NANOENKAPSULASI EKSTRAK BIJI KARABENGUK (Mucuna pruriens) DALAM ASAM STEARAT SEBAGAI KANDIDAT OBAT ANTIPARKINSON

Karabenguk (Mucuna pruriens) merupakan tanaman polong-polongan yang mengandung L-dopa, suatu prekursor dopamin. L-Dopa dipergunakan untuk mengobati penyakit Parkinson, suatu penyakit neurodegeneratif karena terganggunya produksi dopamin dalam tubuh. Proses nanoenkapsulasi ekstrak biji karabenguk menggunakan asam stearat dimaksudkan untuk meningkatkan efisiensi drug-delivery sehingga meningkatkan konsentrasi L-dopa di otak. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kondisi optimum, karakteristik, efisiensi enkapsulasi dan kemampuan pelepasan obat (drug-release) pada nanoenkapsulasi ekstrak biji karabenguk dalam asam stearat. Nanoenkapsulasi dilakukan dengan metode difusi pelarut yang termodifikasi pada variasi perbandingan massa pereaksi, amplitudo ultrasonikasi dan kecepatan pengadukan. Hasil nanoenkapsulasi dikarakterisasi menggunakan FTIR, SEM dan TEM. Pengujian efisiensi enkapsulasi dan uji pelepasan obat dilakukan menggunakan spektrofotometer UV-VIS. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kondisi optimum nanoenkapsulasi ekstrak biji karabenguk (Mucuna pruriens) dalam asam stearat diperoleh pada perbandingan massa asam stearat dan ekstrak biji karabenguk 24:1, amplitudo ultrasonik 72%, kecepatan pengadukan 600 rpm. Karakteristik FTIR produk nanoenkapsulasi menunjukkan adanya interaksi ekstrak asam stearat dengan senyawa L-dopa pada ekstrak biji karabenguk di daerah serapan 1537,32 cm-1 gugus N-H tekuk. Berdasarkan hasil karakterisasi SEM diketahui produk nanoenkapsulasi mempunyai morfologi permukaan berupa flake (serpihan), sedangkan berdasarkan hasil TEM diketahui rentang ukuran partikel 176,5 – 235,78 nm. Pada pengujian efisiensi enkapsulasi (EE) didapatkan %EE tertinggi sebesar 28,08%. Uji pelepasan obat (drug release) menunjukkan pada larutan pH 1,2 didapatkan persentase drug release sebesar 11,15%, sedangkan untuk pH 7,4 sebesar 33,13%. The velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) is a legume plant that contains L-dopa, a dopamine precursor. L-Dopa is used to treat Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disease caused by the disruption of dopamine production in the body. The nanoencapsulation process of velvet bean seed extract using stearic acid is intended to improve drug-delivery efficiency, thereby increasing the concentration of L-dopa in the brain. This study aimed to determine the optimum conditions, characteristics, encapsulation efficiency, and drug-release ability of the velvet bean seed extract encapsulated in stearic acid. Nanoencapsulation was carried out using a modified solvent diffusion method with variations in the ratio of reagent mass, ultrasonication amplitude, and stirring speed. The results of the nanoencapsulation were characterized using FTIR, SEM and TEM. Encapsulation efficiency and drug release tests were conducted using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer. The data showed that the optimum conditions for encapsulation of velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) seed extract in stearic acid were at the mass ratio of stearic acid and velvet bean seed extract 24:1, ultrasonic amplitude 72%, stirring speed 600 rpm. The FTIR characteristics of the nanoencapsulated products showed an interaction of stearic acid extract with L-dopa compounds in the velvet bean seed extract in the absorption area of 1537.32 cm-1 for the bent N-H group. SEM analysis revealed that the nanoencapsulated product has a surface morphology of flakes with a particle size ranging from 176.5 - 235.78 nm as determined by TEM. The highest encapsulation efficiency was found to be 28.08%.. The drug release profile demonstrated that the percent drug releases were 11.15% at pH 1.2. Meanwhile, higher percent drug releases were observed at pH 7.4 with 33.13%