Nunuk Nurchayati, Jati Batoro, Luchman Hakim, Rodiyati Azrianingsih, Agus Susatya
Rafflesia zollingeriana, a parasitic plant known for producing the world’s largest flower and depends on host plants from the Tetrastigma genus for survival. This plant was discovered in the Papring Forest of Banyuwangi, Indonesia, where it has historically been used in traditional herbal medicine. However, scientific understanding of its pharmacological potential remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, and bioactive compounds in ethanol extract from the perigone of R. zollingeriana and the leaves of its host (Tetrastigma rafflesia, Tetrastigma leucostaphylum, Tetrastigma dichotomum) plants and non-host (Tetrastigma papillosum) plants. Total flavonoid content was assessed spectrophotometrically, and antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH assay. The bioactive compounds were identified using the UPLC-MS/MS. The results revealed that R. zollingeriana perigone extract exhibited strong antioxidant activity despite having low flavonoid content, suggesting that other secondary metabolites such as glycosides, polyketides, alkaloids, and lipids contribute to it. Among the host plants, T. dichotomum had the highest flavonoid content, but had moderate antioxidant activity. In contrast, the non-host T. papillosum showed relatively high flavonoid levels, but weak antioxidant activity, possibly due to its distinct metabolite profile in the absence of parasitic interaction. Overall, antioxidant activity in R. zollingeriana perigone and Tetrastigma species was not directly correlated with flavonoid content but was influenced by diversity and nature of other secondary metabolites. The distinct metabolite profiles between host and non-host species suggest that chemical factors influence parasitic compatibility. © 2025 Nurchayati et al.
Doctoral Program, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Brawijaya University, East Java, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Departement of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, PGRI Banyuwangi University, East Java, Banyuwangi, 68416, Indonesia; Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Brawijaya University, East Java, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Department of Forestry, Bengkulu University, Bengkulu, 38371, Indonesia
