ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF ACETONIC EXTRACT OF FLACOURTIA INERMIS FRUIT AGAINST HUMAN OPPORTUNISTIC PATHOGENS

Abstract

The fruits of Flacourtia inermis are widely used by people of Kerala but its medicinal significance is still unknown. In the present study, acetonic extract of Flacourtia inermis fruit was examined for their antifungal activity against opportunistic human pathogens such as Aspergillus fumigatus; Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Mucor ramosissimus and Chrysosporium species. The study showed that the fruit extract possessed highest activity against Aspergillus fumigatus with an average inhibition zone of 47 mm.  Least susceptibility was shown by Aspergillus niger with a mean zone of inhibition of 30 mm, which also is a promising result for a plant extract. Aspergillus flavus, Mucor ramosissimus, and Chrysosporium sp. were also powerfully inhibited by the fruit extract. MIC of the acetonic extract was also detected. The study reveals that the acetonic extract of Flacourtia inermis fruit contains powerful agents active against human opportunistic pathogenic fungi.