In natural habitats, vegetation diversity strongly determines the optimal condition for the vegetation community to grow along with soil conditions and microclimate factors. At the species level, the combination of such biotic and abiotic factors affects the growth and spread/dispersion of a species, including Merbau. The knowledge about abiotic variables along with vegetation structure and composition in the habitat Merbau is important for the management and conservation strategies of Merbau, especially to determine the optimal environmental conditions for the growth of the species along with its vegetation community in natural forests. Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl is a medicinal plant that is often found growing wild as an alien species in open spaces on the edge of roads in villages, fields, forests, ponds, rivers and lakes. This plant is known as a ruderal plant which is often to become a weed on cultivated plants. The genus Stachytarpheta (Verbenaceae) includes about 100 herbaceous species widely distributed in tropical and subtropical America, with a few members in tropical Asia, Africa and Oceania. The genus name comes from the Greek stachy, meaning ‘spike’ and tarpheta, meaning ‘thick’. It is characterized by small, intense purple to pale rose flowers gathered in dense showy inflorescences.
Author(s) Details:
Solikin
Research Center for Ecology and Ethnobiology, National Research and Innovation Agency Jl. Raya
Jakarta Bogor Km 46, Cibinong, Bogor West Java 16911, Indonesia.
Recent Global Research Developments in the Medicinal Value of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl
Traditional Usage and Pharmacological Evidence:
- S. jamaicensis has been used in traditional medicine for various purposes.
- It contains secondary metabolites with diverse properties, including antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant effects.
- Verbascoside is a key active chemical component in S. jamaicensis [1].
Pharmacognostic Studies:
- The methanol extract of S. jamaicensis leaves shows antidiarrheal activity and inhibits bacterial growth.
- Crude aqueous extracts exhibit activity against various bacteria and fungi [2].
Phytochemistry and Pharmacology:
- Stachytarpheta species, including S. jamaicensis, have been used traditionally for treating ulcers, skin lesions, and inflammatory conditions.
- These plants contain phenylethanoids, iridoids, and flavonoids with diverse activities, such as antiulcer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects [3].
Antioxidant Properties:
- The methanol extract of S. jamaicensis leaves displays inhibition of free radicals (DPPH and ABTS) and α-glucosidase activity [4].
References
- Liew PM, Yong YK. Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl: From Traditional Usage to Pharmacological Evidence. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : Ecam. 2016;2016:7842340. DOI: 10.1155/2016/7842340. PMID: 26925152; PMCID: PMC4746381.
- HO, U., Odoh, U. E., Ugwu, P. N., Diovu, E. O., Okonta, E. O., Onyekere, P. F., & Ezugwu, C. (2016). Pharmacognostic studies of the leaves of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis Linn.(Vahl)(Verbenaceae). International Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemical Research, 8(9), 1503-1508.
- Shah, M. B. (2021). Phytochemistry, pharmacology, and botanical aspects of Stachytarpheta species –A review. International Journal of Green Pharmacy (IJGP), 15(2).
- Fatmawati, S., Auwaliyah, F., Yuliana, Hasanah, N., Putri, D. A., Kainama, H., & Choudhary, M. I. (2023). Antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of compound isolated from Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L) Vahl. leaves. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 18597.