Ethnobotanical Survey and Literature Review of Phytochemistry and Bioactivity of Medicinal Plants, Cianjur, West Java

Abstrak

Cianjur Regency, West Java, Indonesia, possesses rich biodiversity and traditional knowledge of medicinal plants that has been transmitted across generations. However, the scientific documentation of local medicinal plant use, phytochemical constituents, and biological activities remains important for supporting the safe and evidence-based development of traditional medicines. This study aimed to identify medicinal plant species used by traditional healers, document the plant parts utilized and preparation methods, and review their reported phytochemical constituents and bioactivities based on scientific literature. A descriptive, cross-sectional ethnobotanical survey was conducted from January to July 2026 in nine villages across the Cipanas, Tanggeung, and Cibinong subdistricts. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews with nine traditional healers selected using snowball sampling. Plant specimens were collected and identified through herbarium preparation, while secondary information was obtained through a structured literature review using Google Scholar, PubChem, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. Quantitative ethnobotanical analysis employed the Use Value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), and Relative Importance (RI) indices to determine the cultural significance of each species. The study documented thirteen medicinal plant species belonging to ten botanical families. Leaves were the most frequently utilized plant parts, accounting for 53.85%, followed by rhizomes and tubers at 15.38% each, while flowers and roots accounted for 7.69% each. Orthosiphon aristatus (cat’s whiskers) and Curcuma longa (turmeric) recorded the highest UV, RFC, and RI values, indicating their prominent roles in local traditional healthcare practices. The literature review identified various reported bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial effects. Although several traditional applications were consistent with published scientific findings, certain uses lacked direct supporting evidence and require further investigation. This study provides a documented foundation for preserving ethnomedicinal knowledge, prioritizing medicinal plants for further pharmacological research, and developing standardized, safe, and evidence-based herbal preparations. Further phytochemical, toxicological, and clinical studies are recommended to establish their safety and therapeutic efficacy.