Antimicrobial and Phytochemistry study of Dendrobium linearifolium Teijsm. & Binn. from Gumitir, Jember, Indonesia

Abstract

Dendrobium linearifolium Teijsm. & Binn. is an epiphytic orchid growing in Mount Gumitir, Jember, Indonesia and had been used by indigenous people of Bali to treat earaches. Previous research has identified its DNA barcode and the presence of alkaloids and flavonoids with the highest concentration found in the leaves. However, an extensive analysis of their chemical constituents and their potential medicinal properties from this plant is not yet available. This study aims to determine the antimicrobial activity and phytochemical contents of the methanol extract of D. linearifolium leaves. The antimicrobial test was conducted using the agar diffusion method against two fungi: Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus falvus and three pathogenic bacteria i.e., Streptococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and Escherichia coli. Phytochemical analysis was performed using GC-MS. The results of the antimicrobial test indicate that the extract of D. linearifolium leaves possessed antimicrobial activity with the highest level against A. niger and the gram-positive bacteria S. aureus. The phytochemical analysis detected a total of 47 compounds with a total of 26 having medicinal potential. The five most dominant compounds with antimicrobial activity, i.e., 1-propanol, 2-(2-hydroxypropoxy)- (CAS) 2-(2-hydroxypropoxy)-1-propanol; 4-methyl-2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde; phenol, 2-methoxy- (CAS) guaiacol; 2-propanol, 1,1′-oxybis- (CAS) dipropylene glycol; and acetic acid (CAS) ethylic acid.