THE FORMULATION OF KECOMBRANG FLOWER HAND SANITIZER TESTING FOR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY TO ESCHERICHIA COLI AND STAPHYLOCOCUS AUREUS

Abstract

Kecombrang (Etlinger elatior Jack) is one of the plants that may have an activity as an antiseptic because it contains flavonoids and essential oils with an aromatic odor, and has traditionally been used to stop bleeding and eliminate body odor. Kecombrang flowers are purchased at the traditional market in Pusat Pasar Medan, which are freshly cleaned and then mashed using a blender and dried in a freezer at -40°C for 24 hours, then mashed until dry powder is obtained. Then phytochemical screening was carried out and formulating Kecombrang flowers into liquid hand sanitizer gel preparations, with the aim of getting hand sanitizer gel preparations from natural ingredients.

The formulation of the liquid hand sanitizer gel preparation uses dried Kecombrang flowers at concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15%. Evaluation of the obtained preparations included organoleptic tests with hedonic tests, homogeneity, pH, dispersibility, stability, irritation to volunteer skin, and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by agar diffusion using metal shields, as well as total plate count. of hand washing water specimens.

The results showed that the hand sanitizer containing 10% kecombrang flower powder was the best because it was highly favored by volunteers, stable at room temperature for 12 weeks, no irritation, and 15% concentration. Most effective, it can kill Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria with a strong category so that the liquid gel of dry kecombrang flower preparations as a natural ingredient can be used for handsanitizer from bacteria, which is easy, practical, and safe to use without using water.