Calliandra haematocephala’s phytochemical analysis and antifungal effectiveness against fish pathogen in the lake of Bhopal

Abstract

Aquaculture has been a major part of our Economy from ancient times and antimycotic resistant fish illnesses have emerged as a major threat in aquaculture from a very long time. As routinely used anti-fungal medications have become less effective and traditional medicinal herbs have been identified as a possible medication source that can counteract antifungal resistance. The current study will look at the antifungal efficacy of leaf and flower extracts of the nutritional and traditional medicinal plant called Calliandra haematocephala against 3 common fish fungal pathogens (Achlya, Saprolegnia and Aphanomyces) that were isolated from Lower Lake of Bhopal (M.P.) and causes illness in fishes present in Lower Lake, Bhopal (M.P.). The leaves and flowers of Calliandra haematocephala were extracted sequentially with ethanol as a solvent, and the presence of possible phytoconstituents was qualitatively evaluated. Flavonoids, phenol, alkaloids, carbohydrates, tannins and saponins were present in both flowers and leaves and steroids were found exclusively in the ethanolic extract of the leaf only not in flower extract. The antifungal activity of ethanolic extract was determined using the agar well diffusion technique. The ethanolic fraction of the flower demonstrated a wide range of activity against fish pathogens, with a maximal inhibitory or clearance activity against Saprolegnia in a amount of 20 μL (4 mm) and in leaves it showed maximum clearance zone in Achlya and Saprolegnia in 20μL (4 mm). In conclusion, Calliandra haematocephala’s extracts consist of potential secondary metabolites that might be employed as antifungal treatments for 3 prevalent fish Pathogens, and the leaf ethanolic extracts have more inhibitory efficacy than the flower ethanolic extract.