Abstract
BackgroundDematiaceous moulds are pathogenic microorganisms and act as etiological agents of mycoses with different degrees of severity in humans and animals. These moulds also cause loss of food crops and storage food products. The information regarding antimicrobial efficacy of the plant preparations on these moulds is scanty. The present study reveals phytochemical characterization and the effect of bark and leaf extracts of Indian spice plant, Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Cz), against the growth of two species of dematiaceous moulds, Alternaria solani and Curvularia lunata.MethodsCz bark and leaf samples were sequentially extracted in different solvents using Soxhlet apparatus. Phytochemical analyses of extracts were done as per standard protocols. The antifungal bioassay of extracts was done by hanging drop technique. The inhibition of fungal spore germination was monitored under influence of three different concentrations of extracts.ResultsThe lowest test concentration (50 μg/ml) of extracts of Cz bark prepared into acetone and that of Cz leaf into petroleum ether and ethanol exhibited complete inhibition (100%) of spore germination in both the moulds. At 100 μg/ml concentration all the extracts showed about 50 to 100% inhibition. However, the treatment of the spores of the two fungal species with highest concentration (500 μg/ml) of bark and leaf extracts in all the solvents showed 100% fungicidal activity as it completely arrested the germination of spores. Relatively lower activity of aqueous extracts at 50 and 100 μg/ml concentrations suggests that the antifungal ingredients present in Cz bark and leaf are more soluble in organic solvents than water.ConclusionThe results demonstrated that the Cz bark and leaves contain certain fungicidal constituents exhibiting potential antimould activity against A. solani and C. lunata.
Highlights
Dematiaceous moulds are pathogenic microorganisms and act as etiological agents of mycoses with different degrees of severity in humans and animals
Phytochemical Analysis Results of phytochemical analysis of C. zeylanicum (Cz) bark and leaf extracts are given in Table 1 and Table 2, respectively
Inhibition of spore germination by different plant extracts The inhibition of spore germination of two different species of moulds namely A. solani and C. lunata by extracts of Cz bark and leaves was examined at three different concentrations (50, 100 and 500 μg/ml)
Summary
Dematiaceous moulds are pathogenic microorganisms and act as etiological agents of mycoses with different degrees of severity in humans and animals. These moulds cause loss of food crops and storage food products. The dematiaceous moulds are characterized by presenting melaninogenic pigmentation in their cell walls. It is the main characteristic of the dark moulds group. The two dematiaceous moulds such as Alternaria spp. and Curvularia spp. are known potential etiological agents of various mycoses with clinical forms ranging from localized superficial infections of the stratum corneum (Tinea nigra) to subcutaneous cysts (phaeomycotic cyst) to invasion of the brain [3]. Curvularia has been reported to cause infections in both humans and animals [6,7,8,9]
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