ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF TWO MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST FUNGUS CANDIDA ALBICANS

Abstract

The genus Candida is caused morbidity and mortality in human beings. The virulence factors of the Candida albicans have the great role in the pseudohyphae formation by attached with epithelial cells and endothelial cells. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of extracts of two plant species used in traditional herbal medicine. The plants were selected on the basis of their reported ethnobotanical uses. Aqueous and acetone extracts of two plant species were screened in vitro for their antifungal activity against fungus C. albicans.  40µl concentration of Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of Sandalwood extract in acetone and 60µl concentration of MIC of Arjun barks extract shows in acetone. We conclude from this that these extracts exhibit amazing fungicidal properties that support their traditional uses. The presence of phyto-compound in the extracts including, steroid, triterpenes, alkaloids, tannin, flavnoids, lactones, diterpines, giycosides, sapponins may be responsible for these activities. The acetone extracts of plant are more efficient as compared to the water extract.