Determination of Total Polyphenol and Flavonoid Content in Reundeu Herb (Staurogyne elongata) Using Folin-Ciocalteu and Aluminum Chloride Methods
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Abstract
Reundeu, botanically identified as Staurogyne elongata and classified within the family Acanthaceae, is a folk remedy long used in West Java to manage urinary tract complaints and promote diuresis. Its tissues accumulate secondary metabolites, notably polyphenolic and flavonoid constituents, which are widely associated with antioxidant activity. The present study aimed to quantify the total polyphenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) present in a 96% ethanolic extract of the herb. Raw material was harvested from Kampung Adat Cireundeu, Cimahi, with its botanical identity confirmed by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), and the dried herb was macerated in 96% ethanol. Both the raw material powder and resulting extract underwent phytochemical screening, while thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was applied for qualitative confirmation of the target compound classes. TPC was quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric assay referenced against gallic acid (reported as mg GAE/g extract), whereas TFC was assessed using the aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) colorimetric assay referenced against quercetin (reported as % w/w quercetin equivalent). Physicochemical evaluation of the raw material yielded a moisture content of 4.31% ± 0.5, a total ash content of 24.48% ± 0.93, and a water-soluble extractable-matter value of 34.36% ± 0.88. Screening results indicated the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, quinones, monoterpenoid-sesquiterpenoid compounds, and triterpenoids. The extract’s TPC was 37.98 ± 0.98 mg GAE/g, while its TFC was 7.01 ± 0.40% w/w quercetin equivalent (equal to roughly 70 mg QE/g). Collectively, these results provide preliminary phytochemical reference data for authenticated Reundeu raw material and extract, contributing baseline information for future chemical standardization of the species. Antioxidant and other biological activities were not assessed and remain to be demonstrated in future studies.
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