Pemanfaatan Daun Ketepeng Cina (Cassia Alata L.) dan Daun Stevia (Stevia Rebaudiana B.) sebagai Minuman Fungsional yang Memiliki Aktivitas Sebagai Imunomodulator

Abstract

Infectious diseases constitute a significant global health issue, particularly in developing countries such as Indonesia. Infections are caused by microorganisms that interfere with the immune system. One of the strategy to inhibit immune system disorders is the utilization of Ketepeng Cina leaf herbal plants (Cassia Alata L.) into beverage products in the form of tea which has bioactive compounds as immunomodulators. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Ketepeng Cina leaf herbal tea as a functional beverage that has immunomodulatory activity with preliminary research on bioactive components in Ketepeng Cina leaves, the effect of variations in the addition of stevia leaves (0%, 6%, 12%, and 18%) and brewing time (2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes) on tea characteristics and determining the best quality tea. Determination of bioactive components using qualitative phytochemical tests, the De Garmo test is used to determine the best quality tea, the carbon clearance method phagocytosis test and the percentage of relative lymph weight are used for immunomodulatory tests. The results of the phytochemical test of Ketepeng Cina leaf have bioactive components of flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, triterpenoids, steroids, and anthraquinones. Ketepeng Cina leaf herbal tea that has the best quality is tea with 18% stevia concentration and brewing time of 3 minutes, with the results of total flavonoids 0.18 mgQE/g, total phenols 1.93 mgGAE/g, and antioxidant activity of 49.21%. Tea with the best quality was tested for its activity as an immunomodulator against experimental animals in accordance with the ethics commission of animal research FMIPA USU number 0515/KEPH-FMIPA/2024. The results showed that the phagocytosis index Ketepeng Cina leaf herbal tea of 1.31-1.57 and the relative lymph weight of 0.42%-0.57%. The phagocytosis index confirms that the Ketepeng Cina leaf herbal tea has immunomudolator activity because the phagocytosis index that greater than one (IF>1).