Hypertension Genes Among Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia and Ethno-medicinal Plant

Abstract

Review The prevalence and incidence rate of hypertension among Orang Asli had been increasing due to modernization and assimilation of outside practices such as intake of high cholesterol food, alcohol, and smoking. Orang Asli utilize their herbs or plants to treat some illness due to the factor of logistics and the knowledge on these nature resources since decades ago that is carried out from their ancestors. In this review paper, hypertension genes of Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia and the utilization of ethno-medicinal plants in reducing the clinical manifestation in hypertension were deliberated. There are quite a number of related hypertensive genes particularly in renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) playing a pivotal role in pathogenesis of hypertension. A genome-wide association studies showed potential candidate genes in hypertension among Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia. However there is yet molecular study on these genes among Orang Asli with their unique genetic profile. Noteworthy information on mechanism of ethno-medicine in treating hypertension are scarce, even the efficacy of modern medicine in treating hypertension on Orang Asli are rare. Therefore, study on efficacy of ethno-medicine plant by Orang Asli and the regulation effect on hypertension genes are needed to be further explored and elucidated.

Keywords: Hypertension, Orang Asli and ethno-medicinal plant