Evaluation of Boerhavia diffusa and Eichhornia crassipes plant extracts in vitro as potential antifungal agents against human pathogenic fungi Candida albician and Candida tropicalis : A comparative study

Abstract

Plant extracts are used to make herbal remedies with no side effects and little expense. During the COVID-19 pandemic, fungal species responsible for mucormycosis were found resistant to a variety of antifungals, including flucytosine, ketoconazole, fluconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole and echinocandins, due to their variable susceptibility. Amphotericin B is widely used as an antifungal agent due to its high inhibition capacity against various fungi. The present study aimed to compare the antifungal potential of Amphotericin B and herbal extract in vitro. The experiment was designed to measure zones of inhibition with the help of well-diffusion method. Four solvents, viz. methanol, chloroform, hexane and distilled water, were used to extract plant extract. The efficiency of plant extracts was found to be low compared to Amphotericin B (1.4mm). Chloroform extract of Boerhavia diffusa was found antifungal against Candida albician and C. tropicalis (0.45mm). Methanol and hexane extract of Eichhornia crassipes showed higher antifungal activity (1.35mm) and (1.75mm), respectively. The plant extracts also showed significant antifungal activity against C. tropicalis, revealing its potential to be used as a natural antifungal agent (1.1mm). Additionally, the findings showed that the chloroform and methanol extracts of B. diffusa and E. crassipes were also efficient against C. albician and C. tropicalis. The findings provide important insights about using plant extracts as a potential alternative to conventional antifungal agents.