Pharmacognostic Characterization and Standardization of the Aerial Parts of Enhydra fluctuans Lour. Collected in West Sumatra, Indonesia
Abstract
The standardization of herbal raw materials is a critical prerequisite for ensuring the safety and reproducibility of traditional medicines. Enhydra fluctuans Lour. (Asteraceae), a semi-aquatic herb widely used in West Sumatra as a leafy vegetable and reported to possess antioxidant, thrombolytic, hepatoprotective, and antidiabetic activities. Despite these recognized bioactivities, comprehensive pharmacognostic data that would support the authentication, identification, and quality control of this species remain scarce. This study aimed to characterize the morphological, anatomical, and physicochemical properties of the aerial parts of E. fluctuans, and to establish standardization parameters following the guidelines of the Indonesian Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Morphological evaluation was conducted through macroscopic assessment of fresh plant material and simplicia, whereas anatomical structures were examined using transverse and longitudinal sections observed under a light microscope. Physicochemical analyses included determination of acid-insoluble ash and quantification of heavy metal contaminants (Cd and Pb) using gravimetric and spectroscopic methods. The leaves were found to exhibit both paracytic and actinocytic stomatal types, accompanied by glandular trichomes, while the stems showed bicollateral vascular bundles as a defining anatomical feature. The simplicia were characterized by their green coloration, distinctive odor, bitter taste, and the presence of dispersed prismatic calcium oxalate crystals. The non-specific parameters include total ash content, acid-insoluble ash, moisture content, and heavy metal contamination (Cd and Pb) met the acceptable limits defined by the Indonesian Herbal Pharmacopoeia. These findings strengthen its potential application as a safe and reliable herbal raw material for future pharmacological investigations and herbal product development.
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