Pemeriksaan mikroskopis Aspergillus fumigatus umumnya menggunakan pewarna Lactophenol Cotton Blue (LPCB) karena mampu memberikan kontras yang baik sehingga struktur morfologi jamur, seperti hifa, konidiofor, vesikel, dan konidia dapat diamati dengan jelas. Namun, kandungan fenol dalam LPCB bersifat toksik dan korosif sehingga berpotensi menimbulkan risiko bagi petugas laboratorium. Oleh karena itu, diperlukan alternatif pewarna alami yang lebih aman dan ramah lingkungan. Buah ranti (Solanum nigrum L.) mengandung antosianin, flavonoid, dan senyawa fenolik yang berpotensi dimanfaatkan sebagai pewarna alami. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui potensi infusum buah ranti sebagai pewarna alternatif pada preparat Aspergillus fumigatus.
Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian eksperimental murni dengan rancangan post-test only. Sebanyak 24 preparat dibagi menjadi empat kelompok, yaitu kontrol menggunakan LPCB serta perlakuan infusum buah ranti dengan konsentrasi 5%, 10%, dan 15%. Parameter yang diperiksa meliputi kualitas visualisasi morfologi jamur (hifa, konidiofor, dan konidia) secara mikroskopis menggunakan mikroskop cahaya perbesaran 400× serta intensitas warna menggunakan perangkat lunak ImageJ. Data dianalisis secara deskriptif dan diuji menggunakan uji Mann–Whitney dengan tingkat kemaknaan 95%.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa infusum buah ranti konsentrasi 15% merupakan konsentrasi terbaik karena mampu memberikan pewarnaan pada struktur morfologi Aspergillus fumigatus, sedangkan konsentrasi 5

Microscopic examination of Aspergillus fumigatus is commonly performed using Lactophenol Cotton Blue (LPCB) because it provides excellent contrast, enabling clear visualization of fungal morphological structures, including hyphae, conidiophores, vesicles, and conidia. However, the phenol contained in LPCB is toxic and corrosive, posing potential health hazards to laboratory personnel and environmental concerns. Consequently, the development of a safer and more environmentally friendly natural staining agent is warranted. Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.) fruit contains anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds that exhibit potential as natural colorants. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of black nightshade fruit infusion as an alternative staining agent for the microscopic examination of Aspergillus fumigatus.
This study employed a true experimental design using a post-test-only approach. A total of 24 fungal preparations were allocated into four groups: a control group stained with LPCB and three treatment groups stained with black nightshade fruit infusion at concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15%. The evaluation parameters included the clarity of fungal morphological structures (hyphae, conidiophores, and conidia) observed under a light microscope at 400× magnification, as well as staining intensity quantified using ImageJ software. The obtained data were analyzed descriptively and statistically using the Mann–Whitney test at a 95% confidence level.
The findings demonstrated that the 15% black nightshade fruit infusion yielded the best staining performance among the tested concentrations, providing the clearest visualization of the morphological characteristics of Aspergillus fumigatus. In contrast, the 5% and 10% infusions produced insufficient staining quality. Statistical analysis of staining intensity revealed a significant difference between the LPCB control group and the 15% infusion group (p < 0.001). Although the staining quality achieved with the 15% infusion remained inferior to that of LPCB, the results suggest that black nightshade fruit infusion has promising potential as a safer, environmentally friendly natural alternative stain for routine mycological examinations.

Keywords: Solanum nigrum L., Aspergillus fumigatus, Lactophenol Cotton Blue, natural stain, black nightshade fruit infusion.
References: 30 (2021-2025)