Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSES AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITIES OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS IN NSUKKA CULTURAL ZONE

¹Adonu Cyril C.*, ¹Eze Chinelo C., ¹Ugwueze Mercy E., ²Ugwu Kenneth O.

ABSTRACT

The phytochemical analyses and the antifungal potentials of the methanol extract of leaves of Persea americana, Psidium guajava, Carica papaya and the fruits of Citrus lemoniumn, Citrus aurantifolia and Zingiber officinale Rosc were studied against some fungi isolates. The leaves of Persea americana, Psidium guajava and Carica papaya were collected fresh, shade-dried, pulverized and extracted with methanol in soxhlet extractor, so also, was the chopped up fruits of Citrus lemoniumn, Citrus aurantifolia and Zingiber officinale Rosc. The extracts were concentrated and dried separately under vacuum.The phytochemical analyses and antifungal activities of these extracts were evaluated using standard methods. The Citrus lemoniumn inhibited the growth of all the fungi used.. All the extracts apart from guava (Psidium guajava) inhibited Cryptococcus neoformans. The phytochemical studies revealed the presence of proteins, saponins, carbohydrates, cyanogenic glycosides, tannins, alkaloids glycosides, flavonoids and reducing sugar with the exception of antracene glycosides, cardiac glycosides in the test samples. The phytoconstituents present in these plants parts may be responsible for their antifungal activities.

Keywords: Phytochemical analysis, Antifungal activity, Medicinal plants, Alkaloids, Agar diffusion.