Bidara Upas (Merremia Mammosa) as a Traditional Medicine for Tuberculosis

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that affects the lungs caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is acid-fast but will die upon direct exposure to sunlight. TB is the disease with the highest prevalence worldwide. In Indonesia, the eastern region has the highest prevalence, reaching 210 per 100,000 people. Despite the availability of Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs (ATDs), TB eradication efforts remain suboptimal. Bidara upas (Merremia mammosa), which contains bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and polyphenols, has shown anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, detoxifying, and analgesic properties. The aim of this study is to elucidate the mechanisms and the compounds present in Bidara upas extract that affect macrophage cells in mice injected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This is an experimental study. The research sample consisted of white mice injected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and subsequently treated with bidara upas extract at concentrations of 50 ppm, 100 ppm, and 150 ppm. The results showed the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of bidara upas extract at 100 mg/ml, supported by the Acid-Fast Bacilli (AFB) test using Ziehl-Neelsen staining and niacin testing. The 100 ppm bidara upas extract was relatively safe as it did not cause death in the mice, and there were no significant differences in liver and lung organs between the treated and control mice. Based on these results, further testing is recommended to investigate the fractionation and isolation of active compounds with anti-tuberculosis properties.