Toxicity Test of Black Turmeric Extract (Curcuma caesia Roxb.) on Artemia salina Larva and Its Potential as an Anti-Cancer Agent

Abstract

Cancer is a body cell that divides non-stop and spreads to surrounding tissue. Currently, cancer treatment is carried out using surgery and therapy which can cause side effects on the sufferer's body, such as weakening the body's immune system, so people are starting to switch to using herbal plants as an alternative to traditional medicine. Black turmeric (Curcuma caesia Roxb.) is an herbal plant from the Zingiberaceae family which has cytotoxic activity as an anticancer. This research was conducted to determine the secondary metabolite compounds contained in black turmeric and to determine the toxicity value to Artemia Salina Leach larvae using the Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT) method. Black turmeric is macerated with hexane solvent. Toxicity tests were carried out on Artemia Salina larvae by administering 4 different concentrations of sample extract, namely 25 ppm, 50 ppm, 100 ppm and 0 ppm as a control. Toxicity test observations were carried out for 24 hours. Based on the research result, it is known that black turmeric has potential to be an anticancer agent with the LC₅₀ value obtained is 58,49 ppm. In the result of GC-MS analysis of black turmeric extract, there are 15 secondary metabolite compounds have potential as anticancer agents, namely isoborneol, champhor, α-elemene, β-elemene, α-caryophyllene, β-caryophyllene, β-germacrene, γ-germacrene, curzerene, alloaromadendrene, germacrone, furanodiene, spathulenol, α-copaene, and pentadecanoic acid.