Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth belongs to the Piperaceae family and has long been used empirically as a traditional medicine by the communities of Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Nigeria, Brazil, and other countries. The herb of P. pellucida has chemical constituents with potential activities such as analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antigout, antihypertensive (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors), antioxidant, and antibacterial, as well as activities such as a sunscreen. Unfortunately, this plant has not been utilized as a source of raw material for herbal medicines commercially. So far, this plant has been considered a weed by local farmers (mainly oil palm plantations in Indonesia). This narrative review aims to comprehensively overview P. pellucida herbs as a potential natural resource for herbal medicine by looking from different perspectives. This review article highlights some perspectives on this herb, including plant description and origins, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology, extraction technique development, and its prospect as an economic natural resource of herbal medicines.
Key words: Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth., Piperaceae, traditional medicine, extraction technique developments
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