POTENTIAL OF HERBAL COMBINATION EXTRACTS AS GRAM POSITIVE AND GRAM NEGATIVE ANTIBACTERIAL COMPOUNDS

Abstract

Many medicinal plants that have antibacterial potential are found in Indonesia, including Moringa leaf (Moringa oleifera L.), breadfruit leaf (Artocarpus altilis F.), betel leaf (Piper betle L.), and wind wood (Usnea baileyi Z.). The active ingredients of these plants are flavonoids, saponins, tannins, essential oils, and phenolics. The study aimed to determine the antibacterial potential of the ethanol extract of the herbal combination against the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria. Extraction using the maceration method with 70% ethanol as solvent. The extracts were made in series with concentrations of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% with positive control (clindamycin 2%) and negative control and tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by disc diffusion method. The results obtained were analyzed using the One Way Anova test, Post Hoc LSD test, and Linear regression. The results showed that all concentrations of the herbal combination ethanol extract could inhibit the growth of bacteria against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration against the second bacteria occurred at a concentration of 2% with clear areas of 3.45 mm and 3.48 mm, respectively. The results of the LSD test showed that there were significant differences in inhibition between Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria at concentrations of 6% and 8%, while concentrations of 2%, 4%, and 10% were not significantly different. The effect of the concentration of the ethanol extract of the herbal combination on the diameter of the clear area in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria was 96.84% and 94.89% respectively, the rest was influenced by other factors. Conclusion The ethanolic extract of the herbal combination has potential as an antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria.