Potential and mechanisms of indigenous Indonesian medicinal plants in treating sexual dysfunction: A systematic review and pharmacological network overview

The epidemiology of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) continues to exhibit an increasing trend annually. The use of synthetic drugs in treating ED often leads to undesirable side effects and has limited efficacy. In Indonesia, several indigenous plants have been empirically utilized for ED remediation. This...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Heliyon Vol. 11; no. 3; p. e42501
Main Authors: Sukardiman, Mutiah, Roihatul, Handayani, Rosita
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15.02.2025
Elsevier
Subjects:
Aphrodisiacs
biosynthesis
epidemiology
Erectile dysfunction
Eurycoma longifolia
Eurycomanone
Indonesia
meta-analysis
pharmacology
protein-protein interactions
remediation
steroid hormones
Stigmasterol
systematic review
Testosterone
Indonesia
Testosterone
Eurycomanone
Erectile dysfunction
Stigmasterol
Aphrodisiacs
ISSN:2405-8440, 2405-8440
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The epidemiology of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) continues to exhibit an increasing trend annually. The use of synthetic drugs in treating ED often leads to undesirable side effects and has limited efficacy. In Indonesia, several indigenous plants have been empirically utilized for ED remediation. This study aims to identify the latest scientific evidence on the potential of native Indonesian medicinal plants for ED treatment and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms using a systematic review and Pharmacological Network approach. There are 12 potential plants most commonly used by ethnic groups in Indonesia to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) as reviewed in this study. A systematic review search was conducted across three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Springer) without limiting the publication years. Article screening was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flowchart. Determination of compound target genes was carried out using GeneCards, while disease target genes were analyzed using DisGeNET. Network topology was explored with Cytoscape 3.10, and the construction of Protein-Protein Interaction Networks was realized using STRING version 12.0. GO and KEGG analyses were subsequently conducted with SRplot. The systematic review findings indicated that 12 articles met the predefined inclusion criteria. The pharmacology network analysis demonstrated that the compounds present in Eurycoma longifolia, specifically stigmasterol, eurycomanone, and eurycomalactone, target 13 genes associated with erectile dysfunction (ED), which include BCL2, AKT1, SOAT1, PCSK9, ACHE, BDNF-AS, TMX2-CTNND1, GSK3B, LINCO1672, TP53, H19, HIF1A, and IL1B. These target genes are connected to the biological mechanisms underlying steroid hormone biosynthesis, which is essential for the formation of testosterone. Therefore, Eurycoma longifolia demonstrates significant potential for development as a promising phytopharmaceutical candidate in the treatment of sexual dysfunction. •Current ED treatments with synthetic drugs often have side effects and limited efficacy.•Indigenous plants in Indonesia offer alternative aphrodisiacs to synthetic treatments.•A systematic literature search screened Indonesian medicinal plants for ED efficacy.•Analyses focused on revealing molecular mechanisms via a Pharmacology Network approach.•Eurycoma longifolia contains bioactive compounds such as stigmasterol, eurycomanone, and eurycolactone that target genes vital for testosterone production.
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ISSN:2405-8440
2405-8440
DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42501