PJB-2022-429
Ahmad Bukhary Ahmad Khair
Abstract
Nephelium lappaceum is a tropical tree that is widely distributed in Malaysia and Indonesia. Rambutan fruit is nutritious and rich in vitamins, minerals, and beneficial compounds that offer many health benefits. The research on the potential of N. lappaceum for pharmaceutical use is underestimated. This study aims to unravel the rambutan’s potential for antibacterial activity. Mature leaves of five cultivars of N. lappaceum (R 191, R 3, S 1, AG 28, and GB 44) were extracted using two different solvents (methanol and aqueous) and were subjected to phytochemical screening. The effects of crude leaf extract on antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus dan the Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli were conducted using the agar well diffusion method. The methanol extraction recorded a higher yield than aqueous in all tested cultivars with the highest recorded in AG 28 (28.2%). Phytochemical screening showed the presence of coumarins, flavonoids, phenols, saponins and tannins in both methanolic and aqueous leaf extracts. Alkaloids were only present in the aqueous extracts except for R 191, while no detection of anthocyanin presence in both methanolic and aqueous extracts. Analysis of antibacterial activity based on the zone of inhibition growth for methanolic and aqueous extracts of five different cultivars showed significant antibacterial effects (P<0.05) with methanolic extract being the most effective against S. aureus and E. coli with the highest inhibition zones of 39 (±0.3) mm and 29 (±0.6) mm, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value was 1.25 % w/v for R 3, AG 28, and GB 44 in methanolic extracts against E. coli and the lowest MIC (1.25% w/v) was recorded for AG 28 in methanolic extracts against S. aureus. Based on the phytochemicals available in the extracts, flavonoids, phenols and coumarin may be responsible for the antibacterial activity in this study.
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