Azis Saifudin
1* 
, Muh. Akbar Bahar
2 , Muh. Haqqi Hidayatullah
1 , Hisayoshi Norimoto
3 , Yasuhiro Tezuka
4 , Ken Tanaka
5 1 Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Pabelan, KTS Solo, Jawa Tengah 57102, Indonesia
2 Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, South Sulawesi, 90245, Indonesia
3 Pura Pharm Japan Corporation, Room 406, 4th FL., JOHO BLDG., 527 Takata, Toyama, 930-0866, Japan
4 Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan
5 Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokuriku University, Ho-3, Kanagawa machi, Kanazawa 920-1181, Japan
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the secondary metabolite platform has determined the scientific direction of herbal medicines, while plant sources have been assumed to be the object of lead discoveries through bioassay-guided fractionation efforts. Nonetheless, the majority of purification programs have resulted in fractions and pure compounds with much lower efficacy than their parent extracts. It is then assumed that co-working action modes among chemical constituents occur in the herbal preparations. Primary metabolites (polysaccharides, peptides, and fatty acids) and mineral groups, on the other hand, have been neglected in the herbal effect contributions. This review aims to understand the interplay of secondary metabolites in herbal preparations, particularly how they interact with primary metabolites and mineral groups. Thus, by adhering to classical methods, it is possible to address certain aspects that modern standardization lacks, thereby facilitating a more comprehensive approach to these issues.
Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:
The study demonstrates that multi-component herbal preparation paradigms should be revisited to prepare health and medical students for future multidisciplinary teamwork. In the industrial sector, integrating coworking action in herbal formulations is essential to establish a solid foundation for advancing herbal product development, particularly for comprehensive herbal component standardization.
Please cite this paper as: Saifudin A, Bahar MA, Hidayatullah MH, Norimoto H, Tezuka Y, Tanaka K. Rethinking the basic action modes of herbal medicine and pondering classical standardization. J Herbmed Pharmacol. 2024;13(2):163-175. doi: 10.34172/jhp.2024.48269.