Background: The concept of ‘medical pluralism’ has become more popular among scholars in applied health science and prevalent in societies where one medical system alone cannot adequately meet the health care needs of the entire population.Methods: The data collection is focused on the knowledge-belief-practice and the utilization of three medical systems in Kabupaten Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Participants were purposively selected from households with at least one member experienced one of the listed diseases in the questionnaire. The extensive survey using a structured questionnaire has been undertaken to collect data on people’s health care utilization behaviour. The dataset is further analyzed using multivariate analysis through non-canonical correlation, with the analytical data provided by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).Results: With regards to the total utilization by patients, the traditional medical system presents as the dominant medical system in the research area, accounting for 59.3% (n = 419) of total utilization, followed by the modern medical system (33.0%,n = 233), and transitional medical system (7.7%,n = 54). This study identified that village category, illness, illness duration, occupation, belief in traditional medicine, knowledge of modern medicine, accessibility, cost, proximity to the medical service, and insurance have significant (χ² = 0.000) relationship with the utilization of medical systems. The results of the multivariate analysis show that the block of the predisposing socio-demographic factors and the block of the predisposing psycho-social factors correlate strongly with the utilization of medical systems.Conclusions: In general, people in Kabupaten Bandung, West Java, Indonesia seeks treatment from various sources, which in the context of the medical system, consists of the traditional, transitional, and modern medical system; therefore, it adopts the patterns of transcultural health care utilization. In terms of the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of traditional medicine in West Java, the inhabitants of the five research villages were commonly familiar with medicinal plants and speak profoundly about their knowledge of traditional medicine, which in the research area is perceived as accessible, efficacious, affordable and culturally appropriate with Sundanese community.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease easily complicated by tuberculosis (TB) due to impaired function of the innate immune response. The successes of the discovery of immunomodulatory compounds needs to be continued to introduce new insights into the innate immune response. In previous studies, plant compounds of Etlingera rubroloba A.D. Poulsen (E.rubroloba) were demonstrated to have potential as an immunomodulators. This study aims to isolate and identify the structure of the compounds of E.rubroloba fruit that could effectively improve the function of the innate immune response in individuals with DM infected with TB. The isolation and purification of the compounds of the E.rubroloba extract were carried out by radial chromatography (RC) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Identification of the isolated compound structures was determined by measuring the proton (¹H) and carbon (¹³C) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In vitro testing was performed on the immunomodulating activity of the extracts and isolated compounds on DM model macrophages infected with TB antigens. This study succeeded at isolating and identifying the structures of two isolate compounds, namely Sinaphyl alcohol diacetat (BER-1), and Ergosterol peroxide (BER-6). The two isolates were more effective as immunomodulators than the positive controls were, which differed significantly (* p < 0.05) at the reducing interleukin-12 (IL-12) levels and Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2) protein expression and increasing the human leucocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) protein expression in DM infected with TB. The isolated compound was discovered in E. rubroloba fruits, which has been reported to have the potential to be developed as an immunomodulatory agent. Follow-up testing to determine the mechanism and effectiveness of these compounds as immunomodulators for DM patients is required so that they are not susceptible to TB infection.

Plants provide an excellent alternative for managing diabetes and are widely utilized in many developing countries including Indonesia. This study aimed to provide comprehensive scientific information on the α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory of the selected medicinal plants used by Sundanese community in West Java. Twelve medicinal plants were extracted individually in ethanol and their total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were quantified by Folin–Ciocalteu and AlCl₃ colorimetric assays, respectively. Concentration-dependent inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, as well as DPPH scavenging, were measured in 96-well plates. IC₅₀ values were obtained by non-linear regression. Data were compared by one-way ANOVA ( P < 0.001). Autoscaled principal-component analysis (PCA) explored multivariate relationships among TPC, TFC and the bioactivity variables. Among the twelve selected medicinal plants, TPC and TFC varied 20.3–61.9 mgGAE/g and 15.0–64.9 mg/QE g, respectively. S. mahagoni seeds possessed the highest TPC, whereas A. muricata leaves led in TFC. Only S. mahagoni (IC₅₀ = 214 ± 4 µg/mL) and M. charantia (274 ± 5 µg/mL) reached 50% α-amylase inhibition. P. angulata provided the sole measurable α-glucosidase IC₅₀ (438 µg/mL). Furthermore, S. mahagoni exhibited the strongest DPPH scavenging (IC₅₀ = 138.6 µg/mL). PCA explained 69.9% of variance with PC1 (39.5%) loaded positively on α-amylase inhibition (+ 0.83) and TPC (+ 0.81) and PC2 (30.4%) associated with α-glucosidase inhibition (+ 0.81) and TFC (+ 0.62). These data validate Sundanese ethnomedicine and prioritize S.mahagoni and P.angulata for bioactivity-guided isolation and in vivo antidiabetic evaluation.

Objective: Over the past several decades, ethnobotany and ethnomedicine have been considered as a more appropriate interdisciplinary approach to drug discovery involving interdisciplinary collaboration. Several studies on ethnomedicine and ethnobotany worldwide have shown that diabetes mellitus has been recognised by the traditional healer as a pathological condition which can be treated with specific medicinal plants. The starting point in an ethno-directed search for anti-diabetic plants is the identification of plant species used by local healers for this purpose. This study aims to document medicinal plants used by local communities for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Methods: This ethnographical study highlights the emic point of the local people to documents knowledge, belief, and practice of ubar kampung in Sunda Region. Results: The results of this study reveals 20 of most frequently used of medicinal, aromatic, and cosmetic plants by people in Sundanese community. The majority of plant species used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus belong to the families of Asteraceae (2 species), Lauraceae (2 species), and Liliaceae (2 species). Conclusion: Most of the medicinal plants reported in the research area are already publicly acknowledged for their medicinal properties, indicating that their pharmacological activities have been studied in different areas. Medicinal plants such Syzygium polyanthum, Moringa oleifera, Swietenia mahagoni, Allium sativum, and Cinnammomum burmanni have been widely used in several regions by various ethnic groups. Leaves are the most frequently used plant part. In general, infusion and decoction are the most common plant preparation methods in the research area.

The relationship between the immune system and metabolic diseases is complex and increasingly recognized as critical to understanding conditions like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Modulation of the immune system in patients with metabolic disorders can offer several potential benefits. While the salutary impact of plant-derived bioactive compounds on metabolic and immune functions is acknowledged, there is a paucity of comprehensive reviews on the multifaceted and synergistic mechanisms through which these effects are mediated. This review elucidates the therapeutic potential of phytochemical formulations in ameliorating metabolic disorders and delineates their mechanistic implications on relevant biomarkers and immune modulation. Our analysis reveals a predominance of plant species, including Boswellia serrata, Cinnamomum cassia, Citrus bergamia, Coffea arabica, Ficus racemosa, Momordica charantia, Morus Alba, and Trigonella foenum-graecum, that have undergone clinical evaluation and have been substantiated to confer both metabolic and immunological benefits. The phytoconstituents contained in these plants exert their effects through a range of mechanisms, such as improving glucose regulation, reducing inflammatory responses, and modulating immune system. As such, these findings hold considerable promise for clinical and therapeutic translation and necessitate further empirical validation through randomized controlled trials and mechanistic elucidations to affirm the safety and efficacy of herbal formulations.

The genus Premna (Lamiaceae), widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions, is renowned for its ethnomedicinal applications, including cardiotonic, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, and antitumor properties. Despite these promising uses, the current body of literature relies predominantly on in vitro evidence, with limited knowledge regarding in vivo validation, metabolism, and bioavailability. This review synthesizes findings from the past decade on the Premna serratifolia group (P. serratifolia, P. odorata, and P. tomentosa), focusing on their bioactive compounds and mechanisms of in vitro anticancer activity. The compounds identified—such as flavonoids, terpenoids, and steroids—exhibit diverse actions, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, inhibition of metastasis, oxidative stress modulation, and autophagy. Key compounds like quercetin, kaempferol, and stigmasterol demonstrate multi-targeted actions, effectively regulating pathways such as PI3K/AKT and NF-κB while selectively targeting cancer cells. These findings underscore chemopreventive potential from P. serratifolia group and their ability to complement conventional cancer therapies, potentially reducing side effects and overcoming drug resistance. Furthermore, the review validates the ethnomedicinal use of Premna species and bridges traditional knowledge with modern oncology. However, the absence of comprehensive in vivo and clinical data warrants further research to fully harness these compounds’ potential. This study highlights P. serratifolia, P. odorata, and P. tomentosa as promising sources for novel plant-derived anticancer agents, offering opportunities for future drug discovery.