Ibrahim Jantan

• BPharm,(Hons), MSc., PhD.
• Professor at National University of Malaysia

Propolis, a functional food ingredient, has diverse constituents that give it pharmacological properties. This systematic review aimed to provide a summary of propolis metabolomics studies throughout the past decade. Covidence systematic review platform was used to summarize propolis metabolomics papers from 2014 to 2024 in Scopus, PubMed, and Web...

Viscum album has been employed traditionally to treat various ailments including as add-on therapy for cancer treatment. V. album formulations have been employed as adjuvants in cancer treatment due to their immunomodulatory activities as well as to alleviate the side effects of conventional cancer therapies. The present review provides updated inf...

Citrus hystrix essential oil (CHEO) have shown various pharmacological properties including antibacterial activity. This EO also possessed antibacterial effect against foodborne pathogens. There is less information available about the synergy interaction between CHEO and tetracycline, as well as their mechanism of action. Therefore, this study was...

Background Syringin, a phenylpropanoid glycoside, has exhibited numerous biological properties including inhibitory activities against various immune and inflammatory disorders. In this study, syringin isolated from Tinospora crispa was evaluated for its ability to down-regulate activated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF‐κB), phosphoinositide-3-kinase-Ak...

Background Phyllanthus amarus exhibited immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects in several in vitro and in vivo studies. However, there is no report on the inhibitory effects of its secondary metabolites on pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion from human THP-1-derived macrophages. Background Phyllanthus amarus exhibited immunosuppressive a...

Inflammatory cascades of the dysregulated inflammatory pathways in COVID-19 can cause excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines leading to cytokine storm syndrome (CSS). The molecular cascades involved in the pathways may be targeted for discovery of new anti-inflammatory agents. Many plant extracts have been used clinically...

The anti‐inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities of plant secondary metabolites are due to their diverse mechanisms of action against multifarious molecular targets such as modulation of the complex immune system associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This review discussed and critically analyzed the potent anti‐inflammatory and immunosup...

Eleusine indica (Poaceae) is a perennial grass locally known as 'rumput sambau'. The aerial part of the plant has been used traditionally by the local people of Kadazandusun to treat ailments related to inflammation and immune-associated disorders. Previous biological activities particularly antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory may suggest...

Oxidative stress is implicated in the initiation, pathogenesis, and progression of various gastric inflammatory diseases (GID). The prevalence of these diseases remains a concern along with the increasing risks of adverse effects in current clinical interventions. Hence, new gastroprotective agents capable of inhibiting oxidative stress by modulati...

Targeting lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/toll-like receptor 4 signaling in mononuclear phagocytes has been explored for the treatment of inflammation and inflammation-related disorders. However, only a few key targets have been translated into clinical applications. Flavonoids, a class of ubiquitous plant secondary metabolites, possess a privileged scaff...

A computational approach to evaluate caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids in Pluchea indica Less. leaves as potential anti-HIV agents [Un enfoque computacional para evaluar los ácidos cafeoilquínicos y los flavonoides de las hojas de Pluchea indica Less. como posibles agentes contra el VIH] Abstract Context: The attachment of human immunodeficiency...

Eugenia aqueum (Burm. F) Alston, which is frequently referred to as a watery rose apple, has demonstrated various biological and pharmacological effects. Bioactive constituents such as phenolics, flavonoids, steroids, and triterpenoids have been identified from the leaves of this plant. However, a comprehensive analysis of its secondary metabolites...

Citrus essential oils (EOs) have shown significant antibacterial activity. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the peel oils of Citrus microcarpa and C. x amblycarpa against E. coli. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) were determined by using the broth microdilution assay. The checkerboard method was u...

Zingiber and Alpinia species (family: Zingiberaceae) are popularly used in food as spices and flavoring agents and in ethnomedicine to heal numerous diseases, including immune-related disorders. However, their ethnomedicinal uses have not been sufficiently supported by scientific investigations. Numerous studies on the modulating effects of plants...

Foodborne pathogens may cause foodborne illness, which is among the major health problems worldwide. Since the therapeutic options for the treatment of the disease are becoming limited as a result of antibacterial resistance, there is an increasing interest to search for new alternatives of antibacterial. Bioactive essential oils from Curcuma sp be...

Hypophyllanthin is a major lignan present in various Phyllanthus species and has been used as one of the bioactive chemical markers for quality control purposes as it contributes to their diverse pharmacological activities. The objective of this study is to compile up-to-date data on the pharmacological actions and mechanisms of hypophyllanthin. Th...

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are sporadic maladies that affect patients’ lives with progressive neurological disabilities and reduced quality of life. Neuroinflammation and oxidative reaction are among the pivotal factors for neurodegenerative conditions, contributing to the progression of NDs, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s dise...

Background Annona muricata L. (Annonaceae) (AM) 's remarkable anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities make it a targeted plant to be explored for its immunomodulatory properties. Traditional practitioners have employed various components of AM to cure a variety of ailments, including cancer, diabetes, and inflammation. Objective The present s...

Cancers such as breast, colon, and lung cancers are among the leading causes of death with alarming increases in the number of new diagnoses and mortality rates. The non-specific toxicity limits current standard chemotherapeutic drugs, leading to severe and long-lasting side effects. New chemotherapeutic agents are urgently needed to address this w...

The worldwide spreading of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has posed a serious threat to health, economic, environmental, and social aspects of human lives. Currently, there are no approved treatments that can effectively block the virus although several existing antimalarial and antiviral agents have been repurposed an...

Tinospora crispa (L.) Hook. f. & Thomson (Menispermaceae) is a plant indigenous to Africa and South-East Asia. It is widely used in ethnomedicine to alleviate various diseases including hypertension, diabetes, rheumatism, jaundice, inflammation, fever, fractures, scabies, and urinary disorders. A total of 167 phytoconstituents, belonging to 12 diff...

Magnoflorine shows a diverse range of pharmacological actions, including immunomodulatory, antioxidant and neuropharmacological activities. However, its effects on the immune responses in animal studies have not been reported. In this study, magnoflorine isolated from Tinospora crispa, at doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg was administered to male Balb/...

Previous studies have shown that the extracts of Curcuma mangga Valeton & Zijp rhizomes and Picria fel-terrae Lour. leaves could modulate cellular- and humoral-mediated immunity in macrophages and animal models. In the present study, the immunomodulatory effects of combined ethanol extracts of C. mangga rhizomes and P. fel-terrae leaves were invest...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Gynura procumbens (Lour.) Merr. is a herbaceous plant that grows in Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia. The herb is consumed as a remedy for various inflammatory-associated diseases, such as cancer, rheumatism, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia. Scientific studies demonstrate that G. procumben...

Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is an endogenous protein involved in the control of proliferation, cell cycle, phagocytosis, and apoptosis in several types of cancer. To investigate the effects of ANXA1 knockdown in leukemia cells, transfection with specific ANXA1 siRNA was performed. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed using flow cytometry and a mechanism i...

Medicinally important plant-foods offer a balanced immune function, which is essential for protecting the body against antigenic invasion, mainly by microorganisms. immunomodulators play pivotal roles in supporting immune function either suppressing or stimulating the immune system's response to invading pathogens. Among different immunomodulators,...

Natural products from plants were extracted and widely studied for their activities against many disease conditions. The selection of the extracting solvent is crucial to develop selective and effective methods for the extraction and isolation of target compounds in the plant matrices. Pharmacological properties of plant extracts and their bioactiv...

The progression of atherosclerosis is currently believed to involve the interaction of monocytes with the vascular endothelium. This process is predominantly mediated by cellular adhesion molecules, which are expressed on the vascular endothelium and on circulating leukocytes in response to several inflammatory stimuli. Christia vespertilionis (CV)...

Curcuma species (family: Zingiberaceae) are widely utilized in traditional medicine to treat diverse immune-related disorders. There have been many scientific studies on their immunomodulating effects to support their ethnopharmacological uses. In this review, the efficacy of six Curcuma species, namely, C. longa L., C. zanthorrhiza Roxb., C. mangg...

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common inflammatory condition of the nasal mucosa and it is an immunoglobulin E–mediated disease. The incidence and prevalence of AR globally have been escalating over recent years. Antihistamines, intranasal corticosteroids, decongestants, intranasal anticholinergics, intranasal cromolyn, leukotriene receptor antagonist...

The high failure rate of the reductionist approach to discover effective and safe drugs to treat chronic inflammatory diseases has led scientists to seek alternative ways. Recently, targeting cell signaling pathways has been utilized as an innovative approach to discover drug leads from natural products. Cell signaling mechanisms have been identifi...

Chemical constituents and biological activities of the Mitrella kentii leaf oil were investigated in this study. Gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used to determine the chemical constituents of the oil. The oil was evaluated for its ability to inhibit prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) prod...

Sinensetin, a plant-derived polymethoxylated flavonoid found in Orthosiphon aristatus var. aristatus and several citrus fruits, has been found to possess strong anticancer activities and a variety of other pharmacological benefits and promising potency in intended activities with minimal toxicity. This review aims to compile an up-to-date reports o...

Context Gynura procumbens (Lour.) Merr. (Asteraceae) has been reported to have various pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory effects. Objective This study sought to determine whether Gynura procumbens (GP) could improve vascular reactivity by suppressing inflammation in postmenopausal rats fed with five-times heated palm oil (5HPO...

There are increasing number of reports on Candida albicans developing resistance to available anti-fungal drugs. Thus, there is an urgent need to discover new agents for treatment of candidiasis. The alcoholic extracts of Orthoshipon aristatus have been shown to exhibit antifungal activity against C. albicans by using the agar diffusion and broth m...

Background: Phytoestrogens are polyphenolic plant compounds which are structurally similar to the endogenous mammalian estrogen, 17β-estradiol. Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is an endogenous protein which inhibits cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2) and phospholipase A2, signal transduction, DNA replication, cell transformation, and mediation of apoptosis. Objective:...

Background: Gynura species have been used traditionally to treat various ailments, such as fever, pain, and to control blood glucose level. This systematic review critically discusses studies regarding Gynura species that exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, thus providing perspectives and instructions for future research of the pla...

Context: One of the hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases is dysregulation of microglia resulting in neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is related to multiple neurodegenerative disorders, including stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Ellagic acid (EA) possesses antiapoptotic activity, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It is most common...

Background: Immunomodulatory effects of Tinospora crispa have been investigated due to its traditional use to treat several inflammatory disorders associated to the immune system. The present study reports the underlying mechanisms involved in the stimulation of 80% ethanol extract of T. crispa stems on pro-inflammatory mediators release in lipopol...

Background: Phyllanthus amarus has been shown to attenuate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced peripheral inflammation but similar studies in the central nervous system are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of 80% ethanol extract of P. amarus (EPA) in LPS-activated BV2 microglial cells. Methods: BV2...

Background The anticancer effects of Phyllanthus amarus extract on various cancer cells have been investigated, however, effect of its major constituents on HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells has not been reported. Objective In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxic effect of 80% ethanol extract of P. amarus and its marker constituents...

The causal and functional connection between inflammation and cancer has become a subject of much research interest. Modulation of cell signaling pathways, such as those involving mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs), nuclear factor kappa β (NF-κB), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), and Wnt, and their outcomes play...

Background: Zingiber zerumbet rhizome and its bioactive metabolites have previously been reported to exhibit innumerable pharmacological properties particularly anti-inflammatory activities. In the present study, the 80% ethanol extract, essential oil and zerumbone of Z. zerumbet rhizomes were explored for their in vitro immunosuppressive properti...

Benalu batu (Begonia sp.) had been used traditionally as an anticancer medicinal plant by Wana tribe in Morowali, Central Sulawesi, This study aims to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of 2-O-β-glucopyranosil cucurbitacin D, isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of Benalu batu (Begonia sp.) and to determine its action on apoptosis inductio...

Gynura procumbens (Lour.) Merr. (GP) has been reported in previous studies to possess antihyperlipidaemic, antioxidative, and cardioprotective properties. This study was aimed to determine the effect of standardised 80% ethanol extract of GP on lipid profiles and oxidative status of hypercholesterolemic rats. Postmenopausal (PM) Sprague-Dawley rats...

The inhibitory effects of Mitrella kentii leaf and stem extracts on the production prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and antagonist effect on platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor binding were evaluated. The inhibition of PGE2 and TXB2 productions were determined using the radioimmunoassay technique, and the inhibitory effect of...

Nitric oxide (NO) overproduction by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) may be associated with acute and chronic inflammations. Macrophages as important cells in the innate immune system are able to be stimulated and can lead to iNOS activation and excessive NO production. Gynura procumbens is a medicinal plant traditionally used in treating var...

Phyllanthus amarus Schumach. and Thonn. is a wide spread medicinal herb with various traditional uses. It is well documented for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activities. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the 80% ethanol extract of Phyllanthus amarus (PA) on spatial memory using the 8-radial arm maze (8-RAM) in mic...

Phyllanthus species (family; Euphorbiaceae) have been intensively studied for their immunomodulating effects due to their wide-ranging uses to treat immune-related diseases in indigenous medicine, which are primarily lack of scientific basis. The focuses of this review are on the significance of Phyllanthus species and their bioactive metabolites p...

Phyllanthus amarus is commonly used in traditional medicine, and the major lignins of the plant, namely, phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin, have been reported to possess hepatoprotective activity. However, phyllanthin exhibits low oral bioavailability and requires a large quantity of herbal extract for a longer duration of treatment, limiting the cli...

Objective To investigate the immunosuppressive effects of ethyl 8‐hydroxy‐8‐methyl‐tridecanoate, 1‐triacontanol, phyltetralin and 1,7,8‐trihydroxy 2‐naphtaldehyde isolated from Phyllanthus amarus Schumach. & Thonn. on chemotaxis, oxidative burst, CD18 complex expression and phagocytosis ability of human leucocytes. Methods Polymorphonuclear neutro...

The search of novel mPGES-1 inhibitors has recently intensified probably due to the superior safety in comparison to existing anti-inflammatory drugs. Although two mPGES-1 inhibitors have entered clinical trials, none has yet reached the market. In this study, we performed modifications guided by 3D-QSAR CoMFA on 2, which is an unsymmetrical curcum...

Zerumbone exhibited various biological properties including in vitro immunosuppressive effects. However, its modulatory activity on the immune responses in experimental animal model is largely unknown. This investigation was conducted to explore the effects of daily treatment of zerumbone (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) isolated from Zingiber zerumbet rhiz...

Background: Phyllanthus amarus (PA) is widely studied for its hepatoprotective properties but has recently received increasing attention due to its diverse anti-inflammatory effects. However, the effects of PA in modulating immune responses in the central nervous system leading to protection against functional changes remain unexplored. Therefore,...

Background: Phyllanthus amarus (PA) is widely studied for its hepatoprotective properties but has recently received increasing attention due to its diverse anti-inflammatory effects. However, the effects of PA in modulating immune responses in the central nervous system leading to protection against functional changes remain unexplored. Therefore,...

Background 3,5-Bis[4-(diethoxymethyl)benzylidene]-1-methyl-piperidin-4-one (BBP), a novel synthetic curcumin analogue has been revealed to possess strong in vitro and in vivo immunosuppressive effects. Purpose The aim of present study was to prepare and characterize BBP-encapsulated polylactic-co-glycolic acid-block-polyethylene glycol (PLGA-b-PEG...

Many Premna species have been used in traditional medicine to treat hypertension and cardiac insufficiency, and as a tonic for cardiac-related problems. Some have been reported to possess cardiovascular protective activity through several possible mechanisms, but not Premna foetida. In the present study, the methanol extract of P. foetida leaves (P...

The LC-MS analysis is one of the powerful tools to analyze the metabolites in a sample. The MS/MS experiment provides invaluable information to identify the metabolites by looking at the fragmentation pattern. Premna foetida (bebuas) from Lamiaceae family has been used as “ulam” by local people in Malaysia which indirectly benefited the health in g...

Atherosclerosis is a degenerative disease on cardiovascular system due to chronic immune-inflammatory condition that accelerated by lipids, especially oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL). Reducing the amount of oxLDL is one of useful approaches to prevent or delay atherosclerotic progression. Our present study aimed to evaluate the inhibition...

Recent studies suggest that annexin A1 (ANXA1) promotes apoptosis in cancerous cells. This study aims to investigate the effects of ANXA1 on apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in K562, Jurkat and U937 cells and peripheral blood mononu-clear cells (PBMC). Cells were treated with ANXA1 and cyclophosphamide prior to flow cytometry analysis for apoptosis...

Zingiber zerumbet rhizome has been used in traditional medicine mainly for the treatment of various immune‐inflammatory related ailments and has been shown to exhibit a wide spectrum of biological effects especially antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities. The present study was aimed to investigate the immunosuppressive effects of the standard...

Soft corals (Octocorallia, Alcyonaceae) have been reported to possess diverse biological activities and unique structural chemistry. This study aims to screen the potential antibacterial and anticancer activity of some soft corals collected from Togean Islands, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. They were Lobophytum sp, Sarcophyton sp, Sinularia sp 1, an...

Background: Standardized extract of Phyllanthus amarus has been shown to possess inhibitory effects on cellular and humoral immune responses in Wistar-Kyoto rats and Balb/c mice. Objective: In the present study, the standardized extract of P. amarus was investigated for its suppressive effects on type II collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis (TC...

Phyllanthin, a lignan from Phyllanthus species, has been reported to possess potent immunosuppressive properties on immune cells and on adaptive and innate immune responses in animal models. Herein, we investigated the inhibitory effects of phyllanthin isolated from Phyllanthus amarus on nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB), mitogen‐activated protein kin...

Background: Zingiber zerumbet rhizome has been used as spices and in traditional medicine to heal various immune-inflammatory related ailments. Although the plant was reported to have potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties by several studies, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects have not been well justified. Purpose: T...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00655.].

Background: Dendritic cells (DCs) are unique antigen presenting cells (APC) which play a pivotal role in immunotherapy and induction of an effective immune response against tumors. In the present study, 80% ethanol extract of Phyllanthus amarus was used to generate tumor lysate (TLY) derived from HCT 116 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines via induction o...

Context: Marine sponges (Porifera: Demospongia) have astonishing structural diversity and broad biological activities. Aims: To evaluate the antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of five sponges collected off the coast of Togean Islands, Indonesia, identified as Spheciospongia inconstan, Melophlus sarasironum, Oceanapia amboinensis, Biemna sp and...

Hsp90 is an ATP-dependent molecular chaperone that assists folding and conformational maturation/maintenance of many proteins. It is a potential cancer drug target because it chaperones oncoproteins. A prokaryotic homolog of Hsp90 (HtpG) is essential for thermotolerance in some bacteria and virulence of zoonotic pathogens. To identify a new class o...

Background: Phyllanthus amarus has been used widely in various traditional medicines to treat swelling, sores, jaundice, inflammatory diseases, kidney disorders, diabetes and viral hepatitis, while its pharmacological and biochemical mechanisms underlying its anti-inflammatory properties have not been well investigated. The present study was carri...

Atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke. The pathophysiology of atherosclerosis includes oxidative stress and inflammation. Gynura procumbens (Asteraceae) or Sambung Nyawa is an edible plant that has been used traditionally to treat various ailments such as pain, fever, rheumati...

Background: 3,5-Bis[4-(diethoxymethyl)benzylidene]-1-methyl-piperidin-4-one (BBP), a novel synthetic curcumin analogue has previously been shown to manifest potent immunosuppressive effects on the in vitro phagocytosis process of human neutrophils. Objective: In the present study, BBP was investigated for its in vivo innate and adaptive immune r...

The use of anti-inflammatory natural products to treat inflammatory disorders for cancer prevention and therapy is an appealing area of interest in the last decades. Annona muricata L. is one of the many plant extracts that have been explored owing to their anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. Different parts of A. muricata especially the leav...

Magnoflorine, a major bioactive metabolite isolated from Tinospora crispa, has been reported for its diverse biochemical and pharmacological properties. However, there is little report on its underlying mechanisms of action on immune responses, particularly on macrophage activation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of magnoflorine...

Hypophyllanthin (HYP) and niranthin (NIR) are major lignans in Phyllanthus spp. and have been shown to possess strong anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects and the underlying molecular mechanisms of HYP and NIR in in vitro cellular model of LPS-induced U937 macrophages. The effects of HYP and NIR o...

Objectives To investigate the effects of flavonoids isolated from Artocarpus heterophyllus. heartwood on chemotaxis, phagocytosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity of human phagocytes. Methods Chemotaxis was evaluated using a modified Boyden chamber and phagocytosis was determined by flowcytometer. Respir...

The in vivo immunomodulatory activities of Tinospora crispa have been reported but its molecular mechanisms underlying its immunomodulatory properties remains obscure and the active constituents contributing to the activities have not been identified. The present study was aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of T. crispa extract (TCE)...