TOTAL ALKALOID CONTENT , CYTOTOXICITY, AND SELECTIVITY OF ETANOL EXTRACT OF Litsea firma (Blume) Hook. F
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26418/indonesian.v8i1.95469Abstract
Litsea firma (Blume) Hook. f., known locally as Medang Piawas, is a Lauraceae plant found in West Kalimantan, which was traditionally used as medicine and reported to contain alkaloids. This study determined the total alkaloid content in ethanol extracts of the roots, stems, and leaves. Phytochemical tests with Dragendorff, Mayer, and Wagner reagents confirmed alkaloid presence, with the highest intensity in stems, followed by leaves and roots. Quantitative analysis by UV-Vis spectrophotometry using caffeine and quinine standards showed the stem extract contained the highest alkaloid levels (18.289 mg CE/g and 2.299 mg QE/g). Cytotoxic activity was evaluated against cancer cell lines (4T1, MCF-7, T47D, WiDr, HeLa, Hep G2) and normal Vero cells using the MTT assay. The root extract exhibited weak cytotoxicity against WiDr cells (IC50 201"“500 µg/mL) but was inactive against other cancer and normal cells. Stem and leaf extracts showed no cytotoxic effects (IC50 >500 µg/mL). These findings indicate that L. firma contains notable alkaloids, predominantly in stems, although its ethanol extracts demonstrate limited cytotoxic activity.References
Middleton, D. J. (2005). Five new records of Litsea (Lauraceae) for Thailand. Thai Forrest Bulletin (Botany), 33, 81–93.
Kostermans, A, J, G, H. (1957). Lauraceae. Reinwardtia, 4 (2), 193–257.
Kuspradini, H., Putri, A. S., & Diana, R. (2018). Potensi Tumbuhan Genus Litsea: Mulawarman University Press.
Gerina, F., Muharini, R., Lestari, I., & Enawaty, E. (2024). Quality analysis and anti-termite activity of essential oils from the leaves , stems , and roots of Litsea firma (Blume) Hook f. 13(2), 381–387. https://doi.org/10.14421/biomedich.2024.132.381-387
Putri, Y. A., Muharini, R., Lestari, I., Masriani, M., Rudiyansyah, R., & Ola, A. R. (2024). Profil kandungan kimia, fenolik total, dan aktivitas antioksidan ekstrak etanol tumbuhan Litsea firma (Blume) Hook f. ALCHEMY Jurnal Penelitian Kimia, 20(1), 38-48.
Teles, M. M. R.S., Pinheiro, A.A.V, Dias, C.D.S., Tavares, J.F., Filho, J.M.B., & Leitão Da Cunha, E. V. (2019). Alkaloids of the Lauraceae. The Alkaloids: Chemistry and Biology, 82, 147–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.alkal.2018.11.002
Grigalius, I., Petrikaite, V. (2017). Relationship between antioxidant and anticancer activity of trihydroxyflavones. Molecules, 22 (12), 2169. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules22122169
Rijai, A. J., Fidrianny, I., & Sukrasno. (2023). An update review of the Litsea genus. Biointerface Research in Applied Chemistry, 13(5), 443. https://doi.org/10.33263/BRIAC135.443
Wang, Y.-S., Wen, Z.-Q., Li, B.-T., Zhang, H.-B., & Yang, J.-H. (2016). Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the genus Litsea: An update. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 181, 66–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2016.01.032
Ifantri, D., & Rawar, E. A. (2023). Penetapan kadar alkaloid total dalam ekstrak etanol daun Mint (Mentha piperita L.) secara spektrofotometri UV-Vis. Duta Pharma Journal, 3(1), 42–45. https://doi.org/10.47701/djp.v3i1.2408
Nurdiani, E., Masriani, M., Rasmawan, R., Muharini, R., & Sartika, R. P. (2023). Sitotoksisitas dan selektivitas fraksi kayu batang Simpur air (Dillenia suffruticosa (Griff.) Martelli) terhadap sel kanker payudara. Al-Kauniyah: Jurnal Biologi, 17(1), 190–200. https://doi.org/10.15408/kauniyah.v17i1.31299
Renda, Y. K., Pote, L. L., & Nadut, A. (2023). Isolasi dan karakterisasi senyawa alkaloid dari kulit batang tumbuhan halay (Alstonia spectabilis R. Br) asal Desa Wee Rame Kabupaten Sumba Barat Daya. Jurnal Sains dan Edukasi Sains, 6(1), 44-50.
Sari, K.E., Maimunah, S., Putri, M.K., (2022). The effect of maceration time on total alkaloid levels in Brocoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) by using UV-Vis spectrophotometry method. Jurnal Jamu Kusuma, 2(1), 38–46.
Ngo, Q. M. T., Cao, T. Q., Woo, M. H., & Min, B. S. (2019). Cytotoxic lactones from the pericarps of Litsea japonica. Natural Product Sciences, 25 (1), 23–27. https://doi.org/10.20307/nps.2019.25.1.23
Hakim, E. H., Achmad, S. A., & Pramutadi, S. (1994). Ilmu Kimia Tumbuhan Lauraceae Indonesia: XI. Alkaloid Aporfin dan Oksoaporfin dari Litsea excelsa. Proceeding ITB, 27(3), 11–19. https://journals.itb.ac.id/index.php/jmfs/article/download/9450/3553/27162
Setyawan, B. A. (2017). Aporfin sebuah alkaloid dari pohon Huru (Litsea Cordata Sp) Jack (Hook).F (Lauraceae). Bina Teknika, 11(2), 171. https://doi.org/10.54378/bt.v11i2.109
Widiandani, T., Tandian, T., Zufar, B. D., Suryadi, A., Purwanto, B. T., Hardjono, S., & Siswandono. (2023). In vitro study of pinostrobin propionate and pinostrobin butyrate: Cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cell T47D and its selectivity index. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 14(S1), 97–102.
Xu, H., Wang, L., Shi, B., Hu, L., Gan, C., Wang, Y.,Xiang, Z., Wang, X., & Sheng, J. (2020). Caffeine inhibits the anticancer activity of paclitaxel via doen-regulation of a-tubluin acetylation. Biomedicine & Pharmamacotherapy, 129, 110441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110441
Dhyani, P., Quispe, C., Sharma, E., Bahukandi, A., Sati, P., Attri, D.C., Szopa, A., Sharfi-Rad, J., Docea, A.O., Mardare, I., Calina, D., & Cho, W.C. (2022). Anticancer potential of alkaloids: a key emphasis to colchicine, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine, vinorelbine, and vincamine. Cancer Cell International, 22, 206. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-022-02624-9
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Putri Risti Hidayati, Rini Muharini, Erlina Erlina
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms: 1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. 2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal. 3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (see The Effect of Open Access).