Abstract
Introduction: Tapinanthus globiferus, a hemi-parasitic plant, is employed in ethnomedicine for treating various ailments, including fungal infections. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical and antifungal properties of T. globiferus growing on Balanites aegyptiaca. Methods: The antifungal efficacy of the methanol leaf extract of T. globiferus and its fractions was tested against four selected human fungal pathogens including Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Trichophyton rubrum, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Antifungal efficacy was conducted using agar well diffusion at various concentrations (100 - 12.5 mg/mL). Results: The extract and its fractions showed significant fungal activity (p < 0.05) against all pathogens. The ethyl acetate fraction displayed the highest zone of inhibition, ranging from 10.00 to 29.00 mm, followed by the n-butanol fraction with zones of inhibition ranging from 10.00 to 25.00 mm. The methanol leaf extract, n-hexane, and chloroform fractions exhibited lower mean zones of inhibition: 7.00-19.00 mm, 8.00-21.00 mm, and 5.00-14.00 mm, respectively. The standard drug Iitraconazole had a mean zone of inhibition ranging from 6.00 to 22.30 mm. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) of the methanol extract and its fractions varied, with ranges for the methanol extract (5.25 -25.5 mg/mL), MFC (5.22-25.5 mg/mL), n-hexane MIC (3.13–12.5 mg/mL), MFC (3.13-24.0 mg/mL), chloroform MIC (3.5-20.0 mg/mL), MFC (3.5-20.0 mg/mL), ethyl acetate MIC (2.13-25.0 mg/mL), MFC (2.13-25.0 mg/mL), and n-butanol MIC (4.4-12.6 mg/mL), MFC (4.4-12.6 mg/mL). Conclusion: A. niger was the most sensitive organism, while T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum were the least sensitive to the ethyl acetate fraction. This study supports the ethnomedicinal use of the plant in treating fungal infections.
Please cite this paper as:
Tukur M, Ibrahim MY, Abubakar H. Phytochemical screening and antifungal studies of Tapinanthus Globiferus growing on Balanites Aegyptica. Journal of Biochemicals and Phytomedicine. 2023; 2(2): 75–81. doi: 10.34172/jbp.2023.15.