Histochemical Testing and Microscopic Structure of Leea indica (Burm.f.) Merr. (Memaye) as a Medicinal Plant of the Besemah Tribe for Anti-infective and Degenerative Purposes in Lahat, South Sumatra
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59188/eduvest.v6i3.52914Keywords:
Leea indica, Identifying Fragment, Histochemy, Antiinfectious, AntidegenerativeAbstract
Leea indica (Burm.f.) Merr. (Memaye) is traditionally used by the Besemah Tribe in Lahat, South Sumatra, as a medicinal plant to treat infectious and degenerative diseases, including hepatitis, liver disorders, and warts. The utilization of this plant as an herbal remedy requires comprehensive information on its microscopic characteristics and secondary metabolite content. This research aimed to determine the classes of secondary metabolite compounds with anti-infective and anti-degenerative potential and their distribution in the vegetative organs of L. indica through histochemical testing, as well as to identify specific diagnostic fragments from microscopic observation of simplicia powder and stem maceration preparations. Histochemical tests were performed on fresh cross-sections of leaves, stems, and roots using specific reagents: Wagner's reagent for alkaloids (reddish-brown positive), 10% NaOH for flavonoids (yellow), 5% copper acetate for terpenoids (yellow to brownish), 10% FeCl₃ for phenols (greenish-black), and Lugol's iodine for tannins (black or purple). Microscopic observations were conducted on chloral hydrate-mounted simplicia powder and safranin-stained maceration preparations. Results showed that alkaloids, terpenoids, tannins, and phenols were distributed in all vegetative organs, while flavonoids were detected exclusively in leaves. Diagnostic fragments, including various crystal types (raphide, druse, rosette), trichomes (glandular, non-glandular, scale, and septate), and vascular elements (tracheae, tracheids, fibers, and xylem parenchyma), were identified across leaves, stems, and roots. Notably, scale trichomes and septate trichomes with basal sacs serve as specific diagnostic fragments for L. indica, providing reliable authentication markers for quality control in medicinal applications and future research.
References
Alamgir, A. N. M. (2017). Therapeutic Use of Medicinal Plants and Their Extracts: Volume 1. Pharmacognosy.
Badria, F. A., & Aboelmaaty, W. S. (2019). Plant Histochemistry: A Versatile and Indispensible Tool in Localization of Gene Expression, Enzymes, Cytokines, Secondary Metabolites and Detection of Plants Infection and Pollution. Acta Scientific Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3(7), 88–100.
Dewi, V. P., Hindun, I., & Wahyuni, S. (2015). Study of Leaf Trichomes in the Solanaceae Family as a Resource for Biology Learning. JPBI (Indonesian Journal of Biology Education), 1(2).
Dominic, S., & Jat, R. K. (2025). Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Leea indica Root. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 14(1), 368–372.
Emran, T. B., Rahman, M. A., Hosen, S. Z., Rahman, M. M., Islam, A. M. T., Chowdhury, M. A. U., & Uddin, M. E. (2012). Analgesic Activity of Leea indica (Burm. f.) Merr. Phytopharmacology, 3(1), 150–157.
Estiti, B. H. (1995). Anatomy of seed plants. Bandung: Publisher of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).
Fernandes, I., Pérez-Gregorio, R., Soares, S., Mateus, N., and De Freitas, V. (2017). Wine Flavonoids in Health and Disease Prevention. Molecules. 22(2): 292.Giri, I. M. D. S., Wardani, I. G. A. A. K., and Suena, N. M. D. S. (2021). The Role of Plant Secondary Metabolites in the Formation of Collagen in the Skin of Burned Rats. Usadha. 1(1).
Greeshma, K. C., and Kumar, N. M. (2023). Preliminary Pharmacognostical and Phytochemical Analysis of Leea indica (Burm. f.) Merr. Root. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 12(2) : 23-28.
Harisha, C. R. and Jani, S. (2013). Pharmacognostical Study on Trichomes of Solanaceae and Its Significance. Universe J Pharm. 2:100-104.
Hermawan, L. A., Husna, S., and Akmalia, H. A. (2023). Secondary Metabolite Compounds in the Root and Stem Organs of Water Kale (Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.) Based on the histochemistry test. LenteraBio: Biological Scientific Periodical. 12(3) : 317-322.
Hindriana, A. F. and Handayani. (2023). Plant Anatomy. Malang: Nusaantara Literacy.
Konyar, S. T., Öztürk, N., and Dane, F. (2014). Occurrence, Types and Distribution of Calcium Oxalate Crystals in Leaves and Stems of Some Species of Poisonous Plants. Botanical studies. 55 : 1-9.
Kuntorini, E. M., Sari, S. G., and Fariani, R. (2023). The Morphoanatomy, Histochemistry, and Phytochemistry of the Leaves and Fruits of Rhodomyrtus tomentosa. Biodiversity Journal of Biological Diversity. 24(1).
Harun, A., Ab Rahim, N. E. A., Abd Jalil, M. A., Rosdi, A. M., Daud, S., Harith, S. S., ... and Hassan, N. M. (2016). Comparative Study of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Root, Stem and Leaves of Leea indica Species. Malaysian Journal of Science. 35(2) : 259-274.
Hermawan, L. A., Husna, S., and Akmalia, H. A. (2023). Secondary Metabolite Compounds in the Root and Stem Organs of Water Kale (Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.) Based on the histochemistry test. LenteraBio: Biological Scientific Periodical. 12(3) : 317-322.
Imran, M., Rauf, A., Abu-Izneid, T., Nadeem, M., Shariati, M. A., Khan, I. A., ... and Mubarak, M. S. (2019). Luteolin, a Flavonoid, as An Anticancer Agent: A review. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 112 : 108612.
Irmastika, I. (2023). Ethnobotany of Medicinal Plants for Degenerative Diseases in the Besemah Tribe, Lahat Regency, South Sumatra Province. Thesis. Sriwijaya University.
Irwanto, Kuntorini E. M., & Fariani R., 2023, Anatomical structure and histochemical test of tannins in vegetative and reproductive organs (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Proceedings of the National Seminar of the Indonesian Biodiv Society.
Januarti, I. B., Wijayanti, R., Wahyuningsih, S. and Nisa, Z. (2019). The Purified Potential of Red Betel Leaf Extract (Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav) as an Antioxidant and Antibacterial. J Pharm Sci. 2 : 60-68.
Khuniad, C., Nahar, L., Ritchie, K. J., and Sarker, S. D. (2022). Therapeutic Potential of Leea indica (Vitaceae). Journal of Natural Products Discovery, 1(1).
Lange, B. M. (2015). The Evolution of Plant Secretory Structures and Emergence of Terpenoid Chemical Diversity. Annual review of plant biology. 66(1) :139-159.
Lange, B. M. and Turner, G. W. (2013). Terpenoid Biosynthesis in Trichomes—Current Status and Future Opportunities. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 11(1) : 2-22.
Liu, W., Feng, Y., Yu, S., Fan, Z., Li, X., Li, J., and Yin, H. (2021). The Flavonoid Biosynthesis Network in Plants. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 22(23) : 12824.
Lusa, M. G., Da Costa, F. B., and Appezzato-da-Glória, B. (2016). Histolocalization of Chemotaxonomic markers in Brazilian Vernonieae (Asteraceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 182(3) : 581-593
Ma, Z. Y., Wen, J., Ickert-Bond, S. M., Chen, L. Q., and Liu, X. Q. (2016). Morphology, Structure, and Ontogeny of Trichomes of the Grape Genus (Vitis, Vitaceae). Frontiers in Plant Science. 7 : 704.
Marjoni, R, Afrinaldi, & Novita., A, 2015, Total Phenol Content and Antioxidant Activity of Kersen Leaf Water Extract (Muntingia calabura L.), Journal of Yarsi Medicine, Volume & Page: Vol. 23, No. 3, P. 187-196.
Najmaddin, C., Hussin, K. and Maideen, H. (2013). Comparative Leaf Anatomy of Selected Species in Vitaceae and Leeaceae. American Journal of Applied Sciences. 10(4): 414: 417
Mercado, M. I., Moreno, M. A., Ruiz, A. I., Rodríguez, I. F., Zampini, I. C., Isla, M. I., and Ponessa, G. I. (2018). Morphoanatomical and Histochemical Characterization of Larrea Species from Northwestern of Argentina. Brazilian Journal of Pharmacology.
Mohammad, N. S., Milow, P., and Ong, H. C. (2012). Traditional Medicinal Plants Used by The Kensiu Tribe of Lubuk Ulu Legong, Kedah, Malaysia. Studies on Ethno-medicine. 6(3) : 149-153.
Mota, L, Cristina, A, Figueiredo, Luis G. Pedro, José G. Barroso, Ascensão, L. 2013 Glandular trichomes, histochemical localization of secretion, and essential oil composition in Plectranthus grandidentatus growing in Portugal. Flavaour Fragrance Journal , Volume 28, Issue 6
Muliyah, E., Dorly., and Djuita, N. R. (2022). Secretory Structure in Physalis angulata as a Medicinal Plant. Scientific Journal of Biology. 1(2): 19-24.
Oliveira, A. B. D., Mendonça, M. S. D., Azevedo, A. A., and Meira, R. M. (2012). Anatomy and Histochemistry of the Vegetative Organs of Cissus verticillata: a Native Medicinal Plant of the Brazilian Amazon. Brazilian Journal of Pharmacology. 22 : 1201-1211.
Pratiwi, D. R., Sulistyaningsih, Y. C., and Ratnadewi, D. (2020). Localization of Alkaloids and Other Secondary Metabolites in Cinchona ledgeriana Moens: Anatomical and Histochemical Studies on Fresh Tissues and Cultured Cells. HAYATI Journal of Biosciences. 27(1) : 1-1.
Punjungsari, T. N., and Ulfa, F. (2022). Papaya Plant Transport Network (Carica papaya L.) Growing on Aluminum Highlands. VIABEL: Scientific Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 16(1) : 74-81.
Rahmani, R., Sutiya, B., and Abidin, Z. (2022). Analysis of Several Secondary Metabolite Compounds in Sungkai (Peronema canescens Jack), Mali-Mali (Leea indica), and Lerak (Cyathostemma viridiflorum) Plants from KHDTK Lambung Mangkurat University. Sylva Scienteae Journal. 5(4) : 582-586
Rivai, A. T. O. (2020). Identification of Compounds Contained in Moringa Leaf Extract (Moringa oleifera). Indonesian Journal of Fundamental Sciences. 6(2).
Satapathy, T., and Kumar, D. (2024). A Comprehensive Review and Recent Advancement in the Application of Tannins for Treating Parkinson's Disease. Pharmacological Research-Modern Chinese Medicine. 12 : 100499
Sreebala, G., Eapen, J., and Deepa, M. S. (2021). Pharmacognostic Studies of an Ethnomedicinal Plant: Cissus latifolia Lam. Journal of Pharmacognisy and Phytochemistry. 10(6): 206-209.
Selvakumar, P., Badgeley, A., Murphy, P., Anwar, H., Sharma, U., Lawrence, K., and Lakshmikuttyamma, A. (2020). Flavonoids and Other Polyphenols Act as Epigenetic Modifiers in Breast Cancer. Nutrients. 12(3) : 761.
Tanzerina, N., Safitri, D., Harmida, H., Aminasih, N., and Juswardi, J. (2023). Ethnobotany of Medicinal Plants for Infectious Diseases in the Besemah Tribe, Lahat Regency, South Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Asian Journal of Social and Humanities. 2(1) : 82-95.
Tanzerina, N., Yohana, F., Aminasih N, Junaidi, E., and Juswardi (2024) Anatomy And Secretory Structure Of Leea Indica (Burm.F.) Merr (Memaye) As A Typical Medicinal Plant Of The Besemah Tribe For Anti- Infective And Degenerative In Lahat Regency South Sumatra Indonesia. Eduvest – Journal of Universal Studies Volume 4 Number 10, https://eduvest.greenvest.co.id/index.php/edv/article/view/17481
Temkitthawon, P., Viyoch, J., Limpeanchob, N., Pongamornkul, W., Sirikul, C., Kumpila, A., and Ingkaninan, K. (2008). Screening for Phosphodiesterase Inhibitory Activity of Thai Medicinal Plants. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 119(2) : 214-217.
Wick, M. R. (2012). Histochemistry as a Tool in Morphological Analysis: A Historical Review. Annals of Diagnostic Pathology 16(1): 71-78.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nina Tanzerina, Muti Elyani, Nita Aminasih, Endri Junaidi, Harmida Harmida
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
