Development of a saprophytic fungal inoculum for the biodegradation of sub-bituminous coal

The rhizospheres of the weeds Ageratum conyzoides, Axonopus compressus, Emilia coccinea, Synedrella nodiflora, Urena lobata and Sida acuta from a sub-bituminous coal mining site and a control site, without coal discards, were screened for new fungi with ability to degrade sub-bituminous coal in the laboratory. The isolates were identified by cultural and molecular methods. Seventeen out of the sixty-one fungal isolates tested could utilize sub-bituminous coal as an energy source. Upon further evaluation, only seven of these were promising candidates for coal biodegradation, and they were assayed for their biosolubilization and depolymerization activities to determine their mechanisms of coal biodegradation. Based on the accumulation of humic acid (HA), which is the marker for biosolubilization, Mucor circinelloides and Aspergillus tubingensis were the most active. On the other hand, Cunninghamella bertholletiae, Simplicillium subtropicum, Penicillium daleae and Trichoderma koningiopsis were the highest producers of fulvic acid (FA), the indicator of depolymerization. Purpureocillium lilacinum produced the lowest yields of both HA and FA compared to the other six coal-degrading candidates. The presence of laccase in Trichoderma koningiopsis, Penicillium daleae and Simplicillium subtropicum suggests a role for this enzyme in the enhancement of the coal biodegradation process. However, the inability to amplify the laccase gene in Cunninghamella bertholletiae indicates that another enzyme probably aids its coal bioconversion. The current investigation highlights the potentials of these strains in harnessing biotechnological processes of sub-bituminous coal conversion into value-added products, which could be extended to the bioremediation of coal-polluted soils. The fungi with the highest coal bioconversion capabilities belonged to Ascomycota and Zygomycota and were found in the rhizospheres of the weeds Emilia coccinea, Ageratum conyzoides and Axonopus compressus.

First report of fatty acids in Mimosadiplotricha bee pollen with in vitro lipase inhibitory activity

Bee pollen (BP) is full of nutrients and phytochemicals, and so it is widely used as a health food and alternative medicine. Its composition and bioactivity mainly depend on the floral pollens. In this work, BP collected by Apis mellifera with different monoculture flowering crops (BP1-6) were used. The types of floral pollen in each BP were initially identified by morphology, and subsequently confirmed using molecular phylogenetic analysis. Data from both approaches were consistent and revealed each BP to be monofloral and derived from the flowers of Camellia sinensis L., Helianthus annuus L., Mimosa diplotricha, Nelumbo nucifera, Xyris complanata, and Ageratum conyzoides for BP1 to BP6, respectively. The crude extracts of all six BPs were prepared by sequential partition with methanol, dichloromethane (DCM), and hexane. The crude extracts were then tested for the in vitro (i) α-amylase inhibitory, (ii) acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (AChEI), and (iii) porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory (PPLI) activities in terms of the percentage enzyme inhibition and half maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50). The DCM partitioned extract of X. complanata BP (DCMXBP) had the highest active α-amylase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 1,792.48 ± 50.56 µg/mL. The DCM partitioned extracts of C. sinensis L. BP (DCMCBP) and M. diplotricha BP (DCMMBP) had the highest PPLI activities with an IC50 value of 458.5 ± 13.4 and 500.8 ± 24.8 µg/mL, respectively), while no crude extract showed any marked AChEI activity. Here, the in vitro PPLI activity was focused on. Unlike C. sinensis L. BP, there has been no previous report of M. diplotricha BP having PPLI activity. Hence, DCMMBP was further fractionated by silica gel 60 column chromatography, pooling fractions with the same thin layer chromatography profile. The pooled fraction of DCMMBP2-1 was found to be the most active (IC50 of 52.6 ± 3.5 µg/mL), while nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed the presence of unsaturated free fatty acids. Gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection analysis revealed the major fatty acids included one saturated acid (palmitic acid) and two polyunsaturated acids (linoleic and linolenic acids). In contrast, the pooled fraction of DCMMBP2-2 was inactive but pure, and was identified as naringenin, which has previously been reported to be present in M. pigra L. Thus, it can be concluded that naringenin was compound marker for Mimosa BP. The fatty acids in BP are nutritional and pose potent PPLI activity.

Uji Aktivitas Antihiperurisemia Ekstrak Etanol beberapa Tumbuhan Famili Asteraceae

Tumbuhan famili Asteraceae sering digunakan masyarakat sebagai obat tradisional. Efek farmakologi tumbuhan Asteraceae dapat dikaitkan dengan berbagai senyawa fitokimia, termasuk polifenol, asam fenolik, flavonoid, asetilena dan triterpen. Flavonoid telah terbukti memiliki aktivitas tinggi untuk penghambatan terhadap xantin oksidase, dan ditemukan memiliki kemampuan untuk menurunkan kadar asam urat dalam serum. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk menguji aktivitas antihiperurisemia ekstrak etanol beberapa tumbuhan anggota famili Asteraceae (Taraxacum officinale, Crassocephalum crepidioides, Elephantopus scaber, Gynura procumbens, Ageratum conyzoides, Sonchus arvensis, Gynura divaricate) terhadap hewan uji mencit (Mus musculus). Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah eksperimental dengan menggunakan hewan uji mencit jantan galur Balb/c. Pada penelitian ini kadar asam urat diukur menggunakan metode POCT (Point of Care Testing) dengan alat UA Sure. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa semua tumbuhan famili Asteraceae yang diuji positif mengandung senyawa flavonoid. Tumbuhan yang memberikan efek antihiperurisemia paling tinggi dalam menurunkan kadar asam urat yaitu ekstrak etanol Tempuyung (Sonchus arvensis) pada dosis 500 mg/Kg BB dengan persentase penurunan sebesar 52% ± 0,2. Sedangkan penurunan paling terkecil pada ekstrak etanol Bandotan (Ageratum conyzoides) pada dosis 500 mg/KgBB dengan presentase penurunan sebesar 4,80% ± 0,01. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa ekstrak etanol beberapa tumbuhan famili Asteraceae berpengaruh secara signifikan terhadap penurunan kadar asam urat pada mencit dan memiliki potensi sebagai obat antihiperurisemia.

Studi Kunjungan Harian Arthropoda Pada Tanaman Ageratum Conyzoides dan Synedrella Nodiflora di Area Pertanian Desa Wringinpitu Kecamatan Mojowarno Sebagai Bahan Pengembangan E-Katalog

Refugia merupakan tanaman yang dapat menarik dan mengundang sejumlah musuh alami seperti hama, pretador dan parasitoid. Selain itu, refugia juga membantu para petani untuk melindungi sawahnya seperti tanaman padi, jagung dan lain-lain. Dengan adanya tumbuhan liar atau tanaman refugia sebagai bentuk pelestarian Artrhopoda agar ekosistem tetap terjaga dan seimbang. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui frekuensi dan distribusi temporal kunjungan harian Arthropoda pada tanaman Ageratum Conyzoides dan Synedrella Nodiflora hasilnya dari penelitian tersebut akan digunakan sebagai bahan pengembangan e-katalog. Penelitian dilakukan di area pertanian Desa Wringinpitu Kecamatan Mojowarno Kabupaten Jombang. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode visual control dengan pengamatan dilakukan secara 3x ulangan. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan adanya perbedaan frekuensi dan ditribusi temporal kunjungan Arthropoda terhadapan tanaman Ageratum Conyzoides dan Synedrella Nodiflora. Pada tumbuhan liar Ageratum Conyzoides dikunjungi oleh 8 family Arthropoda sedangan tumbuhan liar Synedrella Nodiflora hanya dikunjungi 6 family Arthropoda. Hasil dari kegiatan pengamatan ini akan dibuat sebagai pengembangan bahan ajar e-katalog untuk memudahkan peserta didik agar dapat mengenal dan mempelajari tentang hewan Artrhopoda yang ada di area pertanian. Agar mendapatkan kelayakan dalam buku sampingan peserta didik ini, perlu divalidasi oleh ahli materi dan peserta didik dengan aspek-aspek yang dinilai mengguunakan skala likert kemudian dianalisis dan diperoleh tingkat pencapaian sebesar 80 % yang artinya layak digunakan.

Allelopathy and allelochemical quantitative analysis in Pinto peanut (Arachis pintoi)

Pinto peanut (Arachis pintoi) considered as a perennial legume animal fed plant with good soil fertility improvement was uesed for its allelopathy that had been reported on the germination of Ageratum conyzoides L, Comnyza canadensis L. Cronq., Bidens pilosa L., Solanum lycopersicum and Capsicum annum. through the solutions extracted from different parts of pinto peanut on mustard greens (Brassica juncea), barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) and junglerice (Echinochloa colonum). Consideration of the growth of hypocotyls and rootlets at 48 hours after incubation with pinto peanut extracts, results showed that 1.0 g/ml of the methanolic pinto peanut stem extract greatly inhibited 100% mustard greens growth, 77.7% and 93.5% the hypocotyls and rootlets growth of barnyardgrass, 57.2% and 92.7% the hypocotyls and rootlets growth of junglerice, respectively. The allelopathic activity after liquid-liquid extraction of the ethyl acetate phase greater than the aqueous phase. Allelopathic extract loading from C18 chromatographic column was purified by HPLC to obtain 6 phenolic compounds with the contents in 1 g fresh pinto peanut weight were 0.214 μg (cinamic acid), 0.8344 μg (caffeic acid), 7.7676 μg (coumaric acid), 2.2354 μg (ferullic acid), 0.045 μg (2-4 dimehydroxy benzoic) and 32.1162 μg (salicylic acid). These results should be accordingly considered in the production of biological herbicides.

PENGARUH KONSENTRASI DAN INTERVAL WAKTU PENYEMPROTAN BIOPESTISIDA BABANDOTAN TERHADAP INTENSITAS KERUSAKAN DAN HASIL TANAMAN KAILAN

[EFFECT OF CONCENTRATION AND TIME INTERVAL OF BABANDOTAN BIOPESTICIDE SPRAYING ON THE INTENSITY OF DAMAGE AND YIELD OF KAILAN]. Biopesticides from Ageratum conyzoides plants are used as an alternative in pest control. The used of synthetic pesticides was widespread as an effort in pest and disease control because it worked effectively and quickly, but caused resistance and resurgence of pests were bad impact on the environment for long term. The content of active compounds in Ageratum conyzoides plants such as flavonoids, anthraquinone, tannins, terpenes, phenols, saponins, alkaloids and steroids worked as controllers of various cultivated plant pests. This study aims to determine the spraying concentration and interval of spraying Ageratum conyzoides on the intensity of damage and yield of kailan plants. This research was conducted in November 2020 - January 2021 at Agroecotechnopark research land, Diponegoro University, Semarang. The experimental design used was a factorial Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications. The first factor was spraying concentration (10%, 30% and 50%) and the second factor was interval of spraying (once every 5 days, 10 days and 15 days). The variables observed were absolute damage rate, relative damage rate, plant height, number of leaves and fresh weight of kailan. Data were analyzed by Analysis of Variance followed by DMRT (Duncan's Multiple Range Test). The results showed that Ageratum conyzoides biopesticide was able to control pests and and to support kailan growth. Spraying babandotan biopesticide at a concentration of 50% has been able to reduce the rate of crop damage by pests, supported vegetative growth, and increased kailan growth to provide optimal yield. Spraying time interval did not affect all variables.

Formulation of Anti Acne Sheet Mask from Bandotan Leaf Extract (Ageratum conyzoides L.) against Propionibacterium acnes

Acne can occur due to increased sebum excretion, inflammation of the skin triggered by the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus. The purpose of this study was to determine the formulation of sheet mask preparations of bandotan leaf extract (Ageratum conyzoides L.) in inhibiting the growth of Propionibacterium acnes bacteria. This type of research is an experimental study which include plant identification, making ethanol extract of bandotan leaves, making sheet mask formulations, evaluating the characteristics of the preparation and testing antibacterial activity using disc paper method using Mueller Hinton Agar media. The extract was carried out by maceration using 70% ethanol as a solvent. Testing the effectiveness of antibacterial by measuring the diameter of the inhibition zone, after that the data were analyzed using the One Way ANOVA statistical test. The results of the evaluation of the preparation showed that the preparation was homogenous, with pH ranging from 4.5 to 6.5 and the preparation did not cause irritation on volunteers skin. The results of the inhibition zone measurements showed that the inhibition zones at 2.5% concentration is 4.7mm, 5% (6.83mm), 7.5% (10.2mm) and positive control (20.57mm). This means that the higher the concentration, the larger the diameter of the inhibition zone obtained. The conclusion in this study is bandotan leaf extract (Ageratum conyzoides L.) can be formulated into anti acne sheet mask which is stable during storage with a strong inhibitory power at 7.5% concentration, which is 10.2 mm. Keywords: Ageratum conyzoides L., bandotan leaf, Propionibacterium acnes, sheet mask