<![CDATA[Background: Anemia remains a major global public health problem, particularly among women of reproductive age. The prevalence of anemia in this population ranges from 27% to 32.8%. In Indonesia, anemia prevalence remains high, affecting 48.9% of adolescent girls and 46.9% of pregnant women. Iron deficiency due to inadequate dietary iron intake and impaired iron absorption is the primary cause of anemia. Indonesian bay leaf (Syzygium polyanthum) powder is a locally available food resource containing iron and has the potential to be developed as an alternative nutritional intervention to improve hemoglobin levels. Purpose: To evaluate the effect of Syzygium polyanthum leaf powder supplementation on hemoglobin levels in anemic female Wistar rats. Method: A pretest–posttest controlled experimental design conducted at the Integrated Research and Testing Laboratory, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and the Integrated Laboratory of Universitas Sebelas Maret from August to October 2023. Six-week-old female Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) weighing approximately 150 g were obtained from UD Wistar, Yogyakarta. During the acclimatization period, the rats were fed commercial feed and an iron-deficient AIN-93M diet. Anemia was induced by administering an iron-deficient diet for 15 days. Subsequently, Syzygium polyanthum leaf powder was orally administered for 28 days at three different doses: P1 (18.6 mg/200 g body weight), P2 (36 mg/200 g body weight), and P3 (55.6 mg/200 g body weight). Hemoglobin levels were measured using the cyanmethemoglobin method. Results: Administration of Syzygium polyanthum leaf powder for 28 days significantly increased hemoglobin levels. The greatest improvement was observed in the P1 group (18.6 mg/200 g body weight), with a mean hemoglobin increase of 1.16 ± 1.34 g/dL. Conclusion: Supplementation with Syzygium polyanthum leaf powder at a dose of 18.6 mg/200 g body weight significantly improved hemoglobin levels in anemic female Wistar rats. Syzygium polyanthum leaf powder has potential as an alternative intervention for anemia; however, further studies are required to confirm its effectiveness. Keywords: Anemia; Hemoglobin; Rattus norvegicus; Syzygium polyanthum; Wistar Rats.]]>
