PENETEPAN KADAR FLAVONOID EKSTRAK DAUN BIDARA (Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf) BERDASARKAN VARIASI UKURAN PARTIKEL MENGGUNAKAN METODE SPEKTROFOTOMETRI UV VIS

Abstract

The bidara plant (Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf) has long been used as traditional medicine, with its roots, leaves, fruits, seeds, and stems utilized particularly the leaves, which are commonly boiled to treat fever, cough, and infections due to their flavonoid content that exhibits antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. This study aimed to compare the total flavonoid content of bidara leaf extracts at two different particle sizes, namely mesh 40/60 and mesh 80/100, and to evaluate the implications for extraction efficiency. The research was conducted using an experimental design, with extraction carried out by maceration in ethanol while controlling variables such as moisture content of the simplicia, drying method, solvent ratio, and extraction time and temperature. Particle sizes were converted into micron ranges: mesh 40/60 (250-420 µm) and mesh 80/100 (149-180 µm). Flavonoid identification was performed using the Shinoda test, with a positive reaction indicated by the formation of a red-orange color. Quantitative analysis was conducted using the AlCl₃ method with quercetin as the standard, measured at the maximum wavelength using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer, and a linear calibration curve (R² approaching 1). The results showed flavonoid levels of 25.69 mg QE/g for mesh 40/60 and 30.31 mg QE/g for mesh 80/100. Comparison between the two groups was analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. The study concludes that smaller particle size (mesh 80/100) yields significantly higher total flavonoid content, indicating that particle size reduction can enhance the efficiency of flavonoid extraction from bidara leaves