Formulation and Antibacterial Potential of Sarang Semut (Myrmecodia pendans) against Oral Pathogenic Bacteria: An In Vitro Study

Background: Dental diseases are generally caused by oral bacteria such as Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans, and Streptococcus sanguinis. These bacteria have resistance to synthetic drugs; thus, it is required to discover new antibacterial agents. Sarang Semut (Myrmecodia pendans) has been empirically used as a medicinal plant to treat various conditions, including those caused by pathogenic bacteria. Objective: The present study was aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity of Sarang Semut extracts against E. faecalis, S. mutans, and S. sanguinis. Materials and Methods: Sarang Semut was extracted with several solvents to yield n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water extracts. Each extract and combination were adjusted for assay with chlorhexidine, fosfomycin, and quercetin and used as positive controls. Results: The n-hexane extract showed activity with inhibition zone values of 7.15 and 10.45 ppm against E. faecalis and S. mutans at 1%, respectively. All combination extracts could inhibit the growth of E. faecalis and S. sanguinis. The synergistic effects resulting from the combination of extract-fosfomycin were also presented in this evaluation, with the strongest shown by water-fosfomycin against S. mutans, with inhibition zones of 28.5 mm at 1%. Conclusion: Sarang Semut extracts demonstrated antibacterial activity against oral pathogenic bacteria. These results offer alternative natural sources for the new antibacterial drug candidate.