Antibacterial Activity of Curcuma mangga Extracts Against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: Natural Alternative for Combating Multidrug Resistance

<b>Background and Objective:</b> <i>Curcuma mangga</i>, commonly known as mango ginger, is a medicinal plant renowned for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and digestive health benefits, attributed to its high content of curcuminoids and essential oils. This study aims to assess the antibacterial potential of <i>C. mangga</i> extracts against five antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains and five standard pathogenic reference strains. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> <i>C. mangga</i> rhizomes were dried, ground into powder and individually extracted using ethanol, dichloromethane and hexane. The antibacterial activity was assessed using the microbroth dilution method to find the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Statistical analysis was performed using Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) to show significant differences among mean values at a 95% confidence level. <b>Results:</b> The dichloromethane and hexane extracts exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect, showing the lowest MIC value of 0.049 mg/mL against multidrug-resistant <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> and <i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</i>. The dichloromethane extract showed the strongest bactericidal effect against <i>S. maltophilia</i>, with the lowest MBC value of 1.56 mg/mL. <b>Conclusion:</b> This study is the first to prove that <i>C. mangga</i> extracts exhibit significant antibacterial and bactericidal activity against several antibiotic-resistant pathogens, including multidrug-resistant <i>K. pneumoniae</i> and <i>S. maltophilia</i>. These findings highlight the potential of <i>C. mangga</i> as a natural antimicrobial agent and lay the groundwork for the development of plant-based alternatives to address the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.