Sriwijaya University Researchers Complain About the Scarcity of Plants for Research.

However, in the search for bioactive compounds from plants that can be used as raw materials for medicines and food, researchers still face challenges in developing these compounds.

Prof. Dr. Elfita, M.Sc., when interviewed at the Unsri Palembang Graduate School Building on Friday, February 9, 2018, stated that bioactive compounds are substances with great potential for use as raw materials in pharmaceuticals and food.

However, these compounds come from rare plants whose populations are protected.

They also come from plants with long growth cycles.

If they are produced for use in traditional medicines, this threatens their conservation.

To address this, endophytic fungi are used.

Endophytic fungi are fungi that live within plant tissues such as leaves, roots, fruits, and stems.

These endophytic fungi are found in the elephant kandis and asam kandis plants.

The elephant kandis plant has traditionally been used by the Sarasah Bonta community in the Arau Valley, West Sumatra, to treat various diseases caused by free radical activity, such as gout.

Laboratory research has shown that the elephant kandis plant contains antioxidant compounds that can lower uric acid levels.

Elfita added that this research is still in its early stages; future studies will explore the potential applications of these bioactive compounds—whether in pharmaceuticals or food products.