Comprehensive Review : Phytochemical and The Potential of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) As An Antibacterial Agent

Abstract

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) belongs to the genus Theobroma and the family Sterculiaceae. This plant is one of the leading plantation commodities in Indonesia. This review aims to discuss the potential of Theobroma cacao L. as an antibacterial by reviewing its botanical characteristics, phytochemicals, bioactivity and providing scientific evidence for future research. This review was compiled from the results of literature searches via the Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Science Direct, and Springer-Link search engines using the keywords "Cocoa Phytochemical and Antibacterial Activity", "Antibacterial activity of cocoa" and other relevant keywords. The articles obtained were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and then discussed narratively. Based on several research results that have been reviewed, it is reported that the cocoa plant contains phytochemicals as groups of saponins, flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, alkaloids, terpenoids, and steroids. These compounds are known to have antibacterial activity by inactivating microbial cell adhesins and enzymes, disrupting the transport of proteins in the inner layers of cells, cell wall polypeptides so that cell wall formation is less than perfect, damaging bacterial cell membranes and followed by the release of intracellular compounds until cell lysis occurs.