Rima Erviana, Shafira Salsabila, Ajeng Tri Isna, Rifki Febriansyah, Vella Lailli Damarwati, Annisa Krisridwany, Sabtanti Harimurti
Long-term and excessive use of drugs in the therapeutic management of microbial infections leads to increased antimicrobial resistance. It is necessary to select therapeutic management using natural ingredients, as well as combine some natural ingredients with conventional drugs, to prevent antimicrobial resistance. Green betel leaves have a high potential as a drug, especially as an antimicrobial agent. The study identified the active compound in the green betel leaf essential oil and determined its antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans. The bioactive components in the oil were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antimicrobial and antifungal properties of green betel leaf essential oil were determined using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Based on the GC-MS analysis, green betel leaf essential oil contains chavicol acetate, chavibetol, eugenol acetate, α-selinene, and β-selinene. The antibacterial activity assay showed that green betel leaf essential oil could inhibit the growth of S. epidermidis at a concentration of 12,5%, while the antifungal activity showed that the zone inhibition of C albicans was formed in the concentration of 12,5%. The zone inhibition diameter of antifungal activity tests was higher than in the antibacterial activity assay. The combination of essential oils with antibiotics and antifungal agents did not show increased activity, suggesting that the combination was not synergistic.