Antibacterial effectiveness of etlingera elatior extract against pseudomonas aeruginosa as an alternative treatment for infected emergency wounds.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a formidable opportunistic pathogen characterized by intrinsic antibiotic resistance, complicating nosocomial infection management. Indonesia’s biodiversity, specifically Kecombrang (Etlingera elatior Jack), offers a promising reservoir of antimicrobial phytochemicals such as flavonoids and terpenoids to support evidence-based nursing and complementary therapies.

Objective:

This study evaluates the antibacterial activity of various anatomical parts of E. elatior to identify the most effective concentration and plant part against P. aeruginosa.

Methods:

This in vitro laboratory experiment utilized a single-factor Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Ethanol extracts (70%) of the flowers, stems, and pseudostems sourced from Pangandaran, West Java, were tested using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method with four replications. Concentrations ranged from 60% to 100%, with Ceftazidime (10 µg) and sterile distilled water as positive and negative controls, respectively. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U test (α = 0.05).

Results:

All plant parts exhibited varying antibacterial activity. The flower extract at 90% concentration produced the largest mean inhibition zone (4.55 +0.79 mm). Extract potency was categorized as weak, whereas the positive control showed strong activity (15.92 +0.97 mm). Statistical analysis confirmed a significant difference between flowers and other parts (p < 0.05); though no significant difference existed between stems and pseudostems (p > 0.05).

Conclusion:

E. elatior extracts possess antibacterial properties against P. aeruginosa, with the flower being the most significant anatomical part. While current potency is weak, these results provide a scientific foundation for developing Kecombrang as a supplementary antimicrobial agent.