Efektivitas Obat Kumur Ekstrak Rambut Jagung (Zea mays saccharata Sturt) dalam Menghambat Pertumbuhan Bakteri Staphylococcus aureus secara In Vitro

Abstract

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the supporting structures of the teeth caused by plaque bacteria, one of which is Staphylococcus aureus. Plaque formation can be controlled through natural, mechanical, and chemical means. Chemical plaque control using chlorhexidine may lead to side effects, which has encouraged researchers to explore the development of herbal-based mouthwashes. Corn silk (Zea mays saccharata Sturt.) contains active compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, triterpenoids, glycosides, and saponins, which exhibit antibacterial properties. This study aims to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of corn silk (Zea mays saccharata Sturt.) extract mouthwash in inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. The research employed a laboratory experimental design using a post-test only control group design. The test sample was Staphylococcus aureus ATCC®29213. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was applied on Muller Hinton Agar (MHA) media, conducted in five replications, followed by observations. The study results demonstrated that corn silk (Zea mays saccharata Sturt.) extract mouthwash at 50% and 25% concentrations produced inhibition zone diameters of 18.2 mm and 13 mm, respectively, which are categorized as strong. Chlorhexidine gluconate 0.2% mouthwash (positive control) showed the strongest inhibition zone. Conversely, corn silk extract mouthwash at 12.5% concentration and the basic mouthwash formula showed no antibacterial effect, as no clear inhibition zones were observed. The differences in the results were statistically significant.