Abstract

Antifungal Properties of Weed Plant (C.Tora) on Dermatophytosis

Author(s): Sarika Jain, Preeti Dubey and Romsha Singh

Dermatophytosis or ringworm is a clinical condition caused by fungal infection of the skin in humans, pets and domesticated animals. The dermatophytes are groups of closely related filamentous fungi that infect only superficial keratinized tissues- the skin, hairs and nails. They cause a variety of clinical conditions, collectively known as dermatophytes, popularly called tinea or ring worm. Dermatophytes have been classified into three genera-Trichophyton, microsporum and epidermophyton. All are known to cause infection in man and animals1. The objective of this current study is to evaluate the effects of Cassia tora extracts on the growth of ring worm fungi in vitro. Crude extracts of lipid and alkaloids compounds from leaves of Cassia tora with the help of petroleum ether and methanol were investigated for their antifungal activities on ring worm or dermatophytes basically trichophyton and epidermophyton. Both the extracts of lipids and alkaloids have given the results on the basis of well diffusion method. In this experiment we observed that alkaloid compounds are more effective than lipid compounds. These types of fungus infect only keratinized tissues, so protein extract may not be effective for them. Five different fungal growth sample collected from two patients (P1 & P2) has shown different size of zone of inhibition in different concentration of alkaloid and lipid compounds (100%, 75%, 50% and 25%). From P1 we got four different fungal colonies (1, 2, 3 and 4) and from P2, only single colony obtained. In the test of alkaloids, in P1, colony 1 did not give any result while colony 2 has shown 9 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm and 4 mm zone of inhibition in 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% conc. respectively. Same like colony 3 and 4 also shown good result, in colony 3 we observed 6 mm, 5 mm and 3-3 mm and in colony 4, 6 mm, 5 mm,5 mm and 3 mm in 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% respectively. But in P-2, colonies did not give any results. In the test of lipid compounds, in P1, colony 1 has shown zone of inhibition of 8 mm on 100% conc. lipid compounds and on 50% and 25% shown 4mm, while 75% give 5 mm. Same like this, colony 2 shown the zone of inhibition of 11 mm, 10 mm, 5 mm on 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%, respectively. And colony 3 & 4 did not give any result. In P2, colony has shown 4 mm and 3 mm in 100% and 75% respectively, but 50% and 25% conc. did not given any results. Effectiveness of the plant extract can be concluded as - Alkaloids > Lipids