Rini Anggi Arista, Latifah Azmi, Syamsul Falah, Fachrur Rizal Mahendra, Waras Nurcholis
The cultivation of Justicia gendarussa Burm f., a medicinal plant with significant pharmacological properties, can be optimized through effective fertilization strategies to enhance its bioactive compounds. This study investigated the effects of different fertilization methods, including manure, NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium) fertilizer, and their combinations, on the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and 2,2’-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) methods) of gandarusa leaves and stems. Results showed that T4 (50% manure + 50% NPK) was the most effective treatment, which yielded the highest TPC and FRAP antioxidant activities in both leaves and stems. The highest ABTS antioxidant activity, however, was observed in T3 (NPK). A significant correlation was found between TPC and ABTS antioxidant activity in gandarusa stems, highlighting the role of phenolics in antioxidant properties. This study demonstrates that combining organic and inorganic fertilizers can optimize the medicinal quality of Justicia gendarussa, contributing valuable insights to the field of herbal medicine. © 2025 by the authors.
Department of Science Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia; Tropical Biopharmaca Research Center, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
