Screening for high kaempferol content from different species of Malaysian medicinal plants

Abstract

The flavonoids such as kaempferol that have anti-cancer properties are widely distributed in plants kingdom. The purpose of this study was to screen high kaempferol content in the selected medicinal plants and determine the kaempferol distribution in different plant organ. Kaempferol content in mature leaf of twenty two randomly selected Malaysian medicinal plants were determined using gas chromatography (GCFID). A commercial kaempferol was used as a standard (positive control). It was discovered that the highest kaempferol content was detected in Tibouchina semidecandra (4689.75 654.83 mg/kg) while the mature leaf contained higher kaempferol than young leaf and shoot. However, no kaempferol was detected in young stem of T. semidecandra. Therefore, this study suggests T. semidecandra as an alternative source for kaempferol.