Untitled

Abstract

Mesona palustris, colloquially known as 'Black Cincau', can commonly be found in East and South East Asian regions. Traditionally, M. palustris extracts have been used as herbal drinks to promote vitality and health. With advancements in technology, M. palustris may now be processed into more nutraceutical options, including edible jellies. Studies have also come up with efficient extraction processes to better characterize its chemical constituents. Containing phenolic compounds like flavonoid and tannins, M. palustris has recently been reported to yield many exciting pre-clinical observations that are comparable to bioactive metabolites found in plants from the same genus, including Mesona procumbens and Mesona chinensis, alongside unrelated herbaceous plant species which have been utilized as natural remedy options. Thus, this review discusses the recently observed pre-clinical applications of M. palustris by highlighting its ability in promoting antidiabetic, anticancer, and antihypertensive properties, which are closely tied to its antioxidative nature. Given the developing nature of M. palustris utilization in pre-clinical and possibly clinical research, more thorough characterization, pharmacological, and molecular studies should be conducted not only to avoid adverse risks or derogatory interactions with existing drugs, but also to properly direct its use as a nutraceutical agent for specific indications

Functionality and Health-Promoting Properties of Polysaccharide and Plant-Derived Substances from Mesona chinensis

“…The plant has local names in different countries. For example, in China and Taiwan (China), it is Hsian-tsao or Liangfen Cao; in Indonesia and Malaysia, it is black cincau; in Vietnam, it is Suong Sao; and in Thailand it is Chao Kuay [8][9][10][11]. This perennial herb grows 15-100 cm high and its stem is covered with soft hair.…”