Tasty Herb that Heals: A Review of Cosmos caudatus (Ulam Raja) and its Potential Uses in Dentistry

Abstract

Aim: In recent years, there has been an increase in research on herbal derivatives with regards to their medicinal use. This review aims to summarize the scientific reports on one such herb, Cosmos caudatus . Our primary focus is to highlight its pharmacological properties and their potential applications in the field of dentistry. Background: The vascular plant biodiversity of Southeast Asia is second to that of South America, with many of these plants being used for their traditional medicinal benefits. One such herb that is popular in Malaysia is C. caudatus , locally referred to as ulam raja. It is an edible herb, commonly served in the form of a salad and is also used in traditional medicine practices to boost blood circulation, increase strength of bones, reduce fever, treat infections, and improve skin texture. Recent scientific studies have reported numerous pharmacological benefits of C. caudatus ranging from being an antioxidant agent to having bone-protective properties. These properties are attributed to a rich source of biochemical compounds found in the herb. A PubMed and Science Direct database search was conducted revealing 25 papers relevant to our review of C. caudatus , describing its traditional uses, pharmacological uses, botanical description, and phytochemical description. Review results: Published studies have reported that C. caudatus has potent antioxidant properties. It has shown both antibacterial and antifungal activities. Extracts of C. caudatus are capable of acting as an antihypertensive and antidiabetic agent, in both human and animal models. It also plays a role as a bone-protective and bone-proliferative agent. Conclusion: C. caudatus has the potential of being greatly beneficial in treating various dental diseases due to its pharmacological properties. Clinical significance: There is need for further research into this abundant natural resource in order to explore its potential uses in clinical dentistry.

Effect of Karas (Aquilaria malaccensis) on Male Reproductive Organs and Sperm Quality in Adult Sprague Dawley Rats

“…In Malaysia, there a few types of herbals that are commonly used to treat many kinds of diseases traditionally such as Ficus deltoidea , Labisia pumila , Cosmos caudatus and Nigella sativa ( Afzan et al 2019 ; Uzbek & Shahidan 2019 ; Mohamad et al 2019 ; Zakaria et al 2021 ). Among these herbals, Aquilaria species, locally known as Karas or Gaharu, is identified as one of the most valuable plants in Malaysia due to their high-value fragrant resinous wood (agarwood) ( Liu et al 2019 ; Desa et al 2021 ; Rozihawati et al 2022 ).…”

Enhancing recovery of bioactive compounds from Cosmos caudatus leaves via ultrasonic extraction

“…The leaves and shoots can be eaten raw as a side dish with meals as well as for other culinary purposes 2 , 3 . Previous work has been done on the plant extraction mostly on the leaves which reported various pharmacological properties such as anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, bone-protective agent, and anti-diabetic 2 , 4 – 9 . Some studies have demonstrated that the extract has more powerful antioxidant properties contrasted to some tropical fruits, herbs, and vegetables 10 , 11 .…”

Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction (UAE) for Enhanced Recovery of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds From Cosmos Caudatus Leaves

“…The plant extract from leaves possesses an excellent source of antioxidants and phenolic compounds as dominant compounds. Based on scientific evidence, the plant extract displays various pharmacological properties such as anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, bone-protective agent, and antidiabetic 1,[4][5][6] . Moreover, the extract of C. caudatus leaves has a strong antioxidant property and the content is higher compared to some tropical fruits, herbs, and vegetables 7,8 .…”