The medicinal properties of Borassus flabellifer L

Background: Herbal medicine is increasingly being developed and widely used to prevent and treat chronic, degenerative and cancerous diseases with minimal side effects. Medicinal plants such as Borassus flabellifer L. hold an important role in human health as it is believed to be safer, more efficient, and have less side effects.

Objective: A comprehensive review of Borassus flabellifer L. medicinal properties.

Method: This comprehensive review on the medicinal properties and the usage of Borassus flabellifer L. in dental and medical field is done by collecting, reviewing, correlating, integrating, interpreting, and finally concluding several studies done using the Borassus flabellifer L. plant.

Results: Borassus flabellifer L. fruit contain several natural antioxidants that can neutralize the toxic effects of free radicals and fight DNA damage due to exposure to oxidative stress and malignancy. Its seed coat extract has cytotoxic effects towards Human Dermal Fibroblasts and Vero cell lines that is categorized as mild toxic, anticancer effects towards cancer cell lines such as HeLa and HSC-3 cell lines by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, and having antidiabetic capabilities. Its seed coat, root, and sap could also inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi such as Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Its fruit juice eliminates halitosis and inflammation by antioxidant properties within the seed coat.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that Borassus flabellifer L. could be used for medical health purposes.