COMPARISON OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF TESPONG HERBAL (OENANTHE JAVANICA DC.) EXTRACT AND NANOEXTRACT USING DPPH METHOD

Background: Tespong herbs (O. Javanica DC.) contain numerous chemical compounds considered beneficial for medications, including flavonoids, phenols, and tannins, which can function as antioxidants. Nanoparticles are materials with a size range of 1-1000 nanometers which can increase the bioavailability of drugs, thus accelerating the drug delivery system in the body. Objective: The aim of this study is to identify the characteristics of herbal extract and nanoextract of Tespong and to compare their antioxidant activity. Methods: Extraction of tespong herbs was done using maceration for three days, nanoextract was formulated using the ionic gelation method with herbal extract of tespong, chitosan, and Na-TPP. Antioxidant activity testing was carried out using the DPPH method. Results: The water content of tespong herbal extract was 1.78%, and the total ash content was 4.95%. The tespong herbal nanoextract was 148.1nm in diameter with a polydispersity index of 0.362 and a zeta potential value of -39.16 mV. The IC50 values of tespong herbal extract and nanoextract were 65.424 ppm and 97.106 ppm, respectively, which fell into the strong category. Conclusion: Tespong herbal extract had a higher antioxidant activity compared to its nanoextract. Keywords: Tespong herb, nanoextract, chitosan, Na-TPP