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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp7 (2026): International Conference on Agricultural Sustainability

Quantification of phenolics, flavonoids, tannins and antioxidant activity in Java Arabica (Coffea arabica L.) leaf extract

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.14369
Submitted
4 March 2026
Published
03-09-2026

Abstract

Natural antioxidants are widely valued for their bioavailability and potential health benefits. Coffee (Coffea spp.) is recognised as a rich source of bioactive compounds, not only in its beans but also in its leaves and fruit tissues. In Indonesia, coffee leaves have long been utilised to prepare a traditional beverage known as Aia kawa, which is believed to possess notable antioxidant properties. This study evaluated the relative water content (RWC), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total tannin content (TTC), and total antioxidant activity of coffee leaves at different stages of leaf and tree maturity. The results demonstrated that young leaves harvested from young coffee trees exhibited the highest TPC (3.2 mg GAE/g), TFC (18.5 mg QE/g) and antioxidant activity (0.54 mg AAE/g;  p < 0.05). No significant differences in phenolic content were observed between mature leaves from young trees and young leaves from mature trees. Tannin values were clarified and expressed as micrograms tannic acid equivalent per gram dry sample (725-1100 µg TAE/g), avoiding misinterpretation of the unit as mg/g.  A positive association was observed between phenolic content and antioxidant activity, with a strong relationship for TPC (R² = 0.981) and a moderate relationship for TFC (R² = 0.855). These findings indicate that coffee leaves, particularly young leaves from young trees, represent a promising and under utilised source of natural antioxidants with potential applications in functional foods and nutraceutical products.

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