Ethnomedicinal and Phytopharmaceutical Properties of Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & L.M. Perry: A Gateway to Future Drug Development

ABSTRACT

Recently, natural products and plant‐based regimens are widely recognized as potential complementary and alternative therapeutic solutions. Traditionally, ethnomedicinal knowledge, validated through scientific evidence, has been a basis for modern drug discovery, emphasizing the importance of updated phytopharmacological knowledge of medicinal plants. Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & L.M. Perry, commonly known as wax apple, is a tropical plant belonging to the family Myrtaceae and is rich in diverse phytochemicals and bioactive compounds that contribute to its medicinal properties. Traditionally, S. samarangense leaves, bark, fruit, and seeds are used in ethnomedicine for treating diabetes, infection, inflammation, and gastrointestinal disorders. Phytochemical studies have shown the presence of some bioactive constituents such as flavonoids (quercetin and myricetin), tannins, terpenoids (betulinic acid and thymol), and phenolic acids (gallic acid and ferulic acid) with promising pharmacological activities and high translational potential due to their well‐established therapeutic properties. However, its successful integration in the form of a natural remedy or individual therapeutic candidate in modern pharmacotherapy needs to address the challenges of bioavailability, long‐term safety, standardization of formulations, and elucidation of precise molecular mechanisms, despite its pharmacological promise. In conclusion, the present review updates the ethnomedicinal, phytochemical, and pharmacological importance of S. samarangense and provides useful information to academic and pharmaceutical research to identify new drug candidates.