Antimicrobial Activity Test of Natural and Processed Honey Against Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus that has been resistant to the administration of methicillin antibiotics. This has caused the need to find new alternatives from natural ingredients such as honey that have been used in the past centuries as MRSA treatment. From the previous research, honey has an antibacterial effect due to its phytochemical content, low pH level, and hydrogen peroxide content. Getting honey in Indonesia is relatively easy depends on the type that is distinguished by the location of the acquisition of nectar namely forest honey and cultivation honey. This study aims to determine the antibacterial activity of natural and processed honey on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and determine the comparison of the antibacterial activity between honey type. The method used is the disc diffusion method on Nutrient Agar media. In this research, natural and processed honey was being used and made in various series of concentrations (25, 50, 75, and 100)%. Amoxicillin antibiotic disc as positive control and distilled water as a negative control. The research model used is experimental research in vitro. The results showed that administration of natural and processed honey had antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with inhibitory zone diameters by natural honey of (27, 29.4, 32.1, and 36.2)mm, processed honey (6, 18.36, 30.33, and 33.66)mm, positive control (42.8)mm and negative control (0)mm. Non-parametric Kruskal Wallis test showed that there was an inhibitory activity by natural and processed honey to the growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (p=0.009). The results of the post hoc Mann-Whitney analysis showed that there was inhibitory activity by natural and processed honey against Staphylococcus aureus in the series of concentrations (25, 50, 75, and 100)% (p<0.05). The test result also showed that there is a significant difference in the inhibition activity by natural honey with processed honey at 25% and 50% concentrations (p<0.05). In conclusion, both natural and processed honey has an inhibiting activity in the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Natural honey has a higher inhibitory activity compared to processed honey.