Antioxidant and Anti-Bacterial Activity of Medicinal Plant Leda (Eucalyptus deglupta Blume) Extract

Microbial infection is a prevalent global ailment, accounting for approximately 85% of deaths caused by infectious diseases such as diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, measles, AIDS, tuberculosis, and diarrhea. Therapeutic agents are a specific type of antimicrobial agents used to treat infections. Antimicrobial chemicals are compounds that can inhibit the growth or kill microbes. Leda (Eucalyptus deglupta Blume) is a medicinal plant with potential as a safe antimicrobial. The Kaili people residing near the Lore Lindu National Park have long used it to treat chronic diseases. This research utilized the ethanol extraction method. The phytochemical analysis included tests for alkaloids, triterpenoids, steroids, saponins, phenols, flavonoids, and quinones. The antioxidant activity was measured using the free radical capture method with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The anti-bacterial test employed the agar disc diffusion method. The goal of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties of the Leda medicinal plant extract. The results revealed the presence of alkaloid compounds, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, and carotenoids in the Leda extract. The extract from Leda leaves exhibited potential as a natural antioxidant (IC50 value of 120.31 ppm). The inhibition zone ranges of the Leda extract against the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria were 12.67 ± 0.5 mm -19.77 ± 0.58 mm and 19.97 ± 0.76 mm -13.63 ± 0.29 mm, respectively. Therefore, Leda extract can be considered a potent antimicrobial agent.