cumini (L.) SKEELS (Myrtaceae) against diabetes--125 years of research. (2008)
3. Source
Every statement on this page carries its evidence tier — proven, plausible or hypothesis — and leads to the original work. The decision in the individual case rests with the practitioner; we provide the connections.