Siti Rabida Nurhasanah Malawat, Juen Carla Warella, Fitri Kadarsih Bandjar, Effendi Effendi

The Inhibitory Effect of East Indonesia Endemic Plant Itchy Leaves on Staphylococcus epidermidis as a Normal Skin Flora

Introduction

The inhibitory effect of east indonesia endemic plant itchy leaves on staphylococcus epidermidis as a normal skin flora. Explore the strong inhibitory effect of East Indonesian itchy leaves (Laportea decumana) extract on Staphylococcus epidermidis (normal skin flora). Reveals antibacterial potential.

Abstract

Itchy leaf (Laportea decumana) is one of the plants endemic to Eastern Indonesia. People usually use itchy leaves as an alternative treatment for pain and soreness by rubbing it on the surface of the body. Itchy leaves are very useful because they contain abundant secondary metabolites. The application of itchy leaves by rubbing can certainly affect normal skin flora such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, leading to health problems. This study aimed to investigate the effect of methanol extract of itchy leaves on the normal skin flora of S. epidermidis. This test was conducted using the disk diffusion method. The results of this study showed that all concentrations of itchy leaf extract inhibited the growth of S. epidermidis. The highest inhibitory activity was observed at 50% concentration (23.00 ± 7.20), categorized as very strong, followed by 100% concentration (15.00 ± 2.90), 25% (18.00 ± 11.3), 12.5 (13.40 ± 3.51), and 6.25 (10.40 ± 3.10), all categorized as strong. These findings indicate that the prolonged use of itchy leaves may affect the growth of normal flora, resulting in health problems. On the other hand, itchy leaves have the potential to be developed as an antibacterial agent in the future.

Review

This paper presents an initial investigation into the antimicrobial properties of *Laportea decumana*, an endemic plant from Eastern Indonesia traditionally used for topical applications, against *Staphylococcus epidermidis*. The study's premise, exploring the potential impact of traditional medicinal plant use on normal skin flora and its subsequent implications for health, is highly relevant and addresses a pertinent question in ethnopharmacology. The authors successfully demonstrate that methanol extracts of itchy leaves possess an inhibitory effect on *S. epidermidis*, providing valuable preliminary data for both understanding potential adverse effects of traditional use and identifying new sources for antimicrobial agents. The methodology, utilizing the disk diffusion method for screening the antibacterial activity of methanol extracts, is appropriate for an initial *in vitro* assessment. The abstract clearly articulates the findings, indicating that all tested concentrations of the extract demonstrated an inhibitory effect, with a particularly "very strong" activity observed at 50% concentration. The inclusion of quantitative data with standard deviations for each concentration enhances the credibility of the reported inhibitory zones. The findings are significant as they highlight a dual perspective: the potential for long-term traditional application to disrupt beneficial skin flora, leading to "health problems," alongside the plant's promising potential as a source for novel antibacterial compounds. While the abstract provides a compelling initial insight, it also implicitly outlines avenues for future research. The study's *in vitro* nature means that direct extrapolation to *in vivo* effects or actual "health problems" from traditional use requires further investigation, including comprehensive toxicity and clinical studies. Future work should aim to identify the specific active secondary metabolites responsible for the observed antimicrobial activity and explore their mechanism of action. Additionally, evaluating the extract's effect on a broader spectrum of skin flora, both commensal and pathogenic, would provide a more holistic understanding of its impact. Overall, this paper lays a strong foundation for further exploration into the therapeutic potential and safe application of *Laportea decumana*.

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