## 1 Introduction  
_Cinnamosum iners_ Reinw. ex Blume is widely distributed across tropical regions of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. _C. iners_ leaves have been utilized in conventional therapies to treat bacterium-related illnesses, including fevers, digestive issues, and coughs, due to their strong antioxidant activity and potent antimicrobial properties [1]. The major bioactive compounds found in the leaves of _Cinnamomum iners_ can be classified into several groups: terpenoids, including linalool, carophyllene, carophyllene oxide, camphor, geraniol, and xanthorhizol (a sesquiterpenoid); phenylpropanoids, such as cinnamic aldehyde, 2-hydroxycinnamaldehyde, cinnamophilin, and safrole; phenolics, including eugenol, hydroxychalcone, and coumarin; and other compounds, such as benzyl benzoate [2]. An appropriate extraction strategy was designed based on the chemical properties of antioxidants, selecting the correct solvent and extraction method to maximize recovery while preserving stability and bioactivity. Methanol and ethanol are examples of polar solvents that are frequently utilized due to their effectiveness in recovering phenolic compounds from plant matrices. The selection of solvents and extraction procedures depends on the nature and stability of the phenolic components, ensuring efficient extraction based on their chemical characteristics [3]. Contemporary extraction methods, such as supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), address the shortcomings of traditional methods by improving yield, reducing the extraction time, minimizing solvent use, and preserving bioactive compounds, thereby resolving issues like low efficiency, long processing times, and compound degradation [4]. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) is recognized as a sustainable and eco-conscious technique for extracting antioxidant compounds from medicinal plants since it requires less solvent, less energy, and shorter extraction times than traditional procedures. MAE is an efficient, rapid, and selective method for recovering valuable bioactive compounds using the direct effects of electromagnetic radiation, which induces microwave-induced molecular movement, allowing materials to absorb electromagnetic energy and transform it into thermal energy. This method produces excellent yields while maintaining the integrity of the chemical by uniformly heating the solvent of choice and plant substrate. Microwave energy enhances the extraction of bioactive phytochemicals like phenolics and flavonoids by using ionic conduction and dipole rotation to heat polar solvents, breaking down cell walls and increasing solubility for faster and more efficient extraction [5]. The ability of the MAE process to extract antioxidant-rich compounds requires the consideration of variations in solvent concentration, irradiation time, microwave power, and material-to-solvent ratio characteristic of the plant sample and its water content and extraction temperature, as these factors may have independent or interactive effects on the efficiency and quality of the extraction [6]. Optimizing MAE parameters is essential in enhancing antioxidant production from medicinal plants, with response surface methodology (RSM) offering an effective approach to modeling and analyzing the interactions among these variables [7]. RSM, a popular multivariate optimization technique, is particularly useful in addressing the challenges of optimizing multiple factors by providing a systematic approach to identifying the optimal combination of conditions that enhance extraction efficiency [8]. RSM offers a more efficient and systematic approach to optimizing MAE conditions compared to the full factorial design, which can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, or one factor at a time, which lacks structure and may miss important interactions between variables, leading to incomplete optimization.