Traditional Medicinal Plants in Bima Communities: A Bacterial Activities Test and Phytochemicals

Abstract

The use of medicinal plants in Bima communities has been widely practiced for a long time by parents and ancestors, however, this was usually not based on scientific understanding of the chemical contents in those medical plants. Consequently, in determining the standard amount of dosage relies on experience and hereditary habits. The purpose of this study was to determine the antibacterial and phytochemical activity test of traditional medicinal plants in Bima community. Samples of medicinal plants used were Muntingia calabura, Phyllanthus urinaria, Ageratum conyzoides, Manilkara zapota and Momordica charantia. The results indicate that Muntingia calabura and Ageratum conyzoides contain alkaloid compounds, flavonoids, trpenoids, saponins and tannins with concentrations of 20.40 and 60 ml which have the ability to inhibit the activity of Staphylococcus aureus by producing an inhibitory zone that is classified as a very well with an average radius of the inhibition zone 14.47 ± 0.40 mm. Whilst, the phytochemical test result of medicinal plant extracts show that 4 plant samples contain flavonoid compounds, 1 sample does not contain flavonoids, 4 samples contain alkaloid compounds, 5 samples contain steroid compounds and terpenoids, 4 samples contain saponin compounds, and 1 sample does not contain saponins.