African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12496

Full Length Research Paper

In vitro antifungal activity of Dorstenia mannii leaf extracts (Moraceae)

Kechia Frederick Agem*
  • Kechia Frederick Agem*
  • Mycology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Parasitology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1. Yaoundé, Cameroon; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bamenda, P. O. Box 39, Bambili. Bamenda, Cameroon.
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Gerald Ngo Teke
  • Gerald Ngo Teke
  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bamenda, P. O. Box 39, Bambili. Bamenda, Cameroon.
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Ngameni Bathelemy
  • Ngameni Bathelemy
  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon.
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Fokunang Charles
  • Fokunang Charles
  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon.
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Dzoyem Jean-Paul
  • Dzoyem Jean-Paul
  • Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P. O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon.
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Kamga Henri Lucien
  • Kamga Henri Lucien
  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bamenda, P. O. Box 39, Bambili. Bamenda, Cameroon.
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  •  Received: 22 April 2015
  •  Accepted: 15 October 2015
  •  Published: 18 November 2015

Abstract

The leaves of Dorstenia mannii are used in traditional medicine in Cameroon and other African countries for the treatment of infectious diseases like malaria, skin rashes and stomach disorders. To substantiate this folkloric claim, the crude methanol extract and fractions from the leaves of D. mannii were investigated for their antifungal activity. The crude methanol extract was prepared from powdered dried leaves of the D. mannii. A portion was subjected to flash liquid chromatography on silica gel to afford test fractions. All test samples were screened for major groups of phytochemicals.Test samples and nystatin (reference) were evaluated for antifungal activity on ten yeasts using agar disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The qualitative analysis of crude methanol extract and fractions of D. mannii leaves revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, steroids and cardiac glycosides. In agar disc diffusion assay, seven of the ten pathogenic fungal strains were sensitive to the crude methanol extract (7/10), n-hexane ethyl-acetate (Hex-EA) (75%) (8/10) and ethyl-acetate (100%) (8/10). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for the test samples varied from 80 to 1280 µg/ml. The crude extract and ethyl-acetate (100%) were the most active plant samples with both fungistatic and fungicidal effects (MIC/MFC values from 80 to 640 µg/ml) though not as the reference drug. Candida tropicalis was the least sensitive to the test samples. Some fractions exerted no fungicidal actions on Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida lusitaniae and Candida tropicalis. The present work shows that the crude methanol extract and fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and residue) from the leaves of D. mannii possess growth inhibitory effect on pathogenic yeast. The active ingredients of this plant could be an addition to the antifungal arsenal to opportunistic fungal yeast pathogens.

Key words: Antifungal activity, Dorstenia mannii, yeasts, opportunistic candidiasis.