Adsorpsi, emulsifikasi, dan antibakteri ekstrak daun pare (Momordica charantia)

Abstract

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) leaves contains saponin. Saponin can be used as an active substance in facial cleanser. Actually, the reality shows that many of circulated cosmetic contain the chemical materials that hazardous to facial skin such as mercury, hydroquinone, and colorant substances. Knowing that, people begin to realize the importance of herbal cosmetic usage. This research aim to observe the potential of bitter melon leaves as the metal adsorber, surface tension reducer, and anti bacterial. The bitter melon leaves extracted using four solvents, namely water, ethanol, methanol, and hexane. The extracts then experience with the measurement of the ability of metal adsorption, emulsification power tested by the ability of reducing the surface tension, and the antibacterial activity using dilution method with microplate. The adsorption test shows that ethanol extraction of bitter melon leaves is able to adsorb Pb at 30.43% and Hg at 24.38%, but only n-hexane extraction of bitter melon leaves that can adsorb Cu at 21.42%. The surface tension test shows the water extraction of bitter melon leaves is the best extraction to reduce the surface tension. The result of antibacterial test to Staphylococcus epidermidis exhibit that the MIC (Minimal Inhibitory Concentration) at 62.5 ppm for water and ethanol extraction of bitter melon leaves and the MBC (Minimal Bactericidal Concentration) at 2000 ppm for ethanol and methanol extraction of bitter melon leaves.