UJI DAYA HAMBAT DAUN PEGAGAN (CENTELLA ASIATICA) TERHADAP BAKTERI ESCHERICHIA COL
Abstract
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacterium that frequently causes
gastrointestinal infections and remains a public health concern due to increasing
antimicrobial resistance. This condition encourages the exploration of herbal plants
as alternative antibacterial agents. Centella asiatica (pegagan) is a medicinal plant
widely used in traditional medicine and is known to contain bioactive compounds
such as flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and triterpenoids that potentially exhibit
antibacterial activity. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of ethanolic
extract of C. asiatica leaves against E. coli using the disc diffusion method. Fresh
pegagan leaves were processed into simplicia, extracted with 96% ethanol, and
diluted into four concentrations (15%, 30%, 45%, and 60%). Escherichia coli
cultures were standardized to 0.5 McFarland and inoculated onto agar media. Paper
discs impregnated with each extract concentration were applied, with ciprofloxacin
used as a positive control and ethanol as a negative control. After incubation at 37°C
for 24 hours, inhibition zones were measured. The results showed that none of the
extract concentrations produced a measurable inhibition zone, while ciprofloxacin
formed a clear zone of inhibition, indicating bacterial sensitivity and method validity.
These findings suggest that ethanolic extract of C. asiatica leaves at concentrations
of 15–60% does not exhibit measurable antibacterial activity against E. coli, possibly
due to insufficient concentration of active compounds to penetrate the Gramnegative bacterial cell wall.
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