Calamus angustifolius Griff. (water rattan palm), C. caesius Blume (Sega rattan), Champereia manillana var. manillana (pucuk seminyak), Cleome gynandra L. (maman), and Plukenetia corniculata Sm. (pepina) traditionally served as food and herbal remedies in Riau, Indonesia. However, reports on scientific information on their bioactive compounds have yet to exist. This study aimed to investigate the histochemical traits and metabolite profiles of these medicinal plants to support their use in future medicinal applications. Leaves and petioles (pepina, maman, and pucuk seminyak) and young stems (water rattan and Sega rattan) underwent histochemical analysis and maceration using methanol, hexane, and ethyl acetate, followed by UPLC-QTOF MS/MS analysis. The histochemical staining identified alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and lipids, except for tannins in pucuk seminyak. Alkaloids emerged primarily in vascular tissues, while flavonoids were abundant in parenchyma. Metabolite profiling revealed a wide range of compounds. Epigallocatechin was notable across all species, whereas formononetin, isoliquiritigenin, and silybin were evident specifically in the Sega rattan and water rattan palm. Among the solvents, methanol yielded the most diverse metabolites through extraction. Based on these, the Sega rattan and water rattan palm have the greatest potential for therapeutic development, while methanol is the most effective solvent for extraction.

Keywords: Traditional medicinal plants, morphological and histochemical traits, metabolite profiles, herbal, UPLC-QTOF MS/MS, Sega rattan (Calamus caesius Blume), Riau

Key findings: Vascular and parenchyma tissues were high in accumulated metabolites in the studied plants. Sega rattan and water rattan palm exhibited the highest metabolite diversity. Furthermore, methanol showed as the best organic solvent for metabolite extraction. The vascular and parenchymal tissues of Sega rattan and water rattan palm are potential targets for breeding programs.