Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of elephantopus scaber and ageratum conyzoides (Asteraceae) leaves extracts from various altitude habitats

Asteraceae family has various benefit as herbal medicine and phytochemical affect. It can grow in different habitats but secondary metabolites in Asteraceae depend on the environmental factors. The aims of the study were to quantitatively analyze the phenolic and flavonoid content of two kinds of plants from Asteraceae family, such as Elephantopus scaber and Ageratum conyzoides, on three differents kinds of habitats which differ on the altitudes. Elephantopus scaber and Ageratum conyzoides leaves were obtained from three different altitude habitat: Lowland (Bangkalan-Madura; 28.3 - 31.72 m asl), middle land (Trawas- Mojokerto; 727 – 937 m asl) and highland (Coban talun-Batu; 1303 – 1322 m asl). The simplicia of Asteraceae family leaves were macerated and extracted with methanol, ethyl acetate, aquades and n-butanol. The total phenolic (gallic acid/GAE) and flavonoid (quercetin/QE) contents were determined using UV-VIS spectrometer. The results were then analyzed by ANOVA. The results showed that the total phenolic (1.86 ±0.03 mg/mL) and flavonoid (3.4 ±0.06 mg/mL) contents of Elephantopus scaber were showed in the middle-altitude land was found higher as compared to the lowland (total phenolic content 1.566±0.04 and flavonoid 3.2±0.12 mg/mL) and highland (total phenolic content 1.417±0.04 and flavonoid 3.1±0.01 mg/mL). The total phenolic contents of A.conyzoides in middle-altitude (1.66±0.1 mg/mL) was higher than highland (1.30±0.03 mg/mL) and lowland (1.25±0.02 mg/mL). The total flavonoid on A.conyzoides in highland (3.2±0.06 mg/mL) was higher than A. conyzoides growing in the middle-altitude land (2.9±0.0 mg/mL) and in lowland (2.6±0.06 mg/mL). The highest phenolic content was found to be in methanol extract, and the highest flavonoid content was found to be in ethyl acetate fraction of Elephantopus scaber and A. conyzoides.