Investigation on the antibacterial activity of the methanol extract of purun tikus root (Eleocharis dulcis)

Abstract

One of the vegetations growing in tidal swampland and lebak is purun tikus (Eleocharis dulcis) which belongs to the Cyperaceae family. This research studied the antibacterial activity of methanol extract from purun tikus root on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 bacteria. The chemical compounds of purun tikus root were extracted using the maceration method with methanol solvent, followed by thickening the filtrate using a rotary evaporator. The results of phytochemical screening showed that purun tikus root contains phenolic, tannin, flavonoid, and terpenoid compounds. The result showed that this extract has the activity to inhibit the growth of S. aureus ATCC 25923 and E. coli ATCC 25922 bacteria at a concentration of 2500 µg/ml and 3000 µg/ml, respectively. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) value of the methanol extract from purun tikus (E. dulcis) root for both S. aureus ATCC 25923 and E. coli ATCC 25922 bacteria was 6,25 µg/ml. Based on the linear regression calculation, S. aureus ATCC 25923 and E. coli ATCC 25922 inhibited at a concentration of 0.96 !g/ml and 1µg/ml, respectively. The GC-MS spectrum showed that methanol extract of purun tikus contained compounds of the furfural group, namely furfural, 5-methyl furfural, and furfuryl alcohol.