Medicinal plants of Sabah (North Borneo): Lest we forget

Carynn Tanbuda and Mazdida Sulaiman and Yong, Pauline Pau Lin and Nor Azizun Rusdi and Jaya Sathiya Seelan and Ng, Shean Yeaw and Fiffy Hasnidah Saikim and Mogana Rajagopal and Pang, Tze Ping Nicholas and Melanie Martos Garcia and Jhonnel Villegas and Shari Jeffrih and Veeranoot Nissapatorn and Mark S. Butlerj and Christophe Wiart (2025) Medicinal plants of Sabah (North Borneo): Lest we forget. Pharmaceutical Biology, 63 (1). pp. 288-332. ISSN 1388-0209

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Abstract

Context: The discovery of plants and bioactive compounds with the potential to become botanical or pharmaceutical drugs remains a cornerstone of drug innovation. Many of these valuable molecules originate from traditional botanical pharmacopeias, repositories of centuries-old knowledge that are often underappreciated in modern research. Objective: This review highlights the medicinal plants identified in Sabah from 1922 to 2024, analyzing their taxonomical distribution, uses, utilization among ethnic groups, and their potential for clinical uses. Methods: The data for this review were gathered from Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, PubMed, the Internet Archive, and Google Books. A keyword combination of “Medicinal” and “Plants” and “Sabah” yielded 21,700 results. Each result was examined, and articles that did not contain information relevant to the topic or came from non-peer-reviewed journals were excluded. Each of the remaining 87 selected articles was critically reviewed to extract pertinent information. Results: A review of the available data indicates that 696 plant species are used in Sabah, including 412 angiosperms. These plants are primarily utilized to treat diseases or symptoms related to infections, digestive issues, injuries, and pains. Notably, 156 species employed by local Sabahan Dusunic, Murutic, and Kelabit ethnic groups remain unstudied in terms of their phytochemical and pharmacological properties, highlighting their potential for further investigation. Conclusion: Sabah’s medicinal plants offer tremendous potential for discovering natural products of therapeutic value.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Austronesians, Drug discovery, Ethnopharmacology, Medicinal plants, North Borneo, Sabah
Subjects:	Q Science > QK Botany > QK1-989 Botany R Medicine > RS Pharmacy and materia medica > RS153-441 Materia medica > RS160-167 Pharmacognosy. Pharmaceutical substances (Plant, animal, and inorganic)
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Depositing User:	SITI AZIZAH BINTI IDRIS -
Date Deposited:	08 Aug 2025 15:38
Last Modified:	08 Aug 2025 15:38
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/44798

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