ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn. AGAINST RINGWORM PATHOGENS

Abstract

Ethanolic leaf extract of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, dispersed in a concentrated sugar solution had marked fungicidal effect against clinical dermatophytic fungal isolates; Microsporium gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Microsporium gypseum at an inoculum level of 4.8 x 10³ cfu/ml and T. mentagrophytes at 6.3x10³ cfu/ml were killed to 7 cfu/ml and 10 cfu/ml respectively within 4 hours in Sabouraud broth supplemented with 63% (w/w) of dextrose and containing 100% (w/w) of crude eucalypt leaf extract. Added organic matter (bovine serum) did not affect its antifungal activity. Although distilled H₂O extract conferred an equally significant (P = 0.05) antifungal activity, concentrated sugar solution provided a better vehicle for clinical application of the extracts. However the antifungal activity of the extract was dose-dependent. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 0.2mg/ml and 0.4mg/ml were recorded for M. gypseum and T. mentagrophytes respectively.


KEY WORDS: Antifungal, Eucalypt leaf extract, ringworm.


Global Jnl Pure & Applied Sciences Vol.10(1) 2004: 37-41