Evaluation on antibacterial activity of Karamunting leaf extract (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Ait) Hassk) with various solvents to Shigella dysenteriae and Salmonella typhi

Abstract

Traditionally, Karamunting plants ( Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Ait) Hassk) are used to treat several types of infectious diseases, such as diarrheal diseases. Dysentery and typhoid fever are still common in developing countries. Dysentery is caused by the bacterium Shigella dysenteriae and typhus is caused by Salmonella typhi . This study aimed to evaluate n-hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts from Karamunting leaf as antibacterial dysentery and typhus. The extract concentrations tested were, 4000, 2000, 1000, 500, 250 and 125 μg/mL. Extraction was carried out in a Soxhlet tool in stages, starting with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol solvents. Antibacterial activity test was conducted by using the agar diffusion method. The study showed that n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts were active against the test bacteria while the ethanol extract was inactive. The Minimum Inhibit Concentration (MIC) value of n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts against S. dysenteriae and S. typhi bacteria was 250 μg/mL. N-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts contained phenol and flavonoid compounds. Karamunting leaf has the potential to be developed into dysentery and typhoid drugs.