Piper methysticum Forst F. is categorised as a yearly plant that has been used by the peoples in Merauke, Papua Province of Indonesia for medicinal, social activity, and cultural purposes. P. methysticum contains chemical compound of Alkaloid (Piperidine, pipermethysticine), flavonoid, resin (kava lactone), kavain, tannin, saponin, anthraquinone, and a little volatile oil. This plant could effectively function as anti-fungal, antibiotic, antiseptic, antimicrobial medication. Since the 20th century, kava has become popular among western people as supplementary herb which could cure anxiety and insomnia. The scientist today have been searching for new drugs for treatment of human diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria. One of the most threatening bacteria is the genus Salmonella, especially Salmonella typhi that causes typhoid fever, Salmonella paratyphi that is responsible for paratyphoid fever, and Salmonella typhimurium that causes typhoid like disease in mice. It is already known that Piper methysticum (Wati) extract posseses antimicrobial activity against Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, and Escherichia coli. But there was no information of its ability to inhibit Salmonella paratyphi activity. Here, we show that there is Piper methysticum inhibition on Salmonella paratyphi activity. This result was taken from the agar diffusion method and standard viable plate count method. Zone of inhibitions were observed by agar diffusion method with diameters ranging from 10 to 14.5 mm in size for Piper methysticum leaf extract with concentration of 1140 mg/mL, and 8.5 to 12 mm in size for Piper methysticum leaf extract with concentration of 500 mg/mL. Standard viable plate count gave reduction number of bacteria colonies approximately 15 % to 77 % for Piper methysticum concentration of 50 mg/mL. These results show that Piper methysticum leaf indeed posses antibacterial activity against Salmonella paratyphi and has great potential in the development of new drugs for treatment of paratyphoid disease.
