Antidermatophytic properties of extracts from the leaves of Aristolochia paucinervis Pomel

• Published in: Phytotherapy research 2001-02, Vol.15 (1), p.79-81
• Main Authors: Gadhi, C. A., Benharref, A., Jana, M., Basile, A. M., Contet-Audonneau, N., Fortier, B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: antifungal activity; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Antifungal Agents - therapeutic use; Aristolochia paucinervis; Arthrodermataceae - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Dermatomycoses - drug therapy; dermatophytes; General pharmacology; Humans; Medical sciences; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Moroccan traditional medicine; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Plant Leaves; Plants, Medicinal; skin infections; tinea
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/1099-1573(200102)15:1<79::AID-PTR953>3.0.CO;2-K

Several fractions of a methanol extract from the leaves of Aristolochia paucinervis Pomel (Aristolochiaceae) were screened for their antidermatophytic efficiency against different human pathogenic fungi responsible for tinea and other skin infections. The antifungal study was carried out by the macrodilution agar method and the results showed that, with the exception of the aqueous fraction, all the fractions exhibited antifungal activities against the dermatophytic fungi tested. The hexane fraction was found to be the most effective (MIC range: 64–2048 µg/mL), whereas the butanol fraction was the least active (MIC range: 1024 µg/mL to more than 2048 µg/mL). The most susceptible fungi were Epidermophyton floccosum and Trichophyton violaceum in contrast to Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trychophyton rubrum which were less sensitive to the fractions tested. The effects were compared with those of ketoconazole, amphotericin B and griseofulvin, for which MIC ranges were, respectively, 0.12–4 µg/mL, 0.5–4 µg/mL and 0.5–2 µg/mL. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.