Antimicrobial activity of acetone extract of senna alata leaf against skin pathogen / Nor Shela Kamarudin

Senna alata also known as ―Pokok gelenggang‖ is one of the plants that are used as a traditional medicine for long time ago. The Senna alata is able to treat diarrhea, dysentery and other gasterointestinal problem. Moreover, it is also reported to have antifungal activity. The present study was initiated to explore the antimicrobial activity of acetone extract of Senna alata leaf against skin pathogen. Thus, the extract of Senna alata leaf was prepared using acetone as an extraction solvent. Acetone extractions were done using maceration technique. In order to determine the antimicrobial activity of Senna alata against skin pathogen which is S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and P. mirabilis, Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) by disc diffusion method and Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) by using microdilution broth assays were performed. Significant results of Senna alata leaf extract effect are shown in S. aureus, S. epidermidis and P.mirabilis. The result for AST showed largest inhibition zone against Staphylococcus epidermidis (13.67mm±1.52). It was followed by Staphylococcus aureus (11.33mm±1.15) and Proteus mirabilis (9.0mm±1.0). While, for Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed no inhibition zone at all. The MIC showed that S. epidermidis had the lowest MIC value (31.25mg/ml). S. aureus had 62.5 mg/ml meanwhile P. mirabilis had 250 mg/ml of MIC value. As a conclusion, acetone extract of Senna alata leaf had antimicrobial activity against skin pathogen and had a potential to use as natural product in antimicrobial agents.