Antimicrobial Activities Assessment of Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum burmannii Nees & T. Nees) Extract against Caries Factors

: This research was conducted to test the antimicrobial activity of cinnamon bark ( Cinnamomum burmani Nees & T. Nees Blume) against Streptococcus mutans , Streptococcus aureus , and Candida albicans . The gradual extraction method was employed using 3 types of solvents which were n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and 70% ethanol. The obtained extracts were dried from their solvents by vacuum-drying and weighed to obtain the extraction yield. The dried extracts were each characterized to gain information about color, aroma, and water content. Further characterization was conducted to qualitatively measure the phytochemical contents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and saponin, then followed by growth inhibition tests such as minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and inhibition zone test. The result showed that the obtained yields of n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and 70% ethanol were 3.75%, 3.70%, and 32.47%, respectively. All extracts were brown-colored with a distinctive cinnamon aroma. The qualitative phytochemical measurements were as follows: n-hexane extract showed the presence of tannins, ethyl acetate extract showed the presence of flavonoids, while the 70% ethanol extract showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and saponin. The MIC test result for n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and 70% ethanol extracts were, in order, 12%, 12%, and 8% against Staphylococcus aureus , 2.5%, 2.5%, and 25% against Streptococcus mutan , and 2.5%, 2.5%, and 25% against Candida albicans . The best inhibition zone test results against Staphylococcus aureus were exhibited by n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and 70% ethanol extracts in following concentrations: 50% (3.16 mm), 50% (5.90 mm), and 32% (6.83 mm), respectively. Against Streptococcus mutan , the best n-hexane concentration was 2.5% (3.83 mm), while ethyl acetate and 70% ethanol extract exhibited relatively the same results in all of their measured concentrations, which were 2.00 mm and 5.30 mm, respectively. Against Candida albicans , the best n-hexane extract concentration was 10% (14.5 mm), and the best ethyl acetate concentration extract was 10% (7 mm). The 70% ethanol extract exhibited relatively same results (1.5 mm) in all measured concentrations.