Physical Quality and Antibacterial Activity test of Ethanol Extract Gel Preparation of Cocoa Pod Husk (Theobroma Cacao L.) against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Indonesia becomes the third-ranking country over the world in producing and exporting cocoa. Cocoa production increment in Indonesia leads to the increase of cocoa pod husk waste. The heap of cocoa pod husk waste can cause environmental problems and foul odors. Cocoa pod husk contain potentially antibacterial compounds such as flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, terpenoids and tannins. Surgical wound infections can be caused by bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. These bacteria have been through a lot of resistance to antibiotics. This present study was conducted to determine the physical quality and antibacterial activity of ethanol extract gel of the cocoa pod husk (Theobroma cacao L.) against S. aureus and E.coli. This true experimental research used a post-test only control design. The stages of the research included extraction, testing the activity of antibacterial extract with various concentrations, gel formulations with variations in carbopol concentration, physical quality and antibacterial gel activity test. Data were analyzed using Kruskall-Wallis and Mann-Whitney. The results of this study were extracts with concentrations of 8%, 16% and 32% which had antibacterial activity against S. aureus, but did not have antibacterial activity against E. coli. The requirements for good physical gel quality only reached by the gel with carbopol concentration of 2% while gel with carbopol concentration of 1% and 3% did not meet the requirement of it. Gel with carbopol concentration of 1%, 2% and 3% have antibacterial activity against S. aureus. Cocoa pod husk extract gel with 8% extract concentration and 2% carbopol base concentration is the best formulation and has the antibacterial activity of S. aureus.