Introduction
Antibacterial substances are compounds that
hinder bacterial growth by interfering with the
The combination of extracts allows for synergistic
activity between compounds.
The extraction technique is the process of
transferring a substance or solute from the
original solution or solid into a certain solvent [9].
Extraction techniques by maceration, soxhlet,
and hydrodistillation can produce very effective
antibacterials but require very expensive
solvents. Therefore, the hydro extraction method
was chosen using hot water by boiling and
steaming because this method is considered
more economical. Based on this, research is
needed to compare the antibacterial activity of a
combination of green betel leaf extract and
starfruit extract using the hydro-extraction
technique. The resulting extract is expected to be
more effective and cost-efficient as an antiseptic
in inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus
and Escherichia coli.
metabolism
of
harmful
microbes
[1].
Antibacterial substances derived from synthetic
materials can prevent bacterial infections, but
many have side effects such as irritation. This
problem encourages the shift in the use of
antibacterial substances from synthetic materials
to natural materials. Natural material extracts
with antibacterial content can be formulated into
antiseptic preparations through hand sanitizers
or hand soap. Plants with antibacterial properties
include starfruit (Averrhoa bilimbi L.) and betel
leaves (Piper betle). These plants are useful as
traditional medicines that our ancestors have
long used. Starfruit is effective in treating various
conditions,
diabetes,
including
coughs,
rheumatism, canker sores, mumps, toothaches,
acne, bleeding gums, diarrhea, and high blood
pressure [2]. Starfruit contains compounds such
as saponins, flavonoids, steroids/triterpenoids,
Material and Methods
Materials and Instrumentations
and
tannins.
These
compounds
exhibit
antibacterial activity by inhibiting protein
synthesis [3]. According to a study by Aifianti
(2014), revealed that starfruit extract displays
antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus
aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria at a 10%
concentration. An extract concentration of 10%
or the lowest concentration can inhibit bacterial
growth and produce an inhibition zone diameter
[4]. Meanwhile, betel leaves are efficacious for
treating vaginal discharge, eliminating bad
breath, treating wounds, stopping bleeding
gums, mouth ulcers, and eliminating body odor
[5]. The chemical content found in betel plants is
saponin, flavonoids, polyphenols, and essential
oils [6]. Saponin compounds exhibit antibacterial
effects by damaging the cytoplasmic membrane,
Piper betle and Averrhoa bilimbi extracts, test
bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia
coli. The test media including Nutrient Agar (NA)
and Nutrient Broth (NB). Additional materials are
distilled
Dragendorff's
water
(H2O),
reagent,
Mayer's
reagent,
concentrated
hydrochloric acid (HCl P), Iron (III) Chloride (FeCl3),
ethyl acetate (C4H8O2), anhydrous acetic acid,
concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4), hot water,
hydrochloric acid (HCl). Other tools are knives,
trays, cloths, stoves, pans, beaker glasses,
thermometers, petri dishes, measuring cups,
droppers, test tubes, test tube racks, analytical
scales, spirit lamps, dropper plates, erlenmeyer
flasks
which
results
in
cell
death.
Flavonoid
Methods
compounds, meanwhile, work by causing the
denaturation of bacterial cell proteins [7]. Betle
leaf extract at a 40% concentration can inhibit
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, producing an
inhibition zone with a diameter of 17.33 mm [8].
Based on the content of compounds in the two
plants that have antibacterial activity, both plants
have the potential to be used as natural
antiseptics. The combination of these two
extracts is anticipated to offer enhanced
effectiveness in suppressing bacterial growth.
Sample Preparation and Extraction. The plant
materials used in this study consisted of green
betle leaves (Piper betle) and starfruit (Averrhoa
bilimbi L.), sourced from Bendiljati Wetan Village,
Tulungagung, and identified at Materia Medica
Batu, Malang. For extract preparation, several
fresh yellow starfruits and green betel leaves
were selected, washed with clean water, and then
allowed to dry at room temperature. Once dried,
the samples were cut into small pieces of
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