ANTIBACTERIAL OF VIRGIN COCONUT OIL ON THE GROWTH OF Staphylococcus aureus BACTERIA

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal and pathogenic bacteria in humans. Staphylococcus aureus infection can cause bacteremia, endocarditis, osteoarticular, acute hematogenous osteomyelitis, skin and soft tissue infections, meningitis, lung infections. Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) is original coconut oil made from fresh coconut raw materials and processed with controlled heating and without chemicals. As a result of the heating process, coconut oil can produce essential compounds containing lauric acid, so that pure coconut oil has antibacterial properties. VCO has an antibacterial effect that comes from its active compound content. VCO contains medium chain fatty acids whose mechanism of action damages bacterial cell walls, liquefies and shows the effect of killing viruses by damaging the DNA and RNA of viruses coated with lipids. The purpose of this study was to determine the antibacterial of VCO on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The method used in this study was an experimental laboratory. The results of this study indicate that at concentrations of 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% in Virgin Coconut Oil did not have inhibitory power against the growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The conclusion of this study is that Virgin Coconut Oil does not have inhibitory power against the growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The negative control of the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin has an inhibition zone of 33.625 mm, this indicates that the bacteria used in this study are still sensitive to the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin