Ethnopharmacology and chemical screening of piper from ketambe research station, Gunung Leuser National Park, Southeast Aceh

Throughout human history, people used various materials from nature to cure their illnesses and improve their health. Substances were derived from flora, fauna and mineral sources located in people’s immediate surroundings but also remote areas. Still, there is very little information on ethnopharmacology and publications about plants from Piper , especially those from around Ketambe. The research was done by exploration method, direct observation and interview, followed by laboratory analysis and literature study. Phytochemical screening was performed by the Ciuley Method. In this exploration, there were seven species of Piper . The results of interviews with indigenous elders obtained information that the seven Piper species can be used to cure different diseases. From phytochemical screening, it was found that the seven Piper species studied contained sterols & triterpenoids, carotenoids, tannins, cumarin derivatives, polyuranide, steroid glycosides but did not contain fat & high fatty acids, emodols/anthracids and coumarins.