Eureka Herba Indonesia

Quantitative Mapping of Phytochemical Synergy in Psidium guajava and Piper betle for Antidiarrheal Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Using Radar Chart Analysis and AUC

Kintoko — 2026-03-17

Infectious diarrhea constitutes a massive global health burden defined by severe gastrointestinal hypermotility, profound fluid hypersecretion, and aggressive mucosal inflammation. Conventional pharmacotherapy, including antimotility agents and broad-spectrum antibiotics, presents significant clinical limitations, including the exacerbation of antimicrobial resistance and adverse systemic effects. Phytochemical interventions utilizing Psidium guajava and Piper betle offer a robust complementary approach. However, the exact quantitative magnitude of their combined pharmacological synergy requires rigorous statistical integration. A systematic review and meta-analysis were executed utilizing PRISMA protocols. Comprehensive literature screening across major databases identified primary research manuscripts reporting precise quantitative parameters on the antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of the targeted extracts. Extracted data variables included sample sizes, mean outcomes, and standard deviations. The Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model. The multidimensional therapeutic capacity was further mapped and quantified using Radar Chart Analysis (RCA) and geometric Area Under Curve (AUC) mathematical integration. The statistical synthesis indicated that Psidium guajava profoundly suppressed gastrointestinal motility and intestinal fluid accumulation (Pooled SMD = -2.45; 95% CI: -3.10 to -1.80). Concurrently, Piper betle demonstrated immense broad-spectrum bactericidal activity and superlative free radical scavenging capacity (Pooled SMD = 3.85; 95% CI: 2.95 to 4.75). The subsequent AUC integration revealed that combining the specific phytochemical profiles of both botanical sources mathematically expanded the total therapeutic coverage by 42%. The quantitative framework confirms a highly potent synergistic mechanism. Psidium guajava selectively targets the physiological symptoms of hypermotility and secretory failure, while Piper betle aggressively eradicates the underlying pathogenic etiology and neutralizes oxidative tissue damage. This dual-action synergy provides a formidable, evidence-based foundation for the development of advanced botanical therapeutics.

Spirulina platensis Extract Stabilizes Hepatic HIF-1α and Activates Caspase-3 in Aging Wistar Rat Liver

Reni Paramita — 2026-06-23

Liver aging is accompanied by progressive hypoxia, impaired redox homeostasis, and dysregulated programmed cell death, for which safe complementary interventions are needed. Spirulina platensis (Arthrospira platensis), a marine cyanobacterium rich in the antioxidant phycobiliprotein C-phycocyanin, is widely used in Indonesian complementary medicine, yet its effect on the hepatic hypoxia–apoptosis–autophagy network across biological age is undefined. This in vivo study examined whether oral Spirulina extract modulates hepatic HIF-1α, caspase-3, and p62/SQSTM1 in young (12-week) and older (24-week) male Wistar rats. Animals (n=5 per group) received Spirulina extract 200 mg/kg body weight or aquabidest vehicle once daily for 29 days; livers were harvested and marker concentrations quantified by ELISA, with one-way ANOVA, Tukey HSD, η², Cohen’s d, and Pearson correlation. Spirulina increased hepatic HIF-1α by 60.0% in older rats (688.0±55.0 versus 430.0±40.0 pg/mg protein; p<0.001; Cohen’s d=5.37) but not in young rats (p=0.539). Caspase-3 rose 21.2% in older rats (145.68±12.80 versus 120.23±11.00 ng/mg protein; p=0.010; d=2.13), whereas p62 was unchanged across all groups (ANOVA p=0.903). HIF-1α and caspase-3 were strongly correlated (r=0.879; 95% CI 0.714–0.951; p<0.001). Spirulina also raised the hepatosomatic ratio and attenuated body-weight gain. These findings indicate that Spirulina engages the hepatic hypoxia–apoptosis axis in an age-dependent manner while preserving autophagy, providing mechanistic support for its use as a herbal hepatoprotective modality.

Tinospora crispa Phytosome Enhances Oral Bioavailability and Glycemic Control in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Dedi Sucipto — 2026-07-02

Diabetes mellitus remains a major global health challenge with rising prevalence in Southeast Asia, where traditional herbal remedies continue to play a significant role in disease management. Tinospora crispa (L.) Hook. f. & Thomson (Menispermaceae), locally known as brotowali in Indonesian jamu medicine, exhibits anti-diabetic properties attributed to its alkaloid and diterpenoid constituents; however, the oral bioavailability of its key bioactive compound berberine remains limited at approximately 5%. This study evaluated the pharmacokinetic enhancement and anti-diabetic efficacy of a novel Tinospora crispa phytosome in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Thirty male Wistar rats were allocated to five groups (n = 6): normal control, diabetic control, diabetic plus metformin (200 mg/kg), diabetic plus T. crispa free extract (400 mg/kg), and diabetic plus T. crispa phytosome (400 mg/kg), given orally for 28 days. The phytosome achieved a 3.14-fold enhancement in relative oral bioavailability (AUC_0–24: 1524.7 ± 185.4 versus 486.3 ± 62.8 ng·h/mL, p < 0.001) and a higher peak plasma berberine concentration (C_max: 387.2 ± 42.3 versus 124.5 ± 18.7 ng/mL, p < 0.001). After 28 days, the phytosome group showed significant reductions in fasting blood glucose (148.6 ± 19.2 versus 328.4 ± 42.5 mg/dL, p < 0.001) and HbA_1c (6.1 ± 0.6 versus 9.2 ± 1.1%, p < 0.001), with an improved lipid profile comparable to metformin and large effect sizes (Cohen's d: 3.51–6.22). These findings indicate that phytosome technology effectively enhances the bioavailability and anti-diabetic efficacy of T. crispa, supporting its development as a standardized herbal complementary therapy for diabetes mellitus.