Traditional medicine is currently being explored and developed widely by various countries because its cost effectiveness and reduced side effects. The green betel (Piper betle Linn.) and the red betel (Piper crocatum Ruiz and Pav.) are plants from the same Piper genus that are widely cultivated in Indonesia and have various phytochemical properties and pharmacological effects. The objective of this research is to determine the cytotoxicity of green leaves and red betel leaves. This research was conducted in two main stages: first, the extraction and preparation through the soxhletation method; second, a cytotoxicity test through the brine shrimp (Artemia salina Leach) lethality test (BSLT). The results showed that there were lethal concentration 50 % (LC50) value in both green betel leaves ethanolic extract and red betel leaves ethanolic extract, with 44.975 μg per mL and 31.556 μg per mL, respectively. The red betel (leaves ethanolic extract has a higher cytotoxicity than green betel (leaves ethanolic extract which can be seen from the lower lethal concentration of 50% (LC50) value. The difference in cytotoxicity is due to differences in plant varieties that cause variations in phytochemical content which affects the pharmacological effects. The green betel leaves ethanolic extract and the red betel leaves ethanolic extract are cytotoxic and have potential anticancer properties.

Objective: This research is aimed to investigate that durian seed gum is potential as an excipient in topical drug delivery. Durian seed gum is isolated from low-cost source and usually discarded.Methods: A certain amount of durian seed gum was isolated and characterized by scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) and infrared spectrophotometer. The isolation method is divided into centrifuge and heating method, and the results of both methods are compared in their ability to form a gel and their evaluation.Results: The infrared spectra of durian seed gum by centrifugal method indicate the presence of -OH, -COOH, -CH groups, and the addition of C=O and ester groups on the heating method, i.e., at wave number 1726.22 cm−1. SEM-EDX shows the form of hollow surface particles, and the elements contained are C, O, K, Cl, and Mg. Durian seed gum of both methods formed a gel with boiling water at a concentration of 5% giving transparent and non-flowing results.Conclusion: Durian seed gum by the heating method is a low-methoxyl pectin compound because it is extracted at an alkaline pH. Durian seed gum can form a gel and complete the gel evaluation requirements.

Objective: The purpose of this study is modificated extraction method to obtain gum from Arenga pinnata Merr. and their purity test.Methods: Gum has been extracted from palm seed using distilled water by centrifugation and warming. Characterization of gum was done by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersivse X-ray and spectrophotometer infrared. Gum refluxed with HCl 2 N for 14 h would be the monomer. Galactose and mannose were used as standard. Purity test was done by the thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and Luff Schoorl method.Results: The study results obtained that the modification methods (4.8%) and centrifugation (4.6%). Identification of functional groups with the spectrophotometer infrared provided the same spectrum forms between the two methods. Purity test by TLC with the best eluen butanol: ethanol:water 2:2:2. Luff Schoorl’s method gives results of 87.46%, whereas the raw comparison galactose-mannose standard 96.69%.Conclusions: The modification method gives more results with the same purity rate as the centrifugation method.

Pada kegiatan belajar mengajar, media  pembelajaran yang ideal untuk diterapkan pada masa new normal ini adalah media Daring. Salah satu aplikasi yang dapat digunakan yaitu Google Classroom dan Google meet. Kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat ini dilaksanakan  oleh team dari Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat Universitas Harapan medan berkolaborasi dengan Universitas Tjut Nyak Dhien. Metode yang digunakan adalah pendampingan dan pelatihan menggunakan aplikasi  Google Classroom dan Google Meet yang diharapkan dapat memaksimalkan belajar-mengajar sehingga materi dapat tersampaikan dengan baik. Hasil dari kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini selain mendapatkan pelatihan langsung para guru juga akan dibekali dengan panduan praktis dan sederhana berupa pedoman bagi guru SMK Pharmaca Medan untuk paham dan mengerti menggunakan aplikasi online tersebut.

Free radicals can cause various degenerative diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Flavonoids have antioxidant abilities that inhibit damage from free radicals. The roselle antioxidant mechanism is associated with high flavonoid content. Red and purple roselles are two varieties of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) cultivated in Indonesia. The aim of this research was to analyze the differences in flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in the calyces of two varieties of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), red and purple. Total flavonoid analysis and antioxidant activity testing were done by spectrophotometry in the visible region. Total flavonoid content was analyzed by pretreatment with aluminium chloride and sodium acetate. Antioxidant activity was tested with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. The total flavonoids for both red and purple roselle calyces ethanolic extract were 27.55 and 39.18 mg quercetin equivalent per gram. The half maximal inhibitory concentration values obtained for both red and purple roselle calyces ethanolic extract a were 51.59 and 42.17 μg/mL. The total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of purple roselle calyces ethanolic extract was higher and stronger than red roselle calyces ethanolic extract.