Irene Puspa Dewi, Icha Fitri Theresia Sinaga, Esau Gelmi Saremurat, Verawaty
Garcinia cowa Roxb., commonly known as asam kandis, contains several compounds that are effective as antibacterials. This compound can be utilized to develop herbal hand sanitizer gels containing herbal extracts as active ingredients. This study is expected to develop and evaluate herbal hand sanitizer gels from Garcinia cowa Roxb. extract as a natural antibacterial. Garcinia cowa Roxb. extract was formulated into a hand sanitizer gel and subjected to physical evaluation and antibacterial activity testing against Staphylococcus aureus. Physical evaluation was conducted using organoleptic parameters, homogeneity, spreadability, and pH. Antibacterial activity testing was carried out using the well diffusion method. The results of the physical evaluation showed that the hand sanitizer gel preparation was a brownish, semi-solid, homogeneous gel with a distinctive odor, had a spreadability between 5.1 and 5.53 cm, and a pH of 7.89-8.0. The hand sanitizer gel preparation from Garcinia cowa Roxb. extract provided antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. This preparation has the potential to be developed into a herbal hand sanitizer, but it still requires testing against other types of bacteria.