ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF SCHEFFLERA ARBORICOLA SEEDS

Schefflera arboricola is one of the Balinese herbal plants traditionally used to ward off negetaive influences within the human body. Although scientific studies of S. arboricola are limited, they are considered to hold potential medicinal value similar to other members of the schefflera genus. Seeds are rich in phytochemicals that may possess antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, which could support their traditional use in herbal remedies. In Balinese and other Southeast Asian practices, parts of schefflera species, including seeds are symbolically used to ward off negative influences, reflecting a cultural recognition of their protective and healing roles. Further pharmacological investigations are needed to validate and characterize the bioactive compounds in S. arboricola seeds and to explore their possible applications in modern medicine. The ethanolic extract of S. arboricola seeds exhibited significant antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with inhibition zones increasing in a concentration dependent manner. The highest activity was observed at 300 μg /ml, although Ciprofloxacin remained more potent across all tested strains. The results revealed that the ethanolic extract of S. arboricola seeds showed maximum zone of inhibition against all tested pathogens. Clinically insignificant results were obtained in case of fungal strains