POTENSI EKSTRAK DAN RENDAMAN BUNGA TELANG (Clitoria ternatea) SEBAGAI PEWARNA ALAMI ALTERNATIF PADA PEWARNAAN BAKTERI TAHAN ASAM

Abstract

Acid-fast bacteria (AFB) staining generally uses synthetic dyes such as Methylene blue, which have the potential to cause toxic effects and pollute the environment. This study aims to evaluate the use of Clitoria ternatea flower extract as an alternative natural dye for AFB staining. The extraction process was carried out through a maceration method using 70% ethanol and 70% ethyl acetate for 120 minutes, then the maceration results were concentrated with a rotary evaporator for 120 minutes until a deep blue extract was obtained. The extract was formulated in three concentration levels, namely 10%, 15%, and 25%. AFB staining of AFB preparations was carried out using the Ziehl–Neelsen method modified by substituting synthetic dyes with AFB flower extract. Microscopic observations showed that AFB could not be stained at all solvent and concentration variations, as indicated by the absence of typical AFB morphology in the preparations. Therefore, AFB flower extract cannot be used as a substitute for synthetic dyes in AFB staining.

Keywords: acid-fast bacteria; butterfly pea flower; maceration; natural dye; rotary evaporator.