Investigation of in vitro antifungal activity of honey

Abstract

The study was aimed at determining the antifungal activities of some honey samples obtained from different geographical locations in Nigeria against some fungal isolates by the method of agar well diffusion. The honey samples were examined for antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium chrysogenum, Microsporum gypseum, Candida albicans, and Saccharomyces sp. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of the honeys were also determined. Results obtained reveal that the honey samples showed varying levels of inhibitory activity at various concentrations against the fungi tested with zones of inhibition increasing with increasing honey concentration. M. gypseum was the most sensitive of all the fungal isolates studied, while C. albicans was the least sensitive. The MIC and MFC values for the honeys ranged between 12.5 and 50% (v/v). The samples of honey used in the study showed broad spectrum and promising antifungal activity. Nigerian honey can serve as sources of antifungal substances for possible development of antifungal drugs for the treatment of fungal infections. Key words: Honey, antifungal activity, moulds, yeasts, Nigeria.