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Abstract
Fungal infections are among the most difficult diseases to manage in humans. Eukaryotic fungal pathogens share many similarities with their host cells, which impairs the development of antifungal compounds. Therefore, it is desirable to harness the pharmaceutical potential of medicinal plants for antifungal drug discovery. In this study, the antifungal activity of sixteen plant extracts was investigated against selected dermatophytic fungi. Of the sixteen plants, the cladode (leaf) of Asparagus racemosus, and seed extract of Cassia occidentalis showed antifungal activity against Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum nanum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton terrestre. The plant antifungal compounds were located by direct bioassay against Cladosporium herbarum. IR and NMR spectrometry analyses of these compounds identified the presence of saponin (in A. racemosus) and hydroxy anthraquinone (in C. occidentalis) in these antifungal compounds. The antidermatophytic activity of plant anthraquinone and saponins with reports of little or no hemolytic activity, makes these compounds ideal for alternative antifungal therapy and warrants further in-depth investigation in vivo.
Highlights
Fungal infections are among the most difficult diseases to manage in humans
Plant materials A total of sixteen angiosperm plants, namely Acalypa indica (Euphorbiaceae), Achyranthus aspera (Amaranthaceae), Annona reticulata (Annonaceae), Annona squamosa (Annonaceae), Asparagus racemosus (Asparagaceae), Cassia alata (Fabaceae), Cassia fistula (Fabaceae), Cassia occidentalis (Fabaceae), Cleome viscosa (Cleomaceae), Feronia elephantum (Rutaceae), Ficus religiosa (Moraceae), Lantana camera (Verbenaceae), Terminalia catapa (Combretaceae), Wedelia trilobata (Asteraceae), and Ziziphus jujuba (Rhamnaceae), were collected from the university campus and around the city of Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
Antifungal activity of plant extracts against dermatophytes Of the sixteen plant species tested, crude ethanol extracts from cladodes of A. racemosus and seed extract of C. occidentalis completely inhibited the mycelial growth of all four species of dermatophytes tested (Fig. 1)
Summary
Fungal infections are among the most difficult diseases to manage in humans. Reports indicate high rates of morbidity and mortality caused by fungal infections (CDC 2020). Despite their irreversible impact on human health, fungal pathogens have been mostly neglected by both the public and public health officials (Rodrigues and Nosanchuk 2020). Dermatophytoses are characterized by superficial invasion by fungal hyphae in the skin, hair, and nails causing subacute or chronic infections (Burstein et al 2020). Dermatophyte infections are restricted to areas of the epidermis, they can be invasive and cause serious. Cutaneous fungal parasites have survived several generations of therapeutic regimens, and the increasing invasive fungal infections along with the emerging resistance of pathogens and disadvantages with the existing antifungal
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