THE POTENTIAL OF LANGIR (ALBIZIA SAPONARIA LOUR.) STEM BARK AS ANTI-DANDRUFF: IN SILICO AND IN VITRO STUDIES

Abstract

Objective: Dandruff is a scalp problem that occurs in almost all people in the world. The main cause of dandruff is the growth of fungus on the scalp. This study aims to evaluate the antifungal activity of the Langir bark against Malassezia furfur, in vitro and in silico.  Methods: In vitro testing was carried out using the agar diffusion method with paper disks to calculate the inhibition zones of the Langir stem bark extract and fractions, while the in silico test was carried out using the molecular docking method using Lanosterol 14-alpha demethylase receptors with a homology model using 5 compounds from the genus Albizia as ligands. Results: Antifungal activity of Langir bark extract showed significant activity in all concentrations (5-20%), and also for all fractions (p<0.05). However, the water fraction had better activity than others, with an inhibition zone of 17.33 mm at a concentration of 15% and 18.67 mm at a concentration of 20%, while the positive control (ketoconazole 1%) had an inhibition zone of 16.67 mm. Furthermore, the in silico test revealed that the 5 metabolites in Langir plant provide better binding energy than ketoconazole (-10.1 kcal/mol), namely, Tamarixetin 3-rutinoside (-10.7 kcal/mol), Quercetin 3-rhamnosyl-galactoside (-10.4 kcal/mol), Albiziasaponin A (-11.6 kcal/mol), Albiziasaponin C (-11.9 kcal/mol) and Albiziasaponin D (-11.9 kcal/mol).  Conclusion: The water fraction of Langir bark has activity in inhibiting the growth of M. furfur so that it can be developed as a therapeutic alternative for anti-dandruff.