Antibacterial Activity of Carica pubescens Extract from Dieng Plateu Against Bacteria Cause Diarrhea.

Diarrhea is still a public health problem in Indonesia, and this can be seen from the high morbidity, mortality and still frequent occurrence of extraordinary events. Diarrhea could be caused by various microbes i.e the bacteria, parasites and viruses. Carica pubescens is a local plant in the Dieng plateau which can be used to cure diseases caused by amoebic diarrhea. The aims of the research were to study the potential of leaves, stalks, seeds and fruit peels of C. pubescens as antibacterial which cause diarrheal diseases and to study the phytochemical compounds contained in these organs. Samples from leaves, stalks, seeds and peels fruit were extracted by percolation method, then the extracts were fractionated to obtain aquaeous, nhexane and ethyl acetate fraction. Subsequently the fractions were tested their antibacterial activity against the bacteria that cause diarrhea i.e. Shigella flexneri, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus cereus by agar well method. Fraction concentrations were used were 50%, 25% and 12,5% respectively. Antibacterial activity was shown by the formation of inhibition zones around the wells. Inhibition zone diameter was analyzed using two ways ANOVA. Phytochemical contents were examined using thin layer chromatography using silika gel F254. The results showed that leaves extracts had a significant antibacterial activity against S. flexneri, E. coli, S. aureus and B. cereus, fruit peels and seed extracts had significant antibacterial activity against the bacteria S. flexneri, E. coli, S. aureus, and B. cereus. The antibacterial activity of ethyl acetate fraction from all organs showed significantly higher than n-hexane fraction, whereas the aquaeous fraction showed no antibacterial activity against all bacteria tested. Phytochemical compounds contained in the leaves and fruit peels were flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins and phenols, while the seeds contained flavonoids, alkaloids and phenols. Phytochemical compounds i.e flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins and phenols contained in the leaves of C. pubescens had the best antibacterial activity against the bacteria that cause diarrhea. Key words: Carica pubescens, antibacterial, diarrhea, n-hexane fraction, ethyl acetate fraction