Pharmacognostic Evaluation, Phytochemical Screening and Anti-Candidal Activities of Leaves of Some Medicinal Plants against Candida albicans

Main Article Content

Onyinye A. Udebunu
Fatima B. J. Sawa
Zikrullah A. Yusuf
Ibrahim Kolo

Abstract

Three Nigerian medicinal plants Psidium guajava Linn, Senna siamea Lam, and Senna obtusifolia L were investigated to determine the pharmacognostic characteristics, phytochemical contents and their activities against Candida albicans.  The fresh leaves of each plant were examined for their microscopic characters and then processed. The dried ground leaves were extracted using water and ethanol. The extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening and their anticandida activities were determined using paper disc diffusion method at concentrations of 25mg/ml; 50mg/ml; 100mg/ml; 200mg/ml and 400mg/ml with Ketoconazole as control. The study indicated that the plant extracts contained alkaloids, anthraquinones, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids. Glycoside was found to be absent. The extracts of the plants showed varying mean zones of inhibition (MZI) against C. albicans ranging from 6.00±0.00 to 16.67±1.53mm. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the extracts ranged from 10mg/ml to 20mg/ml while the Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) ranged from 20mg/ml to >80mg/ml with P. guajava having the least MIC and MFC of 10mg/ml and 20mg/ml respectively. The results indicated that MZI of the aqueous and ethanol extracts of P. guajava at a concentration of 400mg/ml had no significant differences at p ≤ 0.05. Further research is recommended for possible combinations of lower doses of the extracts to study their synergistic effects on C. albicans and to explore other potentials of the plants against other pathogens.

Keywords: Antimicrobial, Inhibition, Pharmacognostic, Phytochemical, Psidium guajava, siamea, Senna obtusifolia

Article Details

Udebunu, O. A., Sawa, F. B. J., Yusuf, Z. A., & Kolo, I. (2024). Pharmacognostic Evaluation, Phytochemical Screening and Anti-Candidal Activities of Leaves of Some Medicinal Plants against Candida albicans. African Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Research, 15(1), 77-92. https://doi.org/10.62154/x4kqrr71
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Copyright (c) 2024 Onyinye A. Udebunu, Fatima B. J. Sawa, Zikrullah A. Yusuf, Ibrahim Kolo (Author)

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Onyinye A. Udebunu, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. 

Department of Biological Sciences,

Faculty of Science,

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. 

Fatima B. J. Sawa, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. 

Department of Biological Sciences,

Faculty of Science,

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. 

Zikrullah A. Yusuf, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.

Department of Biological Sciences,

Faculty of Science,

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.

Ibrahim Kolo, Federal University Lafia.

Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture,

Faculty of Agriculture,

Federal University Lafia.

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