Recent study on the Chemistry of Sumatran Medicinal Plants

Sumatra is the fourth largest island in the world and known to be very rich with varieties of tropical rainforest plants. Many of these plants have been used traditionally for centuries for many purposes such as medicines, coloring matters, food, spices, insecticides, aromatics, etc.

In continuation of our work to study the chemistry of Sumatran Traditional Medicinal Plants [1], recently we investigated the chemical constituents of two species of Lerchea (Rubiaceae) as well as liverworts Bazzania sp, fungus Scleroderma sp and lichen Stereocoulon sp.

In addition, in collaboration with National Agency of Drug and Food Control of the Republic of Indonesia (BPOM RI) we have also studied the chemistry and standardization of extracts of some widely used Sumatran Medicinal Plants which surprisingly contain high flavonoid contents i.e Syzygium polyanthum (Weigh.) Walp. traditionally used as anti-diabetic, Scurulla ferruginea Danser (Loranthaceae) as anti-cancer, Piperomia pelucida (L.) Kunth. (Piperaceae), Sida rhombifolia L. (Malvaceae) as anti-rheumatic, Gynura procumbens (Lour.) Merr. (Asteraceae) as anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory, Pluchea indica (L.) Less, (Asteraceae), as anti-pyretic, Uncaria gambier (Hunter) Roxb. (Rubiaceae) as anti-diarrhoea and industrial sources of tannins.

The isolation, structure elucidation and analysis of chemical contents of these Sumatran medicinal plants will be discussed.

Reference: [1] Arbain, D. (2008) Science and Culture 74:65–70.