A team of five UGM students has developed an herbal mouthwash innovation using breadfruit leaves.
This innovation began with an in-depth study of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis), a plant commonly found in tropical regions, especially in Asia.
From their research, the students found that the most commonly used part of the breadfruit tree is its fruit. However, its leaves are also frequently utilized for food, herbal medicine, and animal feed.
The team, consisting of Ghazy Atha Fadlurahman, Rakha Arya Cahya, Dimas Faishal Ramadhani (Agroindustrial Product Development), Muhammad Farhan Akbar (Agro-Industrial Technology), and Devita Wijaya Kusuma (Dentistry), developed this innovation after recognizing the potential to turn breadfruit leaves into a commercial herbal product for the general public.
With guidance from Iman Sabarisman, the team created mouthwash using breadfruit leaves as the raw material, naming it Mosaic (Mouthwash Organic). Mosaic is a mouthwash product made from 100% natural ingredients.
“The ingredients used in its production include breadfruit leaves, cinnamon, and mint. Breadfruit leaves are rich in compounds, one of which is flavonoids,” said Ghazy Atha Fadlurahman.
Fadlurahman explained that flavonoids act as antibacterial agents that can inhibit the growth of bacterial microorganisms. Therefore, the mouthwash product created by the team is expected to reduce the use of chemical mouthwashes.
“Using chemically based mouthwash frequently can be dangerous, especially if ingested. Mouthwash made from readily available ingredients is safer and can be used daily,” said Ghazy.
Devita Kusuma added that their mouthwash product has a QR code on the packaging to direct consumers to the Mosaic Instagram social media page.
“The QR code is intended to facilitate consumers to access the Mosaic Instagram page. From there, consumers will find information about the uses of Mosaic, the benefits of each compound in Mosaic, and other information they need,” said Kusuma.
Rakha Cahya is optimistic about Mosaic’s prospects. This product has been tested at the UGM Integrated Research and Testing Laboratory and is easy to produce.
“However, it needs to be introduced through health activities and cooperation with dentists to reach a wider audience. Mosaic also has a social media presence to support marketing, with the username @pkmkugm_mosaic on Instagram,” added Cahya.
Author: Agung Nugroho