A Review: Underutilized Plant of Sabah and its Potential Value

Abstract

Underutilized plants are referred to a plant species whose potential is not fully utilized yet and they are usually found abundantly in certain local areas but are globally rare. Sabah is known for high biodiversity and contains many underutilized plants. To our knowledge, this is the first review to provide overview information of the medicinal value and pharmacological properties of underutilized plants in Sabah. Extract and metabolites in different parts of several underutilized plants contain multiple beneficial bioactive compounds and the exploitation of these compounds was supported by additional data that plays various biological activities, including anti-atherosclerotic, anti-cancer antihypercholesterolemic and anti-ulcerogenic. A handful of pharmacological studies on these underutilized plants have conclusively outlined the mode of action in treatment of several diseases and in other health aspects. This paper limits its scope to review and highlight the potential of using underutilized plants in Sabah only which could serve as reliable resource for health product development in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical through continuous discovering of more active and sustainable resources as well as ingredients for food and medicine.