From Ethnopharmacology to Clinical Study of Orthosiphon Stamineus Benth

Extensive research has been carried out on Orthosiphon stamineus Benth. (lamiaceae) since the 1930s. This plant is used in several countries (especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar) as traditional medicine. From its ethnobotanical uses the plant is known for several activities. Because of those reasons, O. stamineus is potential to be developed as a new source of drugs. This report comprehensively reviews ethnopharmacological, isolated chemical compounds, pharmacological, toxicological and clinical studies of O. stamineus. Electronic databases (e.g., Pubmed, Scopus, academic journals, Elsevier, Springerlink) were used for searches. Web searches were attempted using Google applying Orthosiphon stamineus, java tea, antihypertensive, sinensetin, methylripariochromene A as keywords. Phytochemical studies reported about 116 compounds that isolated from this plant classified as monoterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, saponins, flavonoids, essential oil and organic acids. Pharmacological studies for whole extract, tincture, selected fraction or pure compounds isolated from this plant showed antioxidant, antitumor, diuretic and nephroprotective, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, antiinflammation, antimicrobial, antiobesity and hepatoprotective. Traditional use of O. stamineus meets its scientific evidence in aspects of phytochemical, pharmacological, toxicological as well as clinical.