Identification Of Tannin Compounds In Ethanol Extract Of Cat's Whiskers Leaves (Orthosiphon aristatius) Using Thin Layer Chromatography

Abstract

Cat's whiskers are one type of medicinal plant that is often used in traditional medicine. Both empirically and clinically, cat's whiskers leaves (Orthosiphon aristatus) are medicinal plants that contain tannin compounds. Tannins are compounds that have a large molecular weight with complex hydroxyl groups related to carboxyl and protein and also several macromolecules. The purpose of this study was to determine the Tannin compounds in cat's whiskers leaves (Orthosiphon aristatus) using the Thin Layer Chromatography method as a method of separating dissolved substances with solvents consisting of 2 12 13 phases or more. The principle of the TLC method is the difference in physical and chemical properties of compounds such as the tendency of molecules to dissolve in liquids, the tendency of molecules to evaporate and the tendency of molecules to adhere to surfaces (adsorption). Thin layer chromatography (TLC) method was used to identify the ethanol extract. This method uses silica gel TLC plate as the stationary phase. According to Hasnaeni and Wisdawati (2019), a yield of 20.8% of the thick extract of cat's whiskers leaves (Orthosiphon aristatus) was obtained to determine the amount of extract obtained during the extraction process. In addition, the yield value correlates with the amount of active compounds present in the sample; a higher yield value indicates that there is a greater possibility that the active compound component is included in the sample. This is in line with the statement made by Harborne (1987), which is quoted in (Wardaningrum, 2019), which states that the high content of active compounds is usually indicated by the high yield produced; the yield is considered good if the value exceeds 10%. with the results found that there are tannin compounds in cat's whiskers leaves.