A review on safety and efficacy of products containing Longifolia

• Main Authors: Abdul Hafeez Ahmad Hamdi, Long Chiau Ming, Yaman Walid Kassab
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Archives of Global Professionals 2016-01-01
• Series: Archives of Pharmacy Practice
• Subjects: Eurycoma longifolia; pharmacological efficacy; quassinoids; safety; traditional herbal medicine
• Online Access: http://www.archivepp.com/article.asp?issn=2045-080X;year=2016;volume=7;issue=5;spage=39;epage=42;aulast=Hamdi

Eurycoma longifolia (commonly called tongkat ali) is a flowering plant in the family Simaroubaceae, native to Indonesia, Malaysia, and, to a lesser extent, Thailand, Vietnam and also Laos. The roots extract of E. longifolia, is a well-known traditional herbal medicine in Asia used for many purposes such as sexual dysfunction, aging, malaria, cancer, diabetes, anxiety, aches, constipation, exercise recovery, fever, increased energy, increased strength, leukemia, osteoporosis, stress, syphilis and glandular swelling. The roots are also used as an aphrodisiac, antibiotic, appetite stimulant and health supplement. It is very important to conserve this valuable medicinal plant for the health benefit of future generations. The purpose of this review article is to evaluate and summarize the existing literatures regarding the efficacy and safety of products which contain E. longifolia as its main ingredient. In summary, based on the literature evaluated in this review article, products which contain tongkat ali showed a clinical benefit on improving erectile dysfunction as well as a good safety profile. We recommend consumers to check the level of the bioactive compound “eurycomanone” as their guide before choosing any E. longifolia product.