The Potential of Secondary Metabolite Compounds from Indonesian Medicinal Plants as Antioxidant Agents: a Literature Review

Abstract

Indonesia is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world and possesses significant potential as a source of natural medicinal compounds. Many Indonesian medicinal plants have long been utilized in traditional medicine and are known to contain secondary metabolites with antioxidant properties. Antioxidants play a crucial role in neutralizing free radicals and preventing oxidative stress, which is associated with various degenerative, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. This study aims to review the potential of secondary metabolite compounds derived from Indonesian medicinal plants as antioxidant agents based on previously published scientific studies. This research was conducted using a literature review method by analyzing relevant national and international articles. The findings indicate that various medicinal plants, such as sweet potato leaves, green tea, roselle, celery, and Peperomia pellucida, contain bioactive compounds including polyphenols, particularly flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic compounds. In addition, other secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, quinones, coumarins, and anthocyanins also contribute to antioxidant activity. These compounds exert their effects through multiple mechanisms, including free radical scavenging, hydrogen atom donation, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and enhancement of endogenous antioxidant defense systems. The diversity and abundance of these compounds highlight the strong potential of Indonesian medicinal plants as natural antioxidant sources. Therefore, these plants have promising prospects for further development in pharmaceutical and health fields, particularly as raw materials for phytopharmaceutical products and as supportive therapies in preventing oxidative stress-related diseases.