ABSTRACT
The well-known biodiversity of the Borneo is also reflected in the diversity of medicinal plants used in Borneo that come from diverse plant families and taxa. These encompass both the dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous species, though the majority is dicotyledons. All plant parts have been used for medicinal purposes including leaves, whole plants, stems, bark, roots, rhizomes and latexes, amongst others. Some such as member of the Guttiferae family, Sapotaceae, Euphorbiaceae as well as Apocynaceae contain latexes or saps. The chemistry of the medicinal plants is highly diverse too and encompasses alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics, polyketides and so forth. In terms of phytochemistry, certain species are better studied or investigated than the majority of the medicinal species. Fundamental research areas such as phytochemistry, cytotoxicities and experimental animal studies and even clinical trials should be prioritized in order for the medicinal and the herbal industry to move forward.
