The Bioactive Components of Cascara Kombucha and Their Potential Use as a Functional Beverage

Antimicrobial Bioactive Compounds Cascara Kombucha Functional Beverage Liver Function

Authors

  • Syarifah Rohaya 1) Departement of Agricultural Product Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia. 2) Doctoral Program, Postgraduate School of Agricultural Science, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia
  • Sri Haryani Anwar Departement of Agricultural Product Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia
  • Amhar AB Departement of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia
  • Amalia Sutriana
    amalia_sutriana@usk.ac.id
    Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia
Vol. 6 No. 2 (2025): June
Research Articles

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This study aims to analyze the antimicrobial activity of cascara kombucha and evaluate its potential as a functional beverage through in vivo experiments using male white rats (Rattus norvegicus). The antimicrobial activity test utilized the kombucha derived from three types of cascara: arabica (J1), robusta (J2), and liberica (J3), which fermented using 10% of sugar for 10 and 17 days. The antimicrobial activity was tested against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 in vitro using the disk diffusion method (Kirby-Bauer test). Black tea kombucha served as the control. The safety of cascara kombucha was evaluated by aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin levels in rats' blood. The data were analyzed using a T-test with RStudio software. The results indicated that cascara kombucha from arabica and liberica effectively inhibited the growth of E. coli and S. aureus. The administration of 1.8 ml of arabica cascara kombucha had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the liver function based on the AST, ALT, and total bilirubin levels. The in vivo test demonstrated that cascara kombucha is safe for mammalian consumption. Overall, the findings pointed to the conclusion that cascara kombucha is an effective antimicrobial agent and has functional values without causing adverse effects on the liver function of male white rats.