Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

SCREENING OF ANTIOXIDANTS PROPERTIES FROM UNDERSTORY PLANTS OF GUNUNG MERAPI NATIONAL PARK (YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA): POTENTIAL USE FOR ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Ari Nurwijayanto, Mohammad Na’iem, Subagus Wahyuono and Atus Syahbudin

Abstract

The attention toward antioxidant activity of plants has been growing recently as its potency for novel drug lead for treating diseases. Antioxidant properties of understory plants are potential to be developed as alternative for medicinal purposes. Gunung Merapi National Park has been known for its biodiversity, including the presence of understory plants. Initially, the collected understory plants were identified for their scientific names. The identified plants were dried, pulverized and macerated with ethanol (96%) for24 hours. The ethanol extract obtained was then tested for their antioxidant activity using 1,1-Diphenyl-2- Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. The extracts displayed IC50 values compared to that of positive control (ascorbic acid) were investigated their phytochemical content. There were 78 understory plants identified and studied their antioxidant properties. Of the 78 collected species, there were 30 families identified. Among them, family Poaceae is the highest distribution at the Gunung Merapi National Park followed by Asteraceae and Rubiaceae. Among 78 plants, there were six plants displayed IC50 values less than 6 ppm, these were Clidemia hirta, Melastoma candidum, Phyllantus urinaria, Polygonum chinense, Emelia prenanthoidea, and Shuteria vestita. The presence of alkaloids was detected in C. hirta and M. candidum that were suggested to be the responsible antioxidative compounds. This research showed the potency of understory plants from Gunung Merapi National Park to be developed as alternative medicines based on their antioxidant activities. Further investigations are needed to find the responsible bioactive compound for the antioxidant activities.