ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF PIMENTA DIOICA (L.) MERRIL AN AROMATIC MEDICINAL TREE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijpps.2016v8i10.9924Keywords:
Pimenta dioica, Leaf extract, Terpenoids, Bioautogrpahy, Antifungal activity, Microsporum, CandidaAbstract
Objective: To assess the antifungal activities of the extracts of leaves of Pimenta dioica against human pathogenic fungi and identify the class of phytochemical responsible for the biological activity.
Methods: The shade dried, and powdered leaves of Pimenta dioica were subjected to polarity based solvent extraction by soaking. The extracts were dried in a rotary flash evaporator and subjected to antifungal activity assay against Candida albicans, Microsporum canis and M. gypseum, by disc diffusion method. Antifungal active petroleum ether extract was subjected to phytochemical analysis to identify the active compound. The extract was then subjected to Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and Bioautography, by agar overlay method. The fractions were collected by Preparative TLC method and subjected to antifungal activity assay by disc diffusion method. Further, the Libermann-Burchard test was conducted to detect the broad group of compounds responsible for the bioactivity.
Results: Among the five extracts viz. petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous, the petroleum ether extract showed significant antifungal activity against Microsporum canis (50 mm), Microsporum gypseum (60 mm) and Candida albicans (23 mm). Terpenoids, tannins and flavonoids were found to be the chief constituents of the petroleum ether extract. The TLC of the extract revealed 7 spots with the Rf values 0.37, 0.42, 0.45, 0.52, 0.59, 0.76, 0.96 with the solvent system of hexane and acetone (1:0.5). The bioautography assay revealed inhibitory activity in the spots at Rf values 0.52 and 0.59. These fractions obtained by preparative TLC also confirmed the same. The phytochemical analysis of the fractions on the TLC plate suggests that the compound is triterpene or steroid.
Conclusion: The antifungal activity of Pimenta dioica and the bioactive phytochemical has been reported in the present study. Preliminary phytochemical analysis has indicated that the compounds are triterpenes or steroids. The results indicate that the active compounds are potential lead molecules for new antifungal drugs in the management of infectious fungi.
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