Utilization of the Native Sumatran Plant Aporosa octandra var. malesiana as an Innovative Drug Candidate for Tonsillitis
Zulfarina (a*), Asih Rahayu Ajeng Agesti(a), Nursal (a), Syafrizal Ulum (a)

a)Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Education, FKIP Universitas Riau Indonesia
* Corresponding author, E-mail: zulfarina[at]lecturer.unri.ac.id

Abstract

Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils, commonly caused by infection with the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes. The rise in antibiotic resistance has prompted the search for new drug candidates derived from natural sources. The native Sumatran plant Aporosa octandra var. malesiana is known to contain bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, tannins, and saponins, which exhibit antibacterial potential. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Aporosa octandra var. malesiana leaf extract against Streptococcus pyogenes as a potential innovative drug for tonsillitis. The ethanol extract was obtained through maceration and tested for antibacterial activity using the well-diffusion method at concentrations of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. The results demonstrated that the leaf extract of Aporosa octandra var. malesiana inhibited the growth of Streptococcus pyogenes, with inhibition zones increasing in diameter with higher extract concentrations. The 100% concentration produced the largest inhibition zone, comparable to that of the antibiotic positive control, amoxicillin. These findings indicate that Aporosa octandra var. malesiana leaf extract has the potential to be developed as an innovative herbal drug candidate for the treatment of tonsillitis.

Keywords: Aporosa octandra var. malesiana, tonsillitis, Streptococcus pyogenes, antibacterial, herbal medicine

Topic: Biology and Biology Education