Research Article
Afendi Dahlan and Izzah Ali
Abstract
Introduction: Gram positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis cause various types of infection in human. Due to increased incidence of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococci, natural products were proposed as an alternative to combat this problem. Melicope ptelefolia (M. ptelefolia) or tenggek burung, a local herb found in Malaysia, is traditionally used for various medical purposes including the treatment of inflammation and infection. Previous studies have shown that M. ptelefolia exhibited limited anti-bacterial properties. Hence, the aim of this study is to examine the anti-bacterial properties of M. ptelefolia extract and gel formulation against S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Methods: Different concentrations of methanolic extract of M. ptelefolia were used in the disc diffusion method for determining their anti-bacterial properties. Various concentrations of gel were formulated using different amount of extraction from 100%v/v concentration. The gels were then evaluated physically and chemically. Results: Both extract and gel formulations showed good anti-bacterial activity. All gel formulations showed acceptable physical properties and were stable at various temperatures after prolonged storage. Conclusions: In conclusion, M. ptelefolia is a promising candidate as active ingredient to be developed as a gel for the treatment of infection caused by S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Further studies in establishing the full spectrum of anti-bacterial activity of M. ptelefoliaand optimizing of the gel formulation are necessary.