Effect of Crude From “Tripitsajuk” Formulary on Growth Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis and Antioxidation Activity

Tripitsajuk (TPJ), a traditional Thai herbal formula comprising Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg), Oenanthe javanica (Blume) DC. (water dropwort), and Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry (clove), has been extensively utilized in Thai traditional medicine for treating infections and digestive disorders. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of TPJ extracts prepared using different ethanol concentrations. TPJ extracts were prepared using 40% ethanol (TPJHE40) and absolute ethanol (TPJE) through 7-day maceration extraction. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging assay and total phenolic content determination using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, while antimicrobial activity was assessed against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus using agar well diffusion method. The extraction yielded 7.50% and 10.93% for TPJHE40 and TPJE, respectively. Both extracts exhibited notable DPPH radical scavenging activity with IC₅₀ values of 2.29 and 1.95 mg/mL, alongside total phenolic contents of 0.247 and 0.274 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram extract, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between extraction methods for antioxidant properties. Antimicrobial evaluation demonstrated superior antibacterial potency of TPJHE40 compared to TPJE against both bacterial strains, particularly S. epidermidis. At 50 mg/mL concentration, TPJHE40 produced inhibition zones of 27.89 ± 0.00 mm against S. epidermidis and 18.00±0.20 mm against S. aureus. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were 1.56 mg/mL and 3.13 mg/mL against S. epidermidis and S. aureus, respectively. These findings indicate that TPJ extract obtained using 40% ethanol possesses considerable therapeutic potential as an alternative antibacterial agent, particularly for S. epidermidis inhibition, warranting further investigations for pharmaceutical applications.