Phytochemical and antioxidant activity of gaharu leaf tea (Aquilaria malaccensis Lamk) as raw material of tea from middle Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatera Province

Abstract

Gaharu (agarwood) grows naturally in Sumatera, especially in Middle Tapanuli regency. The development of knowledge and research about gaharu leaf has been used as raw material for brewed beverage or tea. The purposes of this research were to observe the leaf used as raw material of gaharu leaf tea that grows naturally in Middle Tapanuli by looking at the chemical compound contained in the leaf which function as antioxidant and to know the antioxidant activity and tannin content of the leaf. Gaharu leaf from 2 growing sites (Sigiringgiring village and S. Kalangan II village) was identified, then processed into leaf simplicia and extracted with 96% ethanol solvent. Phytochemical screening of alkaloid, glycosides, steroids/triterpenoids, flavonoids, tannins and saponins compounds were conducted. The antioxidant activity test was performed by DPPH method to obtain IC50 (Inhibitory Concentration) value. The results showed that the agarwood leaf from Sigiring-giring contained terpenoids and saponins and from S. Kalangan II contained of tannins and saponins. The results of antioxidant activity test showed that agarwood leaf extract has IC50 value in 56,985 dan 44,382 μg/ml which meant strong and very strong antioxidant activity category.