Antibacterial Activity and Phytochemical Analysis of Eichomia crassipes (Keladi Bunting) Extracts

Eichorrnia crassipes is a free-floating aquatic plant and locally known as 'Keladi Bunting'. It can be found mostly in tropical and subtropical countries as well as in many warm-temperate regions. E. crassipes has been reported to show antimicrobial activity and has been proved that there were secondary metabolites present in this plant. Thus, as research problem, the present study was conducted to determine the level of antibacterial activity of the E. crassipes, against different bacteria species which were Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Shigella boydii. The present study was also conducted to observe what secondary metabolite present in E. crassipes. Different solvents with different polarity which were ethanol, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether, were used for different parts of E. crassipes which were stems and leaves part. Crude extracts were obtained for next experiment. For antibacterial activity part, disc diffusion assay was used in conducting the experiment. Clear inhibition zone detected then were measured in average measurement which is in millimeter (mm). Next study was to determine did bioactive components present in Eichomia cassipes. Phytochemical analysis was determined by using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Solvent used as mobile phase was ethanol-acetone (3:7). Phytochemical profiling was determined by using iodine vapor method. Through the experiment conducted, the results obtained showed that there was no clear inhibition zone detected against different bacterial species. This is due to certain reasons that affected the results. However, phytochemical screening that was conducted show positive result where there were the present of secondary metabolites based on brown spots that appeared.