Mehmooda Munazir
GC Women University, Pakistan
Title: Investigation of antifungal activity of Leptadenia pyrotechnica from Pakistan
Biography
Biography: Mehmooda Munazir
Abstract
Most of the fungal species become seriously life threatening pathogens in patients with immuno-suppressed immune system. Aspergillus fumigatus and A. niger are among such fungi. The number of reports on antifungal drug resistance is increasing day by day from various parts of globe. This situation calls for search of novel antifungal agents. In the present research work, root and aerial parts of a native desert plant Leptadenia pyrotechnica was tested for their antifungal activity against A. fumigatus and A. niger. A total of eight solvents including n-hexane, chloroform, acetone, ethylacetate, butanol, ethanol, methanol and water were used for extraction based on differences in polarities. The different concentrations of extracts ranging from 10 mg/ml to 50 mg/ml were tested against both microbes. The highest growth inhibition was observed at a concentration of 50 mg/ml. Only ethylacetate and ethanolic extracts of roots were active against A. niger with ZI of 9�1.53 mm (Activity index=0.45) and 8�0.577 mm (AI of 0.69) respectively. In the case of A. fumigatus, ethanolic and methanolic extracts were active with ZI of 8�0.577 (AI=0.44) and 12�2.0 (AI= 0.50). While in case of aerial parts, only ethylacetate extract could inhibit the growth of A. niger and A. fumigatus with ZI of 8�0.2 mm (AI= 0.58) and 8�0.577 mm (AI of 0.53) respectively. These results indicated that ethanolic extract of roots of L. pyrotechnica had highest activity which can be investigated further for potential compounds with antifungal activity.