<i>In vitro</i> assay of potential antifungal and antibacterial activities of extracts of <i>Borassus aethiopum</i> Mart

Abstract

The anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and pro-apoptotic properties of extracts of Borassus aethiopum have been reported in the literature. In this study, we investigated the antifungal and antibacterial properties of Borassus aethiopum male inflorescences extracts. The antifungal and antibacterial activity was studied by agar well diffusion method in vitro. The effect of antibacterial potential was examined against Gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), and Gram negative bacteria i.e., (Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae). In the antifungal activity assays, the dermatophytes strains Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton interdigitale, Trichophyton soudanense, Microsporum langeronii, and Epidermophyton floccosum were used. The E2F2 extract showed strong inhibitory activity on four of the five fungal species used against ketoconazole, a standard antifungal drug. However, the E2F2 extract displayed weak antibacterial activity against the bacterial strains tested. The results of the present study support the ethnomedicinal uses of Borassus aethiopum for the treatment of fungal diseases. The phytochemical screening of E2F2 extract revealed the presence of sterols, triterpenes and saponins, witch may be involved in the antifungal activity.

KEYWORDS: Antifungal, antibacterial, Borassus aethiopum