Antioxidant Activity of Usnic Acid Compound from Methanol Extract of Lichen <i>Usnea</i> sp.

Abstract

IntroductionIndonesia has abundant natural resources so it is known as a mega biodiversity country. The wealth of natural resources has the potential to be used as raw materials for medicines or traditional medicines. Traditional medicine is part of the culture and has been used for centuries. Currently, public confidence in the use of traditional medicine is getting higher seeing the effectiveness of the treatment produced 1,2) . Plants or products obtained from nature are preferred to be developed as pharmaceutical raw materials because of their high content of secondary metabolites 3,4) . Many natural materials are targeted in the manufacture of medicines, one of the raw materials that have the potential to be developed is crustal lichen organisms. Like plants, lichen has also been used in treating many ailments due to its medicinal properties since ancient times. Therefore lichen can also be used to develop new pharmaceutical products 5,6) .Lichen is a medicinal plant that is classified as a unique and low organism and more than 250 chemical compounds