Antifungal Properties of Some Components of Senna Alata Flower

Abstract

Antifungal activity of some components of Senna alata flower was examined against five fungi. The methanolic crude extract and the partially purified fractions were both active against standard strains of Aspergillus niger, Geotricum candidum, and Candida utilis, and local isolates of Aspergillus brevipes and Penicillium species, but at different concentrations. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the methanolic crude extract was low for all the fungal strains except Aspergillus niger with 5.0 mg/mL concentration, while the minimum inhibitory concentration of partially purified components (C and F) ranged between 0.312 mg/mL for extract F against Penicillium species and 2.5 mg/mL for extract C against Aspergillus niger, Penicillium species and Candida utilis. The minimum fungicidal concentration of the crude methanolic extract was generally higher than 5 mg/mL for most of the fungi but the partially purified extract exhibited fungicidal concentrations ranging from 2.5 mg/mL to 5.0 mg/mL. Antifungal properties against mycelial growth was also demonstrated by all the extracts against the tested strains, with the crude methanolic extract losing its activity after 48 hours. The partially purified Senna alata extracts exhibited a relatively high antifungal activity against mycelial growth with total suppression of sporulation for four days at a concentration of 2 mg/mL, while preventing fungal growth after the seventh day.