Antibacterial Activity (Cutibacterium acnes) and Total Phenolic Content of Green Tea Kombucha Anti-Acne Toner with the Addition of Centella asiatica Extract Bambang Dwi Argo*, Intan Febriani, Nimatul Izza
Department of Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Brawijaya University,
Jl. Veteran, Ketawanggede, Lowokwaru, Malang City, East Java 65145, Indonesia
*Email: dwiargo[at]ub.ac.id
Abstract
Kombucha is a fermented product of a symbiotic consortium of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) that exhibits anticancer, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and antibacterial activities, making it a promising candidate for cosmetic applications. However, its utilization in skincare formulations remains limited. Therefore, innovation is required to maximize its pharmacological potential through the combination with other natural bioactive ingredients, such as Centella asiatica extract. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity against Cutibacterium acnes and the total phenolic content of an anti-acne facial toner based on green tea kombucha with the addition of Centella asiatica extract. The experimental design employed a completely randomized factorial design with two factors: green tea kombucha concentration (5, 10, 15) percent and Centella asiatica extract concentration (5, 10, 15) percent, each with three replications, including a control without extract. The results showed that higher concentrations of kombucha and extract corresponded to increased total phenolic content and stronger antibacterial activity. The best formulation was K3P3 (15 percent kombucha + 15 percent Centella asiatica extract), which yielded a total phenolic content of 770.604 mg GAE/L and an inhibition zone of 19.40 mm. These findings suggest that the combination of green tea kombucha and Centella asiatica extract has strong potential as a natural active ingredient in anti-acne toner formulations.
