Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 29 Number 6 (2025): 1628

Research Article

Comprehensive pharmacognostic and antioxidant profiling of Curcuma macrochlamys leaves using sequential extraction and GC-MS

Agustin Yumita^*, Ni Putu Ermi Hikmawanti, Annisa Kusuma Dewi, Rofika Ramadhani, and Khoirun Niza

Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Science, University of Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka, Jakarta, Indonesia.

^*Corresponding author: agustin_yumita@uhamka.ac.id

Received: 23 July 2025; Revised: 17 October 2025; Accepted: 1 November 2025; Published: 28 December 2025

Abstract

Curcuma macrochlamys, a lesser-known species of the Zingiberaceae family, possesses promising pharmacological potential. This study aimed to investigate the pharmacognostic characteristics, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and chemical constituents of its leaf extracts. The leaves were successively extracted using n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and 96% ethanol. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses revealed key anatomical features, including spiral vessels, oleoresin cells, trichomes, and calcium oxalate crystals. The ethanolic extract yielded the highest phenolic content (22.688 ± 0.450 mg GAE/g) and exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity as determined by DPPH and FRAP assays. GC-MS analysis identified several bioactive compounds such as dodecanoic acid-methyl ester, methyl linolenate, and phytol, known for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. These findings highlight the potential of C. macrochlamys leaf extracts, particularly the ethanolic fraction, as a natural antioxidant source for pharmaceutical applications.

Keywords: Curcuma macrochlamys; antioxidant; phenolic content; GC-MS; pharmacognosy

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